By Edward J. Thomas –
Older Americans, those who have Medicare, are having to wait more than a month on average to see a neurologist after being referred on by a physician, putting critical treatments on hold when they could be the most good, according to new research.
Some of these older patients face even greater challenges in receiving care, having to wait three months or longer to receive specialized help, the study published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology reported.
While specialized neurotological care is critical for anyone facing related medical issues, older patients are at particular risk because of their age and the increased likelihood they face a neurological challenge, which could include dementia, strokes or Parkinson’s disease among other issues.
Those at least 75 years old, in fact, are more than twice as likely to face cognitive issues or other neurological problems than any other age group, according to Statista. This makes it critical to get specialized treatment started as soon as possible.
“Neurologists provide important and ongoing care for people with complex conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and headache,” noted study author Dr. Brian C. Callaghan, who is also Chair of the American Academy of Neurology’s Health Services Research Subcommittee. “With the current number of U.S. neurologists, our study found it can take an average of a month or even more to see a neurologist to receive this specialized care.”
The study developed its conclusion after reviewing Medicare data to identify 163,313 people who were referred by a physician to see a neurologist. Participants had an average age of 74. The researchers calculated the time between the physician referral and their first visit with a neurologist.
The research team found the average wait time to see a neurologist was 34 days. Almost 20 percent of these individuals waited longer than 90 days. Researchers found no difference in wait times across race, ethnicity and sex.
Surprisingly, people seeing a neurologist for back pain experienced an average wait of 30 days. In comparison, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) had an average wait that was 29 days longer, people with epilepsy had an average wait of 10 days longer and people with Parkinson’s disease, nine days longer.
No difference in wait times was identified based on how many neurologists were available in an area, ranging from as few as 10 to as many as 50 neurologists per 100,000 people. However, they did find differences among states due to different policies or regulations regarding healthcare access.
Seeing a neurologist outside of their physician’s referral area resulted in wait times that were 11 days longer on average of 11 days. The most common neurological conditions for people who saw a neurologist outside of their physician’s referral area were MS, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
“In general, early referral to specialists has been shown to improve outcomes and increase patient satisfaction,” noted study co-author Chun Chieh Lin, of The Ohio State University and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Our findings underscore the need to develop new strategies to help people with neurological conditions see neurologists faster.”
The Neurological Academy is working to help reduce wait times by providing resources to neurology practices designed to make them more efficient, explained Dr. Carlayne E. Jackson, the academy’s president. More doctors and easier access to treatment is a high priority.
“Increasing the number of neurologists has long been a focus of the AAN, and our work with policymakers and lawmakers has helped improve access to telemedicine for people with neurological conditions,” Jackson added.
