Waiting times to see a dermatologist are perceived as too long by dermatologists: implications for the dermatology workforce

BACKGROUND: The issue of workforce requirements in dermatology has come to attention in recent years because it affects the delivery of dermatologic care in the United States. OBJECTIVE: To determine the waiting times for appointments with dermatologists in order to assess the adequacy of the current level of dermatology workforce. METHODS: Waiting times were determined for new and return patient appointments by telephone survey of a random sample of American Academy of Dermatology members. Physicians' perception of the adequacy of the number of dermatologists in their area was used as a criterion standard to validate waiting times as a measure of workforce adequacy. Benchmark waiting times of 3 weeks for a new patient appointment and 2 weeks for a return appointment were established. RESULTS: Physicians' estimates of the waiting time for a new patient appointment and their perceptions of the adequacy of the number of practicing dermatologists in their area were closely correlated (r = -0.65; P<.001), validating the use of waiting times as a measure of workforce adequacy. More than 60% of the dermatologists surveyed exceeded the criterion cutoff waiting times, and more than 42% of the US population lives in areas underserved by dermatologists. Dermatologists practicing in areas of higher population density were more likely to have shorter waiting times for new patient appointments and were more likely to include cosmetic dermatology in their practices. CONCLUSION: The long waiting times for appointments suggests that the current supply of dermatologists is not adequate to meet the demand for dermatologists' services.