Looking for a specialist appointment? Many wait more than a month - Patients face months-long waits for specialists in German states

Access to medical care varies widely across Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland. While most patients see a GP quickly, specialist appointments often take months. A new survey highlights the gaps in how appointments are scheduled and managed in the region.

The majority of respondents—76 percent—reported securing a GP appointment within days. Yet specialist care remains far harder to access. Only 5 percent of those surveyed got a specialist slot in the same timeframe, while over half waited more than a month. One in four even faced delays of several months.

Finding a suitable practice also poses challenges. Nearly 30 percent of participants struggled to locate one nearby. Jörn Simon, from TK Rhineland-Palatinate, pointed to a lack of standardised processes for specialist bookings. He suggested that appointments should be prioritised based on medical urgency rather than a first-come-first-served approach.

To ease the strain, Simon proposed a digital pre-assessment tool. This system would guide patients to the right specialist from the start. The idea has gained traction, with 72 percent of respondents open to video consultations for initial assessments.

The survey reveals clear disparities between GP and specialist access in the three states. Long waits and inconsistent booking systems create barriers for patients needing specialist care. Digital solutions and urgency-based scheduling could help streamline the process in the future.