Over One Million Israelis Wait Over a Month for Specialist Doctors Amid Healthcare Concerns
In 2025, over one million Israelis aged 20 and above who visited specialist doctors had to wait more than a month for an appointment, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics' social survey published on Sunday. Approximately 1.5 million people, about a quarter of the public, believe that the care provided in general hospitals is inadequate. The survey examined patient experiences during hospitalizations, emergency room visits, specialist consultations, and public attitudes toward healthcare services, including private medical care usage.
The data revealed that 15% of adults, roughly 932,000 people, were hospitalized in general hospitals in the year before the survey, with hospitalization rates increasing with age. Among those hospitalized or with a close family member hospitalized, 81% were satisfied with the medical treatment, 85% with staff attitudes, and 73% with physical conditions such as room occupancy and cleanliness. However, 29% were bothered by waiting times for hospitalization, including referral delays.
Emergency room visits were reported by 22% of adults (about 1.4 million), with 75% satisfied with staff interactions and 67% with physical conditions, showing improvement since 2015. Despite this, 20% rated their treatment negatively, mainly due to long waiting times, which bothered 61% of ER visitors. Availability of urgent care services varied geographically, with 7.1% reporting no access locally, particularly in Judea and Samaria and the Northern District.
Regarding specialist care, more than three million people visited specialists in 2025, with orthopedics being the most common. Waiting times were lengthy: 37% waited up to two weeks, 23% waited two weeks to a month, 24% waited one to three months, and nearly 10% waited over three months. Long waits were especially notable in dermatology, where 44% waited over a month.
The survey also highlighted access difficulties: about 348,000 adults faced language barriers, and over 800,000 struggled to find information about their healthcare rights. While 25% viewed hospital care negatively, this was an improvement from 31% in 2015. Additionally, 24% felt the healthcare system does not provide equitable services.
Private healthcare usage was reported by 19% of adults (around 1.2 million), with higher rates among Jews (22%) than Arabs (8.2%), and among women (22%) compared to men (16%). Usage was highest in major cities like Tel Aviv-Yafo (27%) and Haifa (24%), and lowest in Jerusalem (12%). The main reasons for seeking private care were to shorten waiting times (38%), choose a specific doctor (31%), access services unavailable in health funds (24%), and receive better service and treatment (6.3%).
