Improving care access for new patients in an outpatient gastroenterology clinic: a novel approach

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Healthcare Management
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Gastroenterology clinics often face challenges with patient access.
• Timely access to subspecialty care is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a quality improvement initiative aimed at enhancing new patient access in a gastroenterology clinic.

Main Methods:

• A prospective quality improvement initiative was launched in December 2012.
• The initiative focused on process improvements and staff collaboration.

Main Results:

• Prior to the initiative (October 2011-November 2012), 35.1% of new patients were seen within 10 days.
• Following the initiative (December 2012-January 2014), 75.2% of new patients were seen within 10 days (p<0.01).

Conclusions:

• Simple quality improvement initiatives, staff education, and enhanced teamwork can effectively improve new patient access to subspecialty gastroenterology clinics.