Abdul El-Sayed said Americans wait two and a half months to see a cardiologist; the best national data says about one month, and that gap matters for policy and trust.
Story Snapshot
- El-Sayed claimed a 2.5-month average cardiology wait on national TV.
- Industry surveys show an average near one month, not 75 days.
- Waits vary wildly by city, from one day to 175 days.
- Workforce strains and rising demand are pushing waits higher over time.
What El-Sayed Said Versus What The Data Shows
Abdul El-Sayed told a Fox News audience that Americans wait “two and a half months” to see a cardiologist. That soundbite traveled fast because it hits fear and anger in one line. The most current national survey does not back that number. AMN Healthcare’s 2025 report found a 32.7-day average for new cardiology visits, close to one month, not two and a half. Coverage in cardiology trade media echoed the same figure and framing.
Claims about health access must rest on clear terms. The AMN survey measured first available new-patient appointments across 15 metro markets with a large office sample. It reported waits from one day to 175 days, which explains how a few people wait months while the average lands near 33 days. That spread does not save the two and a half months claim as a national average. It does show that access pain is real and uneven.
The Trend Line Is Getting Worse, But Precision Still Matters
Cardiology waits have moved up over time. The same survey family showed 26.6 days in 2022 and a 26 percent rise since 2017 for general cardiovascular visits, a marker of growing strain. One peer-reviewed study on prevention visits found a 36-day mean for cardiology scheduling, again in the one-month range, not 75 days. The direction is clear: longer waits. The point estimate is also clear: about a month on average, with pockets that are far longer.
Precision matters because policy follows numbers. Saying 75 days when the average is 33 risks blowing the debate off course. It hands critics an easy counterpunch and distracts from the true problems: too few specialists in many places, and rising need. Cardiology deserts are not a slogan; nearly half of counties have no practicing cardiologist at all, which turns “average” into a poor guide for rural families who must travel or wait.
Why The Average Is Not Your Experience
Patients feel the system through time and distance, not charts. Averages hide the pain at the tails. If you live in a big city with strong hospital networks, you may book in three weeks. If you live in a rural county, your doctor may stretch care while you wait months for the specialist slot that exists two towns away. The survey’s one-to-175-day range puts numbers on what patients and primary care doctors already report.
Any wait times are not wholly a function of who pays the provider (private, premium-based or public, tax-based programs).
The larger factor is the basic economic concept of Supply & Demand.
The long U.S. cardiology waits are largely a supply-and-demand issue, and the same…
— No.P01135809 (@cjm1018) October 6, 2026
Policy claims should match what American families see at the clinic. That is why the one-month average deserves a lead role in public talk. It is high enough to worry any heart patient and honest enough to earn trust. When advocates overshoot the number, they weaken their own case. Conservatives and moderates alike expect straight math, tight definitions, and respect for trade-offs. That is how you build a fix that lasts.
What Would Actually Cut The Wait
Three moves would help fast. First, expand cardiology training slots and nurse practitioner and physician assistant teams to match demand. Second, pay for earlier testing and tele-cardiology triage so simple cases move faster and urgent cases jump the line. Third, scrub network rules and prior authorizations that gum up referrals without adding safety. These steps target the choke points shown in the data and respect both taxpayers and patients.
Bottom Line
Americans face real and rising waits for cardiology care. The best national number is about one month on average, not two and a half months. Some markets push far beyond that, and those cases deserve urgency. Strong policy is built on clear terms and credible data. Keep the focus on capacity, triage, and smarter workflows, and the wait drops where it counts most: for the patient watching the clock with chest pain on their mind.
Sources:
townhall.com, amnhealthcare.com, cardiovascularbusiness.com, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
