Developing a New Paradigm for Healthcare Delivery: Lessons Learned from Same-Day Access.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Access to Care
• Oncology

Background:

• Lengthy clinical wait times are a significant patient concern and public health issue.
• Delays in medical care are linked to poorer patient outcomes.
• Same-day appointments offer a patient-centered approach to enhance healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a single-institution's two-year experience with same-day appointments for newly diagnosed cancer patients.
• To identify lessons learned regarding the feasibility and implementation of same-day access.
• To provide insights for quality improvement in healthcare scheduling.

Main Methods:

• Prospective pilot initiative offering same-day appointments to 4,301 consecutive newly diagnosed cancer patients.
• Systematic analysis of access-related benchmarks.
• Retrospective review and interpretive synthesis to identify themes related to feasibility, design, and implementation.

Main Results:

• 14% (477/3,414) of patients opted for same-day appointments.
• Significantly reduced time to consultation and treatment for cancer patients.
• Identified challenges in scheduling, logistics, workflow, resources, and cultural adaptation.

Conclusions:

• Same-day appointments can enhance ambulatory care quality and patient outcomes.
• Thorough preparation, team-based planning, and strong leadership are crucial for success.
• Promoting cultural change, standardized guidelines, and transparency are vital for stakeholder engagement.