A woman with suspected hypothyroidism in Poland has been waiting for an appointment with an endocrinologist for 11 months - 4 months longer than a year ago. A patient with two miscarriages will be seen by an immunologist six months after registration. This is stated in a report published by the Watch Health Care Foundation.
The WHC Foundation has been measuring doctor waiting lists for over 10 years. The team that created the report How long do women wait in line to see doctors analyzed 75 benefits from 13 areas of medicine in January and February 2023. The study was focused only on the fair sex.
“Women are more likely than men to suffer from bacterial bladder infections, depression and Alzheimer’s disease. They are more likely to suffer from thyroid disease, anemia, and struggle with chronic and post-COVID symptoms. In addition, they suffer from a huge number of typical female diseases in the field of gynecology, oncology or endocrinology,” says Milena Krushevska, President of the Foundation.
The conclusions are as follows - the use of guaranteed benefits requires patience. The average waiting time for an appointment with a medical specialist is more than 3 months. The waiting time for a diagnostic test is slightly shorter, over two months. This is worse than last year.
What is behind this queue? For good health!
The Foundation conducted an investigation into the average waiting time for a service, i.e. visit, examination, treatment and surgery. The report showed that in this area the most difficult situation is for women oncologists. They wait 11 months for breast reconstruction (by inserting an expander implant). Last year, the queue was shorter - up to 7 months.
Patients wishing to use the service of an angiologist, that is, a doctor who deals with diseases of the veins, arteries and lymphatic vessels, must be patient - in this case, the waiting list is 5.2 months. The offices of endocrinologists are also precipitated - the average waiting time is 4.4 months.
The fastest way for patients to access services is in the field of oncological radiotherapy, with an average waiting time of 0.7 months. However, these are specialized services and the circle of recipients is limited.
How long does it take to see a doctor in the NHS?
Women have to wait an average of 3.4 months to get expert advice. The offices of endocrinologists are the busiest - the waiting time is 11 months. She has been waiting for an appointment with an angiologist, a vascular surgeon and a neurosurgeon for more than six months. More than five months - to the immunologist, more than four - to the pediatric gastroenterologist. The easiest way is to get to a gynecologist and a radiotherapist - the waiting period is 0.3 months.
How long does it take to do an ultrasound of the thyroid gland?
Getting to the doctor is one thing. But we’ll have to wait for the specialist’s investigation. The longest queues for ultrasound of the thyroid gland - the waiting period is more than six months, for dopplerography of the lower extremities - 5.5 months. A woman potentially burdened with breast cancer will have to wait 4.5 months for a genetic test. For diagnostic laparoscopy - 4.4 months, for colonoscopy - 3.2 months.
Many women have problems with urinary incontinence. The operation using the TOT method (popular in Poland, using synthetic tape) lasts six months. But for mammography and cytology much shorter - less than a month.
Source: Wprost
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