When open access might not work: Understanding patient attitudes in appointment scheduling

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Experience Research
• Behavioral Economics

Background:

• Open-access (OA) systems aim to improve healthcare access but may decrease patient satisfaction due to reduced continuity of care.
• Patient preferences for OA systems may be influenced by individual differences, such as risk attitudes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between patients' risk attitudes and their perceptions of OA systems.
• To determine if patient attitudes toward OA systems vary based on their propensity for risk-taking.

Main Methods:

• Three experiments were conducted to examine the link between patient risk attitudes and attitudes toward OA systems.
• Moderators such as the salience of the access vs. quality tradeoff and health condition severity were explored.

Main Results:

• Risk-seeking patients reported more favorable attitudes toward OA systems compared to risk-averse patients.
• This preference persisted even when the access-quality tradeoff was highlighted or the condition was minor.
• The effect was attenuated for serious health conditions where rapid access became paramount.

Conclusions:

• Risk-seeking individuals exhibit a greater preference for OA systems, prioritizing immediate access over consistent provider relationships.
• Healthcare organizations can leverage insights into patient risk attitudes to optimize scheduling strategies and enhance overall patient care experiences.