Where Did All the Medical Appointments Go?
Nassau and Suffolk County Medical Society Presidents Dr. David Podwall and Dr. Leslie Marino recently discussed factors contributing to increased wait times to get doctors’ appointments in Newsday.
Dr. Podwall noted that practices are still playing catch-up from pandemic-related closures, but the backlog persists. “Our waiting lists are well into the summer at this point,” he said. “Anyone can tell you: You call one of these larger hospitals…they’re very good, but you get put on a waiting list. It’s just very hard to get in.”
Dr. Marino cited difficulty in recruiting physicians to work on Long Island due to the high cost of living coupled with New York having very high rates for malpractice insurance. She stated, “While we provide excellent training sites for residents, many do not stay here,” Suffolk County Medical Society president Dr. Leslie Marino wrote in an email. “This is only projected to worsen in the future as the population continues to grow and physicians continue to leave the workforce and the state.”
