posted in Miscellaneous Lupus Topics on April 24, 2021 by

Donald Thomas, MD

Updated November 27, 2025

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The Worldwide Shortage of Rheumatologists: Why Wait Times Are Getting Worse

Are you finding it increasingly difficult to secure an appointment with a rheumatologist? In fact, if you are facing long wait times, there are valid reasons why. Unfortunately, the worldwide shortage of rheumatologists is real. Moreover, data suggests it is getting worse. Therefore, my advice to patients is simple: hold on to your rheumatologist!

The Decline in Rheumatology Providers

To begin with, in 2015, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) identified a significant shortage of providers across the United States. At that time, they counted 6,013 rheumatology care providers. Specifically, this workforce included:

• 4,997 full-time rheumatologists
• 598 part-time rheumatologists
• 418 nurse practitioners and physician assistants

Significantly, according to the ACR, these numbers represented 13% fewer rheumatologists than the population actually needed. Since then, the numbers have continued to decrease. For instance, many older rheumatologists are retiring. At the same time, not enough new doctors are entering the specialty.

To illustrate this bottleneck, in 2020, 100 doctors who wanted to enter rheumatology training programs were turned away. Sadly, this happened simply because there were not enough training slots available.

Predictions for 2030

Consequently, the outlook for the next decade is concerning. In other words, by the year 2030, the total number of rheumatology healthcare providers in the US is predicted to drop from 6,013 down to 4,133 nationwide.

However, while the number of doctors drops, the need for them will rise. Because the “baby boomer” generation is aging, the number of people with arthritis and rheumatic conditions will increase. As a result, experts estimate that by 2030, we will have only half the number of providers needed to care for patients with conditions like Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).

Geographic Disparities: Some Areas Have No Rheumatologists

Beyond the total numbers, another major issue is geographic distribution. Currently, many areas of the United States have few to no rheumatologists, forcing patients to travel hundreds of miles for care. Indeed, the distribution is highly imbalanced:

• For example, 21% of rheumatologists are located in the Northeast.
• In contrast, only 4% of rheumatologists are located in the Southwest.

Naturally, this creates a severe imbalance in the ratio of doctors to the population in the Southwest compared to the Northeast. Consequently, wait times are skyrocketing.

Additionally, a 2019 US study revealed concerning wait times for new patients:

• Notably, 60% of patients waited more than one month.
• Furthermore, 25% of patients waited more than two months.

The Crisis in Pediatric Rheumatology

Regrettably, the situation is even more dire for children with rheumatic diseases, such as pediatric SLE. At the present time, only 1 out of 4 children with arthritis can see a pediatric rheumatologist.

Moreover, those fortunate enough to get an appointment often face an average drive of one hour. Even more alarming is the lack of coverage across states:

• First, nine states have zero pediatric rheumatologists.
• Second, six states have only one pediatric rheumatologist.

A Global Problem

Finally, this shortage is not unique to the United States. Similarly, a 2019 study in the United Kingdom showed that patients waited an average of over 6 months after the onset of symptoms before they could see a specialist.

Author

Donald Thomas, MD
Author of The Lupus Encyclopedia and The Lupus Secrets.

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Donald Thomas