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Q&A
Challenges in managing wait times and specialty care services
2:11:48
ยท
161 sec
Dr. Katz discusses the challenges of managing wait times, particularly for specialty care services, and addresses ongoing workforce shortages in the healthcare system.
- Long wait times for popular primary care doctors are seen as a sign of quality
- Specialty care wait times are more problematic and should be addressed
- Workforce shortages are a widespread issue, not unique to NYC Health + Hospitals
- Overcrowding and long wait periods are common across both public and private healthcare systems
Kristy Marmorato
2:11:48
I can't speak for the other hospitals, but I know Jacobi and North Central, they are very hard workers and they deserve a lot.
2:11:53
And I really hope in good faith that you could kinda come to some agreement or understanding and clarify whatever it is that need they would like clarification for.
2:12:00
I just wanna follow-up about our our January meeting.
2:12:05
There was like a question about wait times for patients and hiring of additional staff.
2:12:12
Where are we with that?
Dr. Mitch Katz
2:12:13
So I would just say, in general, wait times are always hard.
2:12:20
Yes.
2:12:20
Because I always say, you know, if you if you can call a primary care doctor's office tomorrow and they'll give you an appointment, don't go to see that doctor.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:12:29
Yeah.
Dr. Mitch Katz
2:12:29
Because what kind of doctor has appointments available tomorrow?
2:12:33
Right?
2:12:33
And the more popular you are, the busier you are.
2:12:36
Of course.
2:12:37
Right.
2:12:37
So it gets to be a little bit of a circle.
2:12:40
More people think you're doing a good job, the more people who wanna come.
2:12:44
So, you know, I try to tell people don't use the, you know, how long the wait, especially for primary care as an indicator of how we're doing.
2:12:55
Because maybe we're doing a really good job and that's why people are coming.
2:12:59
Specialty, which I think was more what you were asking in the January, is more of an issue.
2:13:04
Because you're already engaged and if you have a need, right, then that should be addressed.
2:13:11
That being said, we continue to have workforce shortages, no question.
2:13:17
And we're not, you know, talking to my colleagues even in the private sector, and you probably hear this yourself, is not unique to us.
2:13:26
Overcrowding, long periods of time for waits, the large number of people who call me simply to ask me to help them get an appointment in private systems, you know, because they know I all the hospital CEO.
2:13:40
And I pretty frequently wind up calling Right.
2:13:42
Other places and saying, you know, could you please help this person?
2:13:47
So, I mean, we're doing our best.
2:13:49
We're open to other ideas.
2:13:51
We're I think the the best idea we have is to try along the subspecialties to develop cross hospital services, especially in geographic areas.
2:14:07
This is how most systems do it.
2:14:09
Okay.
2:14:09
We're kind of unique to not do it.
2:14:13
When I was, you know, hospitalized at Bellevue and I needed urologic services, the urologist who came to see me apologized for how long I had to wait and said, we serve nine hospitals.
2:14:26
That is generally
Kristy Marmorato
2:14:27
Unacceptable.