Physician wait times have increased significantly

For the report, AMN surveyed 1,391 medical offices in 15 major metropolitan areas between Jan. 15 and Feb. 24 to assess the availability of new patient appointments. The 15 metropolitan areas were Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

Six specialties were included in the report: cardiology, dermatology, obstetrics-gynecology (ob/gyn), orthopedic surgery, family medicine, and gastroenterology.

Overall, AMN found that average wait for a physician appointment across the six specialties was 31 days, a 19% increase from 2022 and a 48% increase from 2004 when the survey was first conducted. The average wait times for the different specialties varied:

• Ob/gyn: 41.8 days, a 33% increase since 2022 and a 79% increase since 2004
• Gastroenterology: 40 days (Newly added specialty)
• Dermatology: 36.5 days, a 6% increase since 2022 and a 50% increase since 2004
• Cardiology: 32.7 days, a 23% increase since 2022 and a 74% increase since 2004
• Family medicine: 23.5 days, a 14% increase 2022 and a 16% increase from 2009 when the specialty was first added
• Orthopedic surgery: 12 days, a 29% decrease since 2022 and a 29% decrease since 2004

According to AMN, wait times varied significantly both by specialty and metropolitan area. For example, the range for a dermatology appointment in Portland was between one and 291 days while the range for an ob/gyn appointment in Boston was between one and 231 days.

Among the different metropolitan areas, Boston had the longest average physician appointment wait time across all six specialties at 65 days while Atlanta had the shortest at 12 days. Notably, the metropolitan areas included in the report have "some of the highest physician-to-population ratios in the country."

Commentary

According to Grant, "[l]onger physician appointment wait times are a significant indicator that the nation is experiencing a growing shortage of physicians."

In a 2024 report, the Association of American Medical Colleges estimated that there could be a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. Similarly, the Health Resources and Services Administration projected a shortage of 57,259 full-time-equivalent physicians this year and a shortage of 81,180 physicians by 2035.

Some of the factors contributing to the physician shortage include population growth, an aging population and corresponding aging physician population, widespread ill health, limited physician training capacity, physician burnout, and physician maldistribution.

"Lengthening physician appointment wait times are the inevitable outcome of the growing gap between demand for physicians and the available supply," Grant said.

According to Grant, there is a need to train more physicians going forward to address growing appointment wait times. Physician practices can also leverage physician assistants and nurse practitioners to reduce burnout and physician pressure.

"Physician appointment wait times continue to rise due to growing demand and workforce constraints, highlighting the urgent need for systemwide innovation in access and scheduling," said Laurie Norman, a senior director at Optum Advisory*. "Enabling physicians and advanced practice clinicians to work at the top of their license is a critical strategy to expand capacity, reduce delays, and ensure timely, high-quality care."

"By integrating advanced scheduling technologies with team-based care models, we can bridge access gaps and optimize workforce utilization — while also driving financially sustainable outcomes across the delivery system," Norman added. "These improvements not only enhance patient and provider experience and clinical results, but also contribute to long-term operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness."

"AMN's 2025 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait times highlights that despite patient access being a top priority for provider organizations across the country, we have not been able to move the dial on appointment wait times. And we will continue to see minimal, or even reverse, progress on appointment wait times until we expand our definition of access," said Mahaya Walker, a research consultant at Advisory Board.

"Appointments are a critical source of care delivery ── and always will be. But how patients expect to receive care and how providers deliver care expand well beyond appointments alone. Provider availability is the new access standard," Walker added.

Read our latest access research to learn more.

*Advisory Board is a subsidiary of Optum. All Advisory Board research, expert perspectives, and recommendations remain independent.