(WHTM) – It’s become more and more frustrating getting a doctor’s appointment lately, and we are not just talking about dermatologists.

Even your primary care doctor may not be able to see you right away.

If you have tried making an appointment this year,  “next week’s” appointment has turned into next month’s appointment for millions of people.

The Boston Globe blames a combination of:

Retiring family physicians

Fewer people becoming doctors

More baby boomers aging and needing care.

Time Magazine recently interviewed a doctor who says more than a thousand patients call her their primary care doctor and says she gets more than 50 messages every night from patients and pharmacies.

She also says insurance requirements make a simple prescription a time-consuming task, in some cases taking 22 clicks just to call in a prescription.

And from the doesn’t that stink file, the average wait for seeing a doctor.  It now averages 26 days, according to the Time report.

That’s a long time to get a pain, bump, or rash examined.

Want it quicker?  Going to the ER may be your only solution.

Doctors say there is no simple solution, though many say a Nurse Practitioner can handle many of the visits that people use doctors for.

That way you don’t waste your money.