Catherine Gianaro, a freelance writer and editor based in Chicago, has written about healthcare and higher education for more than three decades. With 90-plus awards in communications, she is well-versed in storytelling.
Lengthy appointment wait times pose challenges for people seeking care
Fact checked by Shannon Sparks
In Buffalo Grove, a 66-year-old man desperately seeking a neuropsychological evaluation for suspected dementia must wait until after the new year. In Pilsen, a 57-year-old woman faces a four-month delay for follow-up tests after a suspicious mammogram. In Portage Park, the earliest appointment a 40-year-old woman can get for her annual gynecological exam is five months out.
These are not isolated cases. Healthcare advocates warn that extended wait times for physician appointments in and around Chicago reflect a broader national crisis, with major urban centers particularly affected.
New patients in major metropolitan areas wait an average of 26 days for a physician appointment, according to a 2022 survey from healthcare staffing firm Merritt Hawkins. Dermatology leads with a national average wait time of 72 days for new patients, but Chicago patients seeking care in certain specialties face even longer delays. For neuropsychological evaluations related to dementia, wait times can stretch six months or more, says Margo Marasa, a patient advocate and partner at Allegiance Patient Advocacy.
The crisis spans multiple specialties. While the national average wait time to see a gastroenterologist is 40 days, Chicago patients often wait up to 59 days. One of Marasa’s recent cases involved a person who needed a feeding tube removed after being discharged from a nursing facility in June. The earliest available appointment with a gastroenterologist was in late August — an eight-week wait that required the person to manage daily tube maintenance and increased infection risks for that entire period.
A system under strain
“It’s a matter of supply versus demand,” Marasa says. “The physician shortage in hospital systems means administration needs to have a plan to address it.”
The physician shortage affecting Chicago mirrors national trends. The U.S. faces a projected shortfall of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, according to a March 2024 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Major cities like Chicago are among the hardest hit.
Emily Mysel, a licensed clinical social worker at Family Service of Glencoe, sees the impact on families daily. “The medical system is flawed,” she says. “When my father started showing signs of a brain issue at 67, we knew it would be a six-month or longer wait for a neurology appointment. We decided to go through the emergency room, where we discovered he had terminal brain cancer.”
The burden of these delays falls hard on vulnerable populations. “It’s particularly challenging for older adults and those on Medicaid,” Marasa says. “If somebody can’t afford an advocate, they need to find support through family or friends who can help navigate the system on their behalf.”
For some, however, that isn’t possible. Healthcare advocates suggest several strategies to help people manage long wait times, including joining cancellation lists, seeking appointments with nurse practitioners, and exploring multiple hospital systems.
Keeping detailed records of symptoms is also crucial. “Make sure you’re documenting what you’re experiencing,” Mysel says. “Sometimes we get to the office and forget all the things we need to tell them.” Especially if you’ve been waiting for an extended amount of time.
Systemic changes
The solution requires systematic changes. Healthcare institutions increasingly rely on nurse practitioners to help manage patient loads, but advocates say the U.S. healthcare system needs more comprehensive reforms.
“Physicians are burdened with what I call clerical stuff,” Marasa says. “Insurance authorizations and peer-to-peer reviews tie them up when that time could be better used seeing patients.”
Mysel emphasizes the need for better coordination among providers. “We need a wraparound, collaborative approach,” she says. “Each specialist works independently, but they’re not talking to each other.”
Illinois is making strides to address healthcare workforce shortages through innovative policy changes. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Illinois issued temporary permits for more than 485 internationally trained physicians to work under supervision, easing workforce pressures. However, only eight physicians were hired — three in paid positions and five as volunteers.
Employers hesitated to adopt the temporary permit program for several reasons, including malpractice coverage, prescription restrictions, and reimbursement challenges. The uncertainty about the program’s duration discouraged investment in training and hiring.
As the Chicago area grapples with long wait times for appointments, advocates stress the importance of persistence. “If you feel something is wrong, you have to find your voice,” Mysel says. “Don’t settle for being told there’s a wait time. Get on those waiting lists, call their clinics, and maintain a good rapport with your primary care doctor, who can be your sounding board through the process.”
In the meantime, people throughout Chicago and beyond continue to wait.
