The Average Wait for a Doctor’s Appointment Is 31 Days—How to Get Seen SoonerThe Average Wait for a Doctor’s Appointment Is 31 Days—How to Get Seen Sooner
Drugs & Treatments

The Average Wait for a Doctor’s Appointment Is 31 Days—How to Get Seen Sooner

Doctor shortages can mean delays in getting appointments and care—but patients who understand the system can find ways to break through.
Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock
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This is part 1 in Becoming A Proactive Patient

Practical tools to help you navigate doctors, tests, treatments, and costs, so you can avoid pitfalls, make informed choices, and become an active partner in your care.

It starts with a call. A sore knee, a lingering cough, a changing mole—nothing urgent—but not quite ignorable. The receptionist is polite, but the first available appointment is three weeks away.

For millions of Americans, health care begins with a wait. For many, walk-in clinics have replaced family medicine.