Expediting patient appointments with dermatology rapid access clinics

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Healthcare Management
• Clinical Operations

Background:

• Long wait times for dermatology appointments in the U.S. hinder patient access to care.
• The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Dermatology implemented urgent care (UCC) and intermediate care clinics (ICC) to expedite appointments for patients with higher acuity needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the operational framework of rapid access dermatology clinics.
• To analyze referral patterns and diagnostic distributions within these clinics.
• To assess the impact of rapid access clinics on patient wait times and satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of dermatology consult orders and appointment data.
• Analysis of appointment wait times for urgent care, intermediate care, and routine care settings.
• Evaluation of referral sources and diagnostic frequencies.
• Assessment of patient satisfaction ratings using Press Ganey data.

Main Results:

• Median wait times were significantly reduced: 3 days (UCC), 36 days (ICC), and 45 days (routine care).
• Referral proportions from subspecialists varied: 47.6% (UCC), 20.2% (ICC), and 15.8% (routine care).
• Diagnostic distributions differed across clinic types, and patient satisfaction remained comparable across all settings.

Conclusions:

• Rapid access dermatology clinics in academic medical centers effectively decrease wait times for high-acuity patients.
• These clinics maintain high levels of patient satisfaction.
• Implementation of specialized clinics can optimize patient flow and access to dermatologic services.