Black patients in the U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system face the longest delays when referred for specialty care—both within the VA and in the private sector. A nationwide analysis of more than 10 million referrals found that Black veterans waited an average of 40 days for VA specialists and nearly 53 days for community-based care, longer than any other racial or ethnic group.
The study, published in Health Services Research, revealed that even within a system designed to provide equitable access, disparities persist. American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander patients also experienced longer wait times than white patients, though the gaps were smaller within the VA system.
Lead researcher Kevin Griffith, PhD, noted that geography played a major role. “Black patients tended to live in areas of the country that had longer wait times in general,” he said. In contrast, white and Hispanic patients were more likely to live in regions with shorter wait times.
The disparity was most pronounced in the private sector, where Black patients waited 11 days longer than Hispanic patients. Griffith emphasized that delayed care can lead to later diagnoses and more advanced disease at treatment.
He urged hospitals and clinics to track wait times by race, ethnicity, and other patient characteristics. “What gets measured gets managed,” he said. Identifying disparities is the first step toward eliminating them.
See “Black Patients Experienced Longest Waits for Specialty Care” (July 10, 2025)
