The challenges of securing appointments to see doctors in the United States have intensified due to soaring health care demand and a diminishing number of available physicians. Specializations such as primary care and emergency medicine are among the most adversely affected by this trend. Consequently, many patients end up leaving hospitals before they can receive medical evaluation. A study analyzing more than 1,000 hospitals between 2017 and the end of 2021 discovered that hospitals with poor performance had a 4.4% rate of patients leaving without a medical evaluation, which increased to over 10% by 2023.
The primary reason for this crisis is the increasing levels of career burnout among doctors. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), approximately half of all practicing physicians experience symptoms of burnout, which includes emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a low sense of personal achievement. This high level of burnout has led to many doctors leaving their field, exacerbating the already severe shortage of healthcare professionals in the United States.
Another contributing factor is the growing paperwork burden for doctors. With the advent of electronic health records (EHRs), physicians are now expected to spend a significant amount of time on documentation and billing, which significantly reduces the amount of time they can spend treating or educating patients about their conditions. One study by the AMA linked medical scribes to a 27% lower physician burnout rate among primary care providers. However, this solution comes at an added expense for physicians already struggling with rising industry costs.
The consequences of this crisis are far-reaching and affect all aspects of patient care. In a 2023 J.D. Power satisfaction survey of overnight hospital patients, only 36% said they were able to speak with a doctor when needed—down from 43% in the 2011 survey. This trend is expected to continue as the United States’ aging and chronically sick population grows. The rules of corporate medicine aren’t making this problem any easier, as physicians are now evaluated primarily on their production and billing rather than the quality of care or patient satisfaction.
As a result, many patients face long waits for primary care appointments and are forced to seek treatment in urgent care centers or emergency rooms. This issue is particularly severe in inner city and rural settings where access to healthcare services is already limited. The future of patient care in the United States depends on addressing these challenges head-on and finding ways to support and retain healthcare professionals while improving the overall quality of care for patients.