Introduction
Advance access (AA) scheduling is a modern system that provides an alternative to traditional scheduling. Unlike the standard approach of booking a visit to a medical specialist well in advance, AA or open scheduling aims to minimize the time between a patient’s application and care receipt (Rivas, 2020). Thus, people get the opportunity to get help on the same day, which is critical in case of emergencies. Studies show that open scheduling generally improves access to health care (Rivas, 2020). One narrower area that benefits significantly from adopting such a strategy is multi-specialty clinics.
Discussion
Unlike specialized institutions, they provide various medical services delivered by different specialists. In this context, the AA system is highly relevant to such clinics. Usually, when contacting a medical institution, the patient is faced with the need to undergo several additional procedures. In the traditional scheduling system, these examinations are significantly stretched since visits to some doctors have to be planned much in advance. Moreover, according to statistics, such a scheme substantially increases the chances of missed appointments, while AA scheduling reduces no-show behaviors (Krippel et al., 2020). Thus, the consequences of adopting such a system in multi-specialty clinics are increasing attendance and reducing patient waiting times.
Most of these benefits can be achieved by providing same-day scheduling. When embracing this approach, a patient who has visited a medical facility can meet with several practitioners in one go, thereby receiving a complete examination. In addition, the lack of missed appointments has a positive effect on the entire healthcare system, removing time that is not used by staff from the schedule (Krippel et al., 2020). Such a result can be achieved in several ways, including internal and external changes.
First of all, since the change in the scheduling system is related to the principle of receiving clients, the changes affect the schemes according to which the medical organization operates. To be ready to receive patients on the same day, the clinic must prepare the infrastructure and expand the number of hours and health providers (Rivas, 2020). Thus, the existing schedule is restructured to improve efficiency and speed of work. The main goal in this context is to keep many appointments open, and bookings for a long time are considered only in case of exceptional circumstances (Rivas, 2020). In addition, it is necessary to consider in advance the internal factors that may affect the schedule, such as holidays and sick days. Finally, from an external perspective, the system should evaluate the balance of supply and demand, focusing on working with several specialists at once in one clinic visit (Rivas, 2020). Thus, clients will have the most opportunities to get an appointment on the same day and use the resources of the medical institution in the most efficient way.
Conclusion
To ensure the smooth operation of the entire clinic, it is necessary to use correct queuing systems. In the case of AA scheduling, several approaches can optimize the visit to the doctor. First of all, within the framework of triage approaches, one can consider methods involving medical professionals in sorting and distribution, such as TRIAD or RMA (Elalouf & Wachtel, 2022). The presence of a practitioner, in this case, allows for a quick examination of the patient’s condition, including remotely, to determine their needs. Practice shows that such approaches can further reduce client waiting time (Elalouf & Wachtel, 2022). In addition, the Fast-Track method, which groups patients according to their severity, can be highly effective (Elalouf & Wachtel, 2022). In such a case, people with minor illnesses will move through multi-specialty clinics much faster, thus leaving more time for specialists to interact with the seriously ill. Combining these methods and a personalized approach to clients can reduce waiting times, increase the speed of assistance, and ultimately increase customer satisfaction.
References
Elalouf, A., & Wachtel, G. (2022, March). Queueing problems in emergency departments: A review of practical approaches and research methodologies.Operations Research Forum, 3(1), 1-46. Web.
Krippel, H. Y., Ross, M. K, Hudak, R. P. (2020) Impact of advanced access scheduling on missed appointment rates in primary care. Journal of Patient Care, 6(2). Web.
Rivas, J. (2020). Advanced access scheduling in primary care. Journal of Healthcare Management, 65(3), 171–184. Web.