For anyone in healthcare—whether you’re a referring provider or a specialist—the frustration of accessing timely consultations and navigating systemic inefficiencies is all too familiar. Over my 27 years as a neurologist, I’ve worked in private practices, health systems, and the U.S. Air Force, and I’ve witnessed firsthand how these barriers negatively affect both providers and patients.
If specialists are overburdened and inaccessible, referring providers may face overwhelming delays in getting the input they need. Ultimately, this impacts patient outcomes, increases unnecessary referrals, wastes time, and inflates costs. While these issues have been longstanding, they are only intensifying, as highlighted by data from the 2022 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times and Medicare and Medicaid Acceptance Rates, which paints a sobering picture of access to care in today’s medical environment.
But there’s hope. At DocSide, we’ve created a modern, intuitive app that tackles these challenges head-on. Before I share how we’re transforming curbside consultations, I’d like to spotlight some key takeaways from the survey data—and explain why rethinking how we consult is vital now more than ever.
Increasing Wait Times Are Hurting Everyone
The 2022 survey reveals that the time it takes to schedule an appointment with a specialist has risen dramatically. For the five specialties assessed—cardiology, dermatology, obstetrics-gynecology, orthopedic surgery, and family medicine—the average wait time is now 26 days, up from 24.1 days in 2017 and 20.9 days in 2004.
These delays vary depending on where you practice and the type of care patients need. For example, dermatology appointments in some cities, like Minneapolis, average a staggering 72 days. Even in high-access areas like New York, patients still wait an average of 17.4 days across all specialties. For both specialists and referring providers, this creates pressure to act in the absence of timely input, which may lead to unnecessary referrals, redundant tests, and suboptimal care plans.
Limited Medicaid and Medicare Access
On the financial side, the survey highlights how reimbursement issues compound these struggles. While 82.4% of surveyed physicians accept Medicare patients, only 54.1% accept Medicaid, leaving significant gaps in coverage. The fragmented process of documenting and billing for these interactions only adds to the frustration, especially for curbside consultations, which many specialists perform on-the-go without realizing they may be compensated.
Even though Medicare formally designated these consultations as billable in 2019—offering a modest average reimbursement of $32.99 per curbside as of 2025 (often exceeded by private insurers paying 3–4 times that amount)—systemic roadblocks have hampered widespread adoption. Specialists report an average of 3–4 curbside consults per week, each lasting about 10 minutes. That’s approximately 30 hours of uncompensated work per year, representing untapped potential revenue that could be financially sustaining for healthcare providers.
Enter DocSide: Curbside Consultations Done Right
At DocSide, we recognized these systemic issues and built a solution to fix them. DocSide isn’t just another app; it’s a physician-designed tool to bring seamlessness, efficiency, and revenue generation to curbside consultations. Here’s how it works:
- Immediate, Secure Access
Collaboration becomes effortless. Referring providers can instantly connect with specialists through a secure mobile or web platform, getting real-time input where it’s needed. - Streamlined Documentation
No more scribbling notes on the go or losing critical details. DocSide simplifies the process of logging interactions and capturing necessary documentation for smooth follow-up and billing. - Revenue Capture
Turn those countless “hallway conversations” into billable, documented exchanges. With DocSide, you can turn this work into additional revenue for work you are already doing. Better Patient Outcomes
By reducing appointment delays and ensuring quicker access to specialty insights, DocSide fosters faster decision-making for treatment plans. This could mean fewer errors, unnecessary referrals, or missed opportunities for patients to see the right specialist at the right time.
It’s time to modernize how we, as healthcare professionals, collaborate. DocSide is bridging the gap between urgency and efficiency, helping us deliver top-notch patient care while making sure the work we’re already doing is compensated.
Let’s Modernize Together
Access to specialists shouldn’t require jumping through hoops or waiting weeks for input. Patients deserve better, and so do we. DocSide empowers healthcare professionals to streamline curbside consultations, reduce inefficiencies, and improve outcomes—all while addressing the systemic issues that have plagued us for so long.
Take the first step to simplify your curbside consultations and optimize patient care. Start your DocSide experience today. To explore the data and insights referenced above, refer to the 2022 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times and Medicare and Medicaid Acceptance Rates.
Together, we can reclaim time, improve care, and create a healthcare system that works for everyone.
