Patient Scheduling Chapter 13 ICBS 120

A common patient complaint is the time spent waiting in the reception area. Scheduling an appointment may be the first contact patients have with the medical office. They remember and value the treatment they receive from the time of first contact.

Types of Scheduling Systems There are a number of methods for patient scheduling. Most offices will utilize a computerized appointment scheduling system. The best method for a practice is the one that effects good patient flow and proper utilization of staff and physical facilities.

Open Hours In open hours scheduling patients are seen throughout a particular time frame. Patients sign in and are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Emergency rooms and urgent care clinic frequently use this method.

Double Booking With the double booking method, two or more patients are given a particular appointment time. This method is limited to a practice where patients can be attended to more than one at a time. Some patients seen by staff (MA, PA, NP) while physician sees other patient.

Clustering Patients with similar problems are booked consecutively common for obstetricians and pediatricians A block of time, either hours or days of the week are set aside for particular types of cases.

Wave Patients are scheduled in first half hour of each hour Requires personnel who can triage patient problems precisely when establishing appointments Can accommodate walk-in appointments

Modified Wave In the modified wave method, two or three patients are scheduled at the beginning of each hour, followed by single appointments every 10-20 minutes for the rest of hour major time consuming patients would be at the beginning of the hour (new patients) minor problems would be from 20 minutes past to 30 past (follow-ups, bandage changes, other minor procedures)

Stream Stream scheduling is perhaps the best known and most widely used scheduling system. Each patient is assigned a specific time. Procedures in place for length of appointment based on needs of patient and type of appointment

Practice-based Customized systems to fit needs of medical office The practice determines the schedule Some practices use a variety of systems

Appointment Books as Legal Documents Appointment books should be considered legal documents and treated accordingly. Appointments should be “color coded” to allow easy identification of patient attendance (if using paper scheduling) Red: No-show Blue: Rescheduled patient Green: Patient showed for appointment Black: Patient canceled, but did not reschedule

Commonly scheduled visits New patients…………………30 minutes Patient for consultation………45 minutes Complete physical exams……45 minutes all other………………………15 minutes