“Patient Access Problems Get Under Her Skin — Everseat Sits Down with Boston Dermatologist Dr. Emmy Graber

Memorial Day weekend is here and that means more sun and more time exposing your skin to its pleasing but also potentially harmful rays. In fact, May is Melanoma Awareness Month and a good time to reflect on the challenge of getting an appointment with a dermatologist – not an easy task.

A survey of 7,499 patients who saw U.S. dermatologists from 2011-2012 found that 31% of patients reported a problem with scheduling their appointment. Of those who had an appointment problem, 47% said it took too long to get an appointment.

Cities across the United States consistently show long wait times for getting dermatology appointments. According to the Commonwealth Fund, the average wait time for a dermatology appointment in Philadelphia is 47 days; in Minneapolis the average wait time is 56 days; and in Boston, it is 72 days.

Everseat asked highly regarded Boston Dermatologist Dr. Emmy Graber for her perspective on the challenge of patient access in dermatology. The following are our questions and her answers, edited only for clarity …”