Ease of making healthcare appointments For high-need, economically disadvantaged New Yorkers, experiencing difficulty finding or making medi- cal appointments may partially explain their persistently low rates of reliance on doctors’ offices and high rates of reliance on urgent care and emergency rooms. Figure 3 shows the extent to which high-need New Yorkers found it easy to make healthcare appointments. 12 Fewer economically disadvantaged New Yorkers found it easy to make appointments in 2022 than in 2021 (59% in 2022 versus 67% in 2021). A greater pro- portion of more-advantaged New Yorkers, on the other hand, found it easy to make appointments as the pandemic started to wane (68% in 2022 vs 62% in 2021). Seeking care at urgent care centers or emergency rooms on a walk-in basis is often much less burdensome than visiting a doctor’s office or health center, which require making an appointment during regular hours and completing paperwork well in advance. While the circumstances of the pandemic imposed many restrictions on the ability to access healthcare, urgent care centers and emergency rooms remained easier to access, one factor that likely contributed to the higher levels of reliance on these facilities among high-need, economically disadvantaged New Yorkers.
Long wait times to see providers and the limited availability of appointments can be part of the decision of where to receive healthcare. This was echoed by a high-need, Poverty Tracker respondent: “I have an appointment next week that I waited three months for with a female [urogynecologist],” she said. “If I had major issues, I would’ve had to go to the emergency room if I couldn’t wait that out.”
Share of high-need New Yorkers finding it easy making healthcare appointments Figure 3 Figure 3. Share of high-need New Yorkers finding it easy making healthcare appointments
2021
2022
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
68%
67%
62%
59%
10% 0%
Economic disadvantage
No economic disadvantage
PLACES OF HEALTHCARE RECEIPT AMONG NEW YORKERS WITH HIGH HEALTHCARE NEED 8 Source: Source: Poverty Tracker longitudinal survey data; cohorts three and four. High-need refers to New Yorkers with high healthcare needs, such as multiple chronic health conditions, serious psychological distress, or a work-limiting health condition. 12 On the Poverty Tracker survey, New Yorkers are asked how often it is very easy to make healthcare appointments: “always”, “often”, “sometimes”, “rarely”, or “never”. We define it to be easy making appointments if respondents reported it being “always” or “often” easy. Note: On the Poverty Tracker survey, New Yorkers are asked how often it is very easy to make healthcare appointments: always, often, sometimes, rarely, or never. We define it to be easy making appointments if respondents reported it being always or often easy. Note: On the Poverty Tracker survey, New Yorkers are asked how often it is very easy to make healthcare appointments: always, often, sometimes, rarely, or never. We define it to be easy making appointments if respondents reported it being always or often easy. Source: Poverty Tracker longitudinal survey data, cohorts three and four. High-need refers to New Yorkers with high healthcare needs, such as multiple chronic health conditions, serious psychological distress, or a work-limiting health condition.
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