Which specialist doctors have the longest queues? Thousands of people are waiting
Queues to doctors no longer surprise anyone. However, when we look at specific numbers, we may still be surprised. Many people wait to see some specialists.
Long queues to doctors are the bane of the Polish health service. You have to wait up to several dozen days for an appointment at some clinics. Which of them are the busiest and which specialists have the longest queues? The answer to this question is provided by the latest report published by the National Health Fund. However, remember that not everyone has to wait. Be sure to check who can get to the doctor without queuing, because the list of privileged people is really long.
Which specialists do you have to wait the longest to see? National Health Fund data
The National Health Fund has published a report for the second quarter of 2023, summarizing its activities. It contains, among other things, information about the longest waiting time for an appointment with a specialist (divided into urgent and stable cases). It turns out that the largest number of people were waiting for a neurological clinic “on a whim” – as many as 45,000. 942 patients. In the group of stable cases, it was 262 thousand. 278 people.
As many as 39,993 cases were on the urgent waiting list for trauma and orthopedic surgery clinics. In turn, 36,777 people were waiting for a cardiology clinic. The queues to the day rehabilitation center were not that much shorter – as many as 36,598 people were waiting. The group of specialists that patients most wanted to see included ophthalmologists. 27,353 patients were waiting to be seen at the ophthalmology clinic.
Which other specialist doctors are the most popular?
Most patients in a stable condition were waiting for an appointment at the ophthalmology clinic. At the end of June, the number of people waiting was 468,000. 646 people.
The list also includes dental clinics (299,122 people waiting), neurology clinics (262,278 people waiting), and cardiology clinics (200,543 people in the queue). Right behind them was also the trauma and orthopedic surgery clinic (197,000, 271 people waiting).
What was the average waiting time for an appointment with a specialist?
How long was the average waiting time for an appointment with the most popular specialists? Patients assessed as a “stable case” had to wait 66 days to be seen at the neurology clinic. In turn, the waiting time for the neurosurgical clinic was 159 days. Patients also had to wait equally long for an appointment at an endocrinology clinic – 160 days, a thyroid clinic – 197 days, and a pediatric genetic clinic – 273 days. It turns out that the longest waiting time concerned endocrinology and pediatric diabetology clinics – patients had to wait up to 292 days for specialist advice.
What was the situation like in urgent cases? Of course, such patients were admitted to a specialist faster than those from the “stable cases” category. On average, patients were seen by a neurologist after 25 days of waiting, while it took 22 days to see a trauma and orthopedic surgeon. The waiting time to see a cardiologist was 38 days, and to see an ophthalmologist – 8 days. In turn, patients could get to the day rehabilitation facility almost immediately.
