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A web-based appointment system to reduce waiting for outpatients: a retrospective study
1Department of Health Statistics, School of Preventive Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, and Xijing Hospital, Xi'an 710032, China.
BMC Health Services Research
|November 24, 2011
Summary
A web-based appointment system in China significantly improved patient satisfaction and reduced waiting times compared to traditional methods. Further improvements are needed for wider adoption of online registration.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Health Informatics
- Public Health
Background:
- Long outpatient registration waiting times are a significant issue in Chinese tertiary hospitals.
- A web-based appointment system was implemented at Xijing hospital to address this problem.
- This study evaluated the efficacy of the online system for outpatient registration services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a web-based appointment system in improving outpatient registration.
- To compare patient satisfaction and waiting times between online and traditional registration methods.
Main Methods:
- Data collected from Xijing hospital's web-based system (Jan-Dec 2010).
- Stratified random sampling used for participant selection.
- Telephone interviews for online users; on-site questionnaires for traditional registration comparison group.
Main Results:
- The web-based system significantly increased patient satisfaction and reduced total waiting time (P<0.001).
- No significant differences in gender, urban residence, or valid waiting time were found.
- Barriers to adoption included lack of awareness, trust, and digital literacy; non-attendance rate was 14.4%.
Conclusions:
- The web-based appointment system effectively enhances patient satisfaction and decreases registration waiting times.
- Significant differences in non-attendance rates were observed across departments, days, and times.
- Further system enhancements are recommended for broader implementation and utilization.
