Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41058779›Full record

ArticleCureus2025

Referral Conundrum: Wait Times for Subspecialists Versus Comprehensive Otolaryngologists in the United States.

Arman Saeedi, Tyler Muffly, Michaele Francesco Corbisiero, Gregory Burnet, Jingdian Huang, Brandon D Abell, Ethan Moore, Alireza Saatchi, Andy Ai, Blessed Asare and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Arman SaeediDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, USA.
Tyler MufflyDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Denver Health Medical Center and Hospital, Denver, USA.
Michaele Francesco CorbisieroDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, USA.
Gregory BurnetDepartment of Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA.
Jingdian HuangDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, USA.
Brandon D AbellDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, USA.
Ethan MooreDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, USA.
Alireza SaatchiDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Glendale, USA.
Andy AiDepartment of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, USA.
Blessed AsareDepartment of Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, USA.
Lukas MalyDepartment of Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, USA.
Drew C GottmanDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, USA.
Andrew J TompkinsDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Ohio ENT and Allergy Physicians, Grove City, USA.
Cristina Cabrera-MufflyDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionTimely access to care is a critical indicator of system efficiency and equity. This study aimed to investigate potential differences in new patient wait times for otolaryngology care between neurotology and pediatric subspecialists compared with generalists for matched-case vignettes. Methods

resultsA total of 682 of 706 calls reached a representative (96.6%). The median physician age was 53 years. The median wait was 11.0 and 31.5 business days longer to see neurotologists or pediatric otolaryngologists (both p < 0.01) compared to generalists, respectively. Longer waiting times were also associated with physicians affiliated with universities (p < 0.001). Regional differences were also observed, with specific American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) regions showing longer wait times. The pediatric and neurotology models both achieved conditional R-squared values of 0.97.

conclusionsThese findings indicate that subspecialty may significantly influence new appointment wait times, with pediatric otolaryngology patients experiencing the longest wait times. These differences in waiting times can have clinical and ethical implications for patient care, and future research should focus on optimizing care models to improve access to care.

Indexed as

health services accessibilityotolaryngologypatient careunited stateswait times

Identifiers

PMID41058779
PMCPMC12500343

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.