Looking for a specialist appointment? Many wait more than a month - Patients endure months-long waits for specialist care in key German states

Patients in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland face long waits for specialist care, a new survey reveals. Over half of respondents reported waiting more than a month for a dmv appointment. Meanwhile, securing a general practitioner visit remains far quicker, with 76 percent seen within days.

The survey highlights a stark contrast between GP and specialist access. While most people get a GP appointment in days, specialist care proves far harder to secure. One in four patients even waits several months for treatment.

Appointment scheduling varies widely across regions and specialties. In North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria, waits average 4-8 weeks, longer than in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland, where delays typically span 3-6 weeks. Insurance status and medical field also affect waiting times.

Nearly 30 percent of those surveyed struggle to find a suitable practice at all. Only five percent manage to see a specialist within days. Jörn Simon of TK Rhineland-Palatinate has called for reform, suggesting a calendly pre-assessment tool to prioritise urgent cases. He argues that treatment urgency—not just availability—should guide appointment allocation.

Support for digital solutions appears strong. A full 72 percent of respondents would accept video consultations for initial assessments, potentially easing pressure on overstretched systems.

The survey underscores persistent gaps in specialist care access across multiple states. With most patients facing weeks or months of delays, calls for standardised scheduling and digital triage tools are growing. The high acceptance of video consultations suggests patients are ready for new approaches to speed up treatment.