The lead times to get a specialist or DDR appointments in Singapore is 1 to 6 months. This applies to subsidize patients in general. If you are a private patients, you will get a appointment within 1 week to 4 weeks. The reason is obvious as priority will be given to private patients as they pay the full rates.

But subsidize patients demand for shorter lead times is rising in Singapore especially with the younger generation. But they had ignore the financial portion. They are only able to get faster lead time unless they are a private patients. Healthcare institutions on the other hand are also trying hard to improve the lead times for subsidize patients if it is within their means.

Missed Appointments 
Every time an appointment is missed by the patients, an opportunity is lost to see another patient. This will increase the lead times and the healthcare staffs will lose the productivity time. 

Every patients must stick to their appointment or call in at least 2 weeks to cancel prior to their appointment. This will give the clinical operations an opportunity to assign this timing to others who may turn up and shorten the lead time for their patients.

Subsidize patients like us have to be realistic in this type of healthcare model. Taxpayers are paying for the subsidize patients and you are one of them also. You will realize how expensive it is if you are paying the full rate. The government are now building more hospitals to reduce the lead time at outpatient specialist centers.