Ambulatory Access: Improving Scheduling Increases Patient Satisfaction and Revenue

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Access Initiatives
• Ambulatory Care Optimization

Background:

• Access to specialty care is a significant challenge in high-volume hospitals.
• Patient access to hospital systems is the first step in receiving care.
• This study addresses challenges in specialty care access at large pediatric hospitals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of initiatives designed to increase clinic capacity and appointment availability.
• To assess the effects of improved scheduling ease on patient satisfaction.
• To determine the influence of increased access on hospital revenue.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of standardized 4-hour clinic session templates.
• Mandatory release of held appointment slots 72 hours prior to appointment time.
• Introduction of a patient-centered electronic scheduling platform.

Main Results:

• Over 44% increase in new appointment slots, adding over 53,000 annually.
• 93% reduction in held appointment slots.
• Significant increase in patient satisfaction scores for ease of scheduling (57% to 72%) and an estimated $8.3 million in annual revenue opportunity.

Conclusions:

• Standardizing clinic sessions enhances appointment availability.
• Optimizing clinic capacity improves the patient experience.
• Increased patient access and satisfaction directly contribute to increased hospital revenue.