Waiting times for non-urgent specialist appointments.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the waiting times for non-urgent appointments with specialist medical practitioners in private practice.


METHODS
A telephone survey of specialists selected randomly by the Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Health was conducted. The waiting times for non-urgent appointments were measured, and the results were grouped by specialty and analysed.


RESULTS
Waiting times to see various physicians and surgeons did not differ substantially. There were significantly longer (P < 0.002) waiting times for urological surgeons (median, 25.5 days) and for women obstetricians and gynaecologists (median, 40 days) than for other specialists.


CONCLUSIONS
The average waiting time to see a specialist surgeon or physician for a non-urgent condition in private practice is acceptable by current community standards. However, the longer waiting times suggest that there are too few urologists and women obstetricians and gynaecologists.
Baume
P E
PE
School of Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney.
D001315:Australia; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009774:Obstetrics; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000600:supply & distribution; D014572:Urology; D014850:Waiting Lists; D000078329:Workforce