Doctor appointment scheduling strategies to minimize patient wait times

Keeping Patients Waiting? Not in My Office

This particular case is fascinating because so many doctors are not on time with their appointments. It is often surprising to find one that is. There are several ways that the doctor in this case ensures that a good time schedule is kept. The main reason that the schedule is kept to is that the scheduling is realistic. Instead of allowing the same amount of time for each patient, times for how long an appointment should take are determined based on what category the patient falls in when he/she calls the office to schedule a time. Extra time is also allotted for emergencies, patients that might show up late, walk-ins that need treatment that day, and other problems that may appear. This allows the doctor to see 20 to 30 patients a day, but the doctor can see 40 to 50 patients in that same day if the need arises. Most doctors fill their day so full that they do not have this kind of luxury, and if an emergency shows up, it often puts them so far behind that they cannot catch up that day, and all of the patients that have arrived early or on time for their appointments are kept waiting.

There is a strong relationship between the availability of the doctor and the way that appointments are scheduled. The doctor knows, and must teach his or her assistants, that some appointments take longer than others. A new patient, for example, takes longer to deal with in most cases than a well-baby checkup, and an emergency that shows up suddenly might also take some time.