In a recent social media thread, dozens of people — even those with serious medical conditions — are speaking about the unnaturally long times they have to wait for an appointment with a specialist.
The original poster shared that her friend couldn’t get a neurology appointment after a stroke until May 2026 (yep, you read that right), and she herself couldn’t get an appointment with a gastrointestinal doctor until November. Several other users replied with similar sentiments about this problem — which is one of many in the U.S. health care system.
Many theories about why this is happening are floating around, and many of them are correct, doctors say. Below, specialists tell all about what’s going on behind the scenes and what they advise patients to do until more systemic changes can be made.
There’s a shortage of specialists.
The first reason is perhaps the most obvious: People have to wait forever to see a specialist because there simply aren’t enough.
“I am a vascular stroke specialist and there are not enough stroke physicians to handle the volume of stroke follow-ups required,” said Dr. Ashish Nanda, a neurologist at Providence St. Jude Medical Center. “I’m sure similar challenges are being faced by other specialties, like cardiovascular.”
Dr. Samuel R. Browd, a neurosurgeon and the chief medical officer and cofounder at Proprio, has seen this, too — especially in rural areas and smaller hospitals.
“The problem is only set to worsen: The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians in the U.S. by 2036,” he added. “What’s more, it takes thousands of hours (at least 13 years) of rigorous training to become a surgeon, further limiting the pipeline of specialists available to meet demand.”
As a pediatrician and pediatric interventional cardiologist, Dr. Alesandro Larrazabal, chief medical officer and cofounder of Clarity Pediatrics, can also attest to this. He said fewer doctors are entering his specialty.
“Last year, 30% of pediatric residency programs did not fill their positions,” he said. “And those who do enter pediatrics are less incentivized to pursue a subspeciality because of the lower compensation than offered by most adult subspecialties.”
Specialists aren’t always in network with insurance providers, which limits availability.
Not only is the health care field low on specialists, but it’s low on specialists who accept insurance, Nanda said — which is especially needed with the higher costs of specialty care. You may have a longer wait if you’re trying to see a specialist who takes your insurance because, well, everyone else is, too.
More patients need to see a specialist in the wake of COVID.
We can also thank long COVID, or symptoms that persist long after the infection started, for these extensive waits.
“There’s been a marked increase in chronic conditions and complex health issues requiring specialist care, particularly post-COVID,” said Dr. C. Vivek Lal, a physician who’s well-versed in pediatrics, neonatal and perinatal medicine, and pulmonary and vascular biology.
Particularly, he’s seen an uptick in patients coming in with persistent respiratory symptoms, fatigue and inflammatory responses that require specialized care.
Additionally, many patients delayed care during the height of COVID to avoid getting sicker — and unfortunately, the effects of that are hitting them now.
“Patients who postponed regular checkups and preventive care are now presenting with more advanced conditions that require more intensive specialist intervention,” Lal said. “This is particularly true for conditions affecting gut and respiratory health — areas where early intervention is crucial.”
Last but not least, many people were and are super stressed, which brings its own health problems that fill up specialists’ workdays.
“The pandemic’s psychological impact has manifested in physical health problems, creating a complex web of symptoms that often requires multiple specialists to address effectively,” Lal added.
More and more people are getting diagnoses.
Doctors are seeing more health diagnoses that aren’t related to long COVID but require specialist care, too. Two examples include ADHD and asthma.
ADHD diagnoses have surged, which could be for various reasons. And again, it’s one of many conditions on the rise.
“The latest numbers show that over 40% of school-aged children and adolescents are managing at least one chronic condition,” Larrazabal said. “This rise in chronic conditions has brought the traditional pediatric care model to an inflection point.”
Administrative work takes a lot of specialists’ time.
If you’ve had to wait a while to even get the opportunity to make an appointment with a specialist, you’re not the only one.
Browd explained what’s going on. “Institutional policies now impose stricter barriers on specialist access, making it more difficult to schedule direct appointments without first meeting specific criteria,” he said. “While this approach has benefits, including improving health care efficiency and ensuring specialists spend their time where their expertise is needed most, it also creates additional layers of approval that can delay care because primary care physicians must conduct initial assessments and triage before specialists review cases.”
In other words, your primary doctor has to do more testing and work to prove you need specialist care, which takes time, too.
The work that has to be done during and after an appointment also is extensive for specialists. In fact, the increasing amount of administrative work and documentation that specialists are required to do can consume almost 50% of their time, according to Nanda. As a result, they only have time to see a certain (low) number of patients a day.
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What do specialists advise with these long wait times?
With such discouraging news, where do we go from here? Specialists share their best advice:
Don’t delay seeking a referral.
Seeing a specialist is expensive and takes time out of a busy schedule. These are only a couple reasons why it’s understandable that you may not seek a referral ASAP. At the same time, doctors don’t recommend this, saying it can hurt your case.
“If your primary care physician suggests seeing a specialist, start that process immediately, given the current wait times,” Lal said.
Make telehealth appointments when it’s appropriate.
Telemedicine won’t work for every condition, and it’s certainly not the preferred option for many of us. But, it can be an option for some specialist consultations, Lal said, that may offer shorter wait times.
While it may not be all you need to address your health concern, it may give you some answers that can prevent your condition from worsening.
It’s probably not surprising to hear that Larrazabal considered virtual care “a game-changer.” He added how it gives you access to specialists who are farther away — so more options — without sacrificing the quality of the provider.
Stay in close communication with your primary care provider.
While a PCP can’t do some of the work a specialist can, they help in other ways. Lal urged keeping in contact with them so they can help you manage your condition and advocate for expedited appointments if your condition worsens.
Consider group-based care.
Yes, this is a thing! Talk to your doctor’s office or local hospital about it.
“Group sessions allow providers to support multiple families simultaneously, reducing wait times while creating valuable support networks,” Larrazabal said.
It can also be uniquely beneficial from an emotional and social point of view.
“As a pediatrician, I’ve seen how parents often feel isolated in managing their child’s health challenges,” he continued. “Group-based care helps them realize they’re not alone, and these shared experiences can be incredibly validating.”
These sessions can be offered virtually, he added, which allows caregivers to get that support without necessarily needing to arrange child care or time off from work.
Advocate for yourself.
Doctors may dismiss patients’ concerns for many reasons, unfortunately — some of which require systemic change. But sometimes, standing up for yourself and providing as much info as possible can help you avoid that.
“Often, delays aren’t due to doctors not listening but rather needing more information to make the right referral,” Browd said. “That’s why we encourage patients to ask questions and advocate for themselves — our ability to provide the best care depends on the information we receive.”
Some tips that may help you self-advocate include keeping a diary of your symptoms, bringing a support person, asking questions and pushing for a referral.
Try not to lose hope.
Specialists are aware of the barriers you face, and they’re trying to address them.
“Doctors genuinely care about their patients and recognize that every moment matters,” Browd said. “While we work to reduce wait times and improve care, systemic change takes time.”
AI is even making a difference. It can automate routine tasks and enhance decision-making, he continued, giving clinicians more time for patients.
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