Patients are waiting an average of 26 days

Patients are waiting an average of 26 days for a scheduled appointment with a specialty physician—including obstetrics/gynecology, orthopedic surgery and cardiology—in 15 major U.S. cities. Wait times are likely worse elsewhere in the country since large markets tend to have more doctors. “It’s a sobering sign for the rest of the country when even patients in large cities must wait weeks to see a physician”—one that signals a growing shortage of experts in the field.