What is the average waiting time for a doctor's appointment?

01.07.21 07:36 PM By Hannah W
When you are looking to schedule a doctor’s appointment, there are three different fronts you’ll experience some sort of waiting time on. When patients arrive at the doctor’s office, there is typically a waiting period before the doctor is available. When scheduling an appointment with either their primary care provider or a specialist, patients will also experience a waiting time for the date of their actual appointment. 

On average, you will expect to spend the following amount of times in each situation:
  • The amount of time spent waiting at the doctor’s office can be about 18 minutes.
  • The typical patient will wait about 2 weeks from scheduling an appointment to the time that they actually get to meet with their primary care provider.
  • If you are being referred to a specialist, it can take up to two weeks for that appointment with the specialist.

Why does it take so long to be seen by a doctor?

There are many different reasons it takes so long to be seen by the doctor. Some of the reasons include a shortage of physicians, an increase in the number of people with health insurance, and an increased burden on providers to deal with electronic medical records. In some areas of the country, like Boston, some medical clinics were so short staffed that some patients had to wait as long as 52 days to get into the clinic.


Doctors also mention that electronic medical records do not ease the problem. In a 2016 survey, some doctors felt that electronic medical records reduced the quality of care that it allowed them to give patients. For every hour that a doctor spends with a patient, they likely have two hours of administrative tasks due to electronic medical records.

What are the dangers of long wait times?

There are several different dangers of long doctor wait times. They include:
  • Patients will skip preventative medical care because they simply do not want to wait at the doctor’s office or for an appointment.
  • If someone does not want to wait for an appointment, they will often go to urgent care.
  • Patients might also start “doctor shopping,” which can break down the continuity of care they get from their primary health care provider that knows their medical history.

People who postpone or skip routine medical visits might develop more serious ailments from skipping appointments. When patients see another doctor outside of their regular healthcare provider, they miss out on the expertise of their regular healthcare provider that comes from their history of visits. 

Mitigating doctor wait times

Concierge medicine is a different type of health care service. Starting at just $150 per month, you can utilize Insight Life Care’s concierge medical service. Here are some of the benefits that come along with utilizing a concierge doctor:
  • There is no wait time to see the doctor. You can get access to a doctor within 24 hours utilizing a concierge medical service.
  • Telemedicine is also available, with appointments being available within 24 hours. 
  • You can also utilize our other services, which include remote monitoring, onsite testing, and other services. 
  • If you need a specialist referral, Insight Life Care can refer you to a medical specialist much faster than your typical family doctor.

Building a relationship with your concierge doctor

In addition to lengthy wait times, your typical interaction with a doctor at a primary care clinic will only last about 15 to 20 minutes. In a recent study, it was found that:

  • The average length of a doctor visit was about 15 minutes.

  • The patient and doctor both individually spoke for about 5 minutes each.

  • The patient was limited in the number of healthcare topics that they got to discuss with their doctor, as well as the length of time spent addressing each healthcare topic.


When working with a concierge medical service, you will get unhurried, lengthy appointments with your doctor. You will also be able to cover any topic, at length, that pertains to your health. 


Another guarantee with a concierge medical service is that you’ll never have to meet with a doctor substitute. If you visit a family practice clinic or an urgent care center, the odds are that you will likely see a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner. Here is why you are likely to see a “doctor substitute” in certain types of traditional health care models:

  • Typically, doctors are involved in more administrative duties, assigning more and more patient interaction to physicians assistants and nurse practitioners.

  • Medicaid expansion over the years necessitated a need for expanding the health care workforce.

  • Nurse practitioners and physician assistants can perform many of the same duties as a physician at a fraction of the cost, which helps traditional primary care clinics save money.


A concierge medical service like Insight Life Care will always let you see a doctor within 24 hours, giving you peace of mind.

Some of the benefits of our membership-based concierge direct primary care model include:

  • Your costs are controlled: For a fixed monthly amount, you have unlimited access to a doctor with over 30 years of experience practicing internal medicine in Tampa Bay. In our office, we can cover 80-90% of your healthcare needs. If we encounter an issue that needs specialist intervention, we will schedule, manage, and follow up with all outside providers for you.

  • More time with your doctor: Developing a personal relationship with your doctor enables you to truly engage in your healthcare. Also, having a doctor you can call 24/7 helps to keep you out of urgent care clinics and emergency rooms. It’s like having a doctor in the family!

  • No health insurance needed: We provide the same level of care to our patients regardless of their health insurance status. Although our services are not a replacement for health insurance, we can meet most of your healthcare needs in our office for a low monthly cost. For our uninsured patients, we have negotiated cash prices with outside providers to make your entire healthcare experience more affordable. Contact us to learn more.

  • Accessible visit options: Our doctor and nurse will see you wherever you are, whether via telemedicine, an in-office visit, or a home doctor visit in Tampa. We understand that traveling to our office is not always convenient or available to you - just let us know which visit option works best for you.

The importance of keeping routine medical checkups

Concierge medicine is affordable and is often cheaper than visiting a regular doctor. It is also convenient in the sense that you have more timely access to your doctor. Regular checkups help keep any recommended screenings up to date and identify health issues as early as possible. Regular checkups let you communicate with your primary health care provider giving them the chance to better identify and avoid potential health issues. 

MEET DR. NUSSBAUM

Chris Nussbaum, MD, FHM founded Insight Life Care after 25 years of primary care and hospital practice in order to create an environment where patients are at the forefront of care. Click here to learn more »

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