Finding a doctor shouldn’t be the hardest part of getting medical care. However, for some Florida women, scheduling an appointment with an OB-GYN can mean weeks of searching, unanswered phone calls, and long drives.
A News 6 investigation found significant differences in access to obstetricians and gynecologists across Central Florida, with state health data showing some counties have far fewer specialists per resident than others.
New research suggests the problem could get worse. A study published in the medical journal Obstetrics & Gynecology projects that 44 states will have an inadequate supply of OB-GYNs by 2035, including Florida.
For Veronica Eller, simply getting an appointment became an exhausting process.
“I called several, they never picked up the phone,” she said.
Eller said she started with doctors listed through her insurance provider, but as she struggled to find available care, her search area kept growing.
“I was calling one, two, three, and then I expanded the mile radius the insurance was providing me,” she said.
Eventually, she found a doctor, but not close to home.
“I have to drive 30, 45 minutes, even up to an hour in order to get to the office,” Eller explained.
For her, the most irritating part wasn’t just the distance. It was the amount of time she spent trying to reach someone who could help.
“The most frustrating part of my early journey, finding a doctor, was not getting a response. So time was wasted time on phone calls, days and weeks,” she said.
Data from the Florida Department of Health shows significant differences in the number of OB-GYNs available across Central Florida.
According to the state’s 2024 health data, several counties have relatively low numbers of OB-GYNs per 100,000 residents.
The differences highlight how access can vary dramatically even between neighboring counties.
These figures measure physician availability relative to the overall population. They do not necessarily reflect how many doctors are accepting new patients, which insurance plans they accept or how long patients must wait for appointments.
Nationwide shortage
The challenge isn’t limited to Florida.
A study published in the January 2026 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology examined the projected supply and demand for OB-GYNs nationwide between 2025 and 2035. Researchers found that the nation’s OB-GYN workforce met around 93% of estimated demand in 2025.
By 2035, 44 of the 50 states are projected to have an insufficient supply of specialists, with particularly significant challenges in nonmetropolitan areas.
The findings point to a growing gap between the number of doctors available and the number needed to care for patients.
Several pressures are affecting the specialty, including physician retirements, burnout, the cost of malpractice insurance and challenges recruiting new doctors.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has also identified legal uncertainty surrounding reproductive health care as a factor affecting the workforce.
Together, those pressures can make it more difficult for hospitals and medical practices to recruit and retain physicians.
When doctors leave a community or reduce their patient loads, remaining providers may face heavier workloads, while patients can experience longer wait times and fewer appointment options.
Florida faces an additional challenge as its population continues to grow, increasing demand for health care services.
Getting new recruits
So what is being done to close the gap? Health care systems and medical schools are exploring ways to expand the physician workforce, including more residency positions, better reimbursement and incentives to keep doctors practicing in underserved communities.
In Southwest Florida, Lee Health partnered with the Florida State University College of Medicine to launch a new OB-GYN residency program at Cape Coral Hospital in July 2026.
The four-year program is designed to bring in six new residents annually, creating a pipeline of physicians trained in the region.
The goal is not only to educate new doctors but also to encourage them to remain in Southwest Florida after completing their training.
Residency expansion is one potential solution, but training new specialists takes years.
Researchers have also recommended retaining existing physicians, expanding the roles of qualified advanced-practice clinicians and using technology to improve access.
While hospitals and medical schools work on long-term solutions, patients like Eller continue to feel the effects of limited access to care.
Her experience shows that having health insurance and a list of doctors doesn’t always guarantee a timely appointment.
As researchers warn that the nation’s OB-GYN shortage could worsen over the next decade, the question is whether efforts to expand access can keep up with demand.
Finding a provider
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends starting with your insurance provider’s physician directory, asking your primary care doctor for a referral or searching for specialists through local hospitals.
Patients having trouble finding an appointment can also:
- Call their insurance provider directly. Ask for help identifying in-network OB-GYNs who are accepting new patients, rather than relying solely on an online directory.
- Expand their search. Check neighboring communities and hospital systems for available appointments.
- Ask about other qualified providers. Depending on the type of care needed, certified nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners or other clinicians may be able to provide certain women’s health services.
- Ask about cancellations. Some practices maintain cancellation lists that may allow patients to be seen sooner.
- Contact their primary care provider. A primary care clinician may be able to provide certain services or help determine how urgently specialized care is needed.
Patients experiencing urgent symptoms should not delay medical attention while searching for a routine appointment.
