Can administrative data replace patient survey data in the monitoring of waiting time for community-based specialist care?

Background Waiting time (WT) is commonly measured via both computerized systems and patient surveys. Comparison between these types of data can reveal important issues about the relationship between self-reported survey data and objective administrative measurement of WT. Aim To compare national wait time data from two sources: patients’ reported waiting time for community specialist appointments in Israel, with waiting time calculated from computerized administrative data, across specialties and geographic areas. Methods Median WT for > 1 million appointments from over 6,000 physician practices in 5 specialties (ophthalmology, gynecology, otolaryngology, orthopedics, dermatology) were computed via an algorithm, for “specific” and “any” physician in the region, in December 2018. Results were compared with WT reported in a representative national sample survey of 3508 adults during August-December 2018. Results Similar trends in WT were seen using both methods, with the longest wait times in dermatology, and in the Southern region. Correlation between survey and administrative data was high (r = 0.9, p