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Bridging Problems with SOLUTIONS™ 100 Quentin Roosevelt Blvd., GaRden City, ny 11530 Phone: (516) 296 1000 n Fax: (516) 296 1030 n www.milleRmilone.Com 49 wiReless Blvd., hauPPauGe, ny 11788 99 Quentin Roosevelt Blvd., GaRden City, ny 11530 Attorney Advertising At Miller & Milone, P.C. the whole surpasses the sum of its parts. Many of today's healthcare issues are quite complicated and require a multifaceted approach to achieve a solution. Our integrated five department system allows our firm to address complex problems with a myriad of solutions. Inquire about our ED Financial Assist™ Medicaid Program. LOSING THE WAITING GAME BY STEVE BARRETT A 2017 STUDY by Merritt Hawkins found average wait times for an initial appoint- ment have increased significantly in recent years, at least for the 15 major and 15 mid- size metropolitan areas the hea lthcare search and consulting firm included. Researchers focused on cardiology, fam- ily medicine, dermatology, OB-GYN and orthopedic surgery. Among their findings: + In major ma rket s, wa it ti mes g rew by a n average of 30 percent — rising to 24.1 days — since a similar survey in 2014. + Mid-size markets saw greater increases: Average wait time was 32 days. + Boston, a major metropolita n ma rket, had the longest appointment wait time at 52.4 days. Among mid-size markets, Ya k i ma , Wa sh i n g ton, led t he pa ck at 48.8 days. + Da lla s' 14.8-day wa iting period wa s the lowest a mong major ma rkets. + Billings, Monta na's 10.8 days was the shor test a mong mid-size ma rkets. + For fa m i ly me d ici ne s p e ci f ic a l ly, s e ei n g a phy s i c i a n t o ok a n a v e r - a g e o f 2 9 d a y s i n l a r g e m a r k e t s a nd 56. 3 days in mid-size ma rkets. Patients in A lba ny, New York, wa ited the longest overa ll: 122 days. The wait was seven days in Billings. ■ IF YOUR NE W PATIENTS ARE E XPRESSING FRUSTR ATION WITH THE SCHEDULING PROCESS FOR THEIR FIRST APPOINTMENT, IT MAY BE A SIGN OF MORE THAN THE USUAL IMPATIENCE A SSOCIATED WITH WAITING. CORE 059990046_PM2 [P].indd 1 11/16/17 11:17 AM 1 1 M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S L O N G I S L A N D ■ 2 018