Keeping wait times for appointments to a minimum is a cardinal rule for medical practices, but one that’s becoming more difficult to achieve. Since 2013, more than 20 million new patients have joined the U.S. healthcare system, straining the resources of some practices that were already at volume before the debut of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The time it takes for a new patient to see a physician is on the rise, according to a study conducted by Merritt Hawkins.

The “2017 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times and Medicare and Medicaid Acceptance Rates” showed the average wait time for new patients to see a physician in the U.S. increased 30% from 2013 to 2016. The study found the average wait time for new patients was 24 days in 2016, an increase from an average of 18.5 days in 2014 and 20.5 days in 2009.

As retail clinics expand in number and in scope of services, they could emerge as a threat to some primary care practices.

Though industry estimates vary, the United States has approximately 2,500 retail-based health clinics, and that number is on pace to exceed 2,800 locations by the end of 2017. CVS was the market leader with 1,040 locations as of January 2016, followed by Walgreens Healthcare Clinics with 403 locations. Kroger ranked third with 194 Little Clinics, while Wal-Mart, Target, and Rite-Aid all had fewer than 100 locations, according to a 2016 study from the Drug Channels Institute.

If you’re thinking of extending your office hours, first make sure you can make it financially sustainable and that your “silent” partners, such as your landlord, are on board.

Take note of the latest health policy updates impacting physician practices.

Practices with 10 or more practitioners in nine states will need to begin reporting their unpaid post-operative services on their Medicare claims starting July 1, CMS officials recently confirmed.

Prepare for the addition of three new specialties that will appear under the provider enrollment chain and ownership system (PECOS) and that may open up billing opportunities for your provider staff.