The use of open-access scheduling for the elderly

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Open-access scheduling aims to decrease patient wait times and reduce missed appointments.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs implemented advanced clinic access as a quality improvement initiative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of open-access scheduling with advanced clinic access in improving patient access to care.
• To assess the impact of this scheduling system on appointment no-show rates.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a scheduling system where patients are not booked more than 30 days in advance.
• Patients receive reminders 30 days prior to appointments to call and schedule.
• Availability of same-day appointments.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in the number of missed appointments was observed.
• No significant reduction in the total number of patients seen was noted.
• The system proved effective despite theoretical concerns for elderly patients.

Conclusions:

• Open-access scheduling, particularly with advanced clinic access, is an effective strategy for reducing missed outpatient appointments.
• This model enhances healthcare accessibility without negatively impacting patient volume.