The wait to get an appointment with the family doctor continues to be more than a week for half of the population, specifically for 53.7 percent. Thus, 16.6 percent of patients wait 7 days; 12.3 percent, between 8 and 10 days and 24.8 percent, more than 11 days. These are the data that emerge from the third wave of the CIS Health Barometer, published this Tuesday.
The average wait to be visited by the family doctor is 8.86 days, a figure similar to that of a few months ago, since in the second wave of the survey this time was 8.81 days. However, compared to last year this time decreases, since in the same period of 2023 the patients waited 9.48 days. Only 21.2 percent of people who made an appointment were seen on the same day or the next day. In 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, this percentage was 43 percent.
Even so, patient satisfaction with Primary Care grows to 84.2%. The aspects that patients value most continue to be the trust and security transmitted by both the nursing staff and the medical staff (8.13 and 7.89 out of 10, respectively).
The number of patients who wait more than 3 months to be seen by a specialist doctor also increases. While a few months ago the number of patients who waited more than 90 days to be treated by these professionals was 34.4 percent, a figure very similar to last year, this time the percentage increases to 39.4 percent. . 36.8%, for their part, wait 1 to 3 months and 20.6% get an appointment before a month has passed.
Improvements in mental health
However, waiting times for mental health consultations have improved compared to a few months ago. If in the second wave of the barometer only 22.7 percent of patients waited less than a month to be treated, this time 33.8% of the population did so. 36.7 percent wait 1 to 3 months (in the previous wave it was 44.4%) and 20.4 percent of patients wait more than 3 months (compared to 23.8 percent who waited longer 80 days a few months ago).
With these data, 37.9 percent of Spaniards believe that the problem of waiting lists has worsened in the last twelve months, while 46.4 percent believe that it remains the same and only 7.2 percent consider that the situation has improved.
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