Improving patient flow in ambulatory care through computerized evaluation techniques

The Authors describe the application of Patient Flow Analysis (P.F.A.), an efficiency evaluation technique in a Gynaecologic Clinic in a large Provincial Hospital. This technique evaluates both patient flow and staff utilization in ambulatory settings. Staff efficiency (percentage of work time spent with patients) was low, (43% for clinicians and 36% for aides, and patients waiting time was excessive (average 2 hours 44 minutes) for only 35 minutes of service time, and could have been substantially reduced by a more personalized appointment pattern and punctual starting of clinics by the clinicians. The usefulness of Patient Flow Analysis is clearly demonstrated.