Why Health Care Wait Times Are Used as Political Talking Point

When we talk about wait times in American health care, there are several different meanings that come to mind. It could mean how long it takes to get a primary care appointment, or see a specialist, or get elective surgery. It could mean how long you sit in a waiting room, how long it takes between a referral and actual treatment, or even how long people delay care before they try to get in at all.

In this week’s Health Care Pain Points episode, AcademyHealth CEO and Healthcare Triage host Aaron Carroll talks about why politicizing wait times is an effective yet oversimplified talking point in American politics. Everyone has a story about waiting to see a doctor, waiting to get a referral, or waiting on hold on the phone. Using wait times to convince constituents that one system works better than another works because it is relatable. But it is often dishonest and only tells part of the story.

Watch this week’s episode to understand why understanding the tradeoffs of wait times in the American health care system can allow us to have more precise and honest conversations that can lead to policies that make health care better for everyone.

You can find all videos in this series here.