Lengthy wait times are one of the primary factors affecting patient satisfaction. Here we bring to you 10 methods that will help you reduce patient wait time leading to greater patient satisfaction.

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At first sight, this may not seem to be a significant issue. The average patient wait time is about 18 minutes across all physician specialities and localities in the United States. However, patients obviously value their time. According to a recent study of 5,000 patients in the United States, 97 per cent express frustration with medical office delays. Other studies of primary care clinics demonstrate the detrimental effect of greater patient wait times on patient satisfaction.Patients who wait longer to see a provider report being less pleased with their visit as a whole. Unexpectedly, 20% of patients said they would switch providers as a result of an extended wait period.

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Patient wait time

Getting patients into exam rooms on time is proving to be a challenge. We can show you how to minimise patient wait times while still helping you remain on schedule.

Although patient wait times may seem little, they may have a significant impact on how satisfied patients are with their entire care. Over 5,000 patients were surveyed by Software Advice, and the results showed that a whopping 97% of them were dissatisfied with their doctor's office wait times.

Almost all patients have encountered the frustration of being kept waiting at a medical office for long periods of time.

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Methods for minimising patient wait time

1. Collect patient data in advance of the consultation

Preventing check-in delays is one of the most straightforward methods to cut patient wait time. When a patient makes an appointment, does your office personnel collect medical history and all relevant lab data? Is it customary to have patients fill out paperwork ahead of time?

In order to assist people to come prepared for their appointment, streamlining the data and document collection is necessary.

2. Use a patient portal to streamline your workflow

Using patient portals is becoming a more common method of collecting data. Portals are safe websites where patients may access their personal health information at any time of day or night.

Patients may access instructional materials, make non-urgent appointments, and keep track of their medical history online, all while fulfilling meaningful use requirements.

3. Improve the efficiency of healthcare operations

Reducing patient waiting time is one of the many advantages of running a more efficient practice. As an example, consider implementing automated vitals collecting systems, increasing communication between medical teams, and outsourcing paperwork to better-trained personnel.

4. Make use of encrypted text messaging

A secure messaging function is currently included in the majority of EHR systems, giving healthcare providers another method to convey critical information to patients. According to Dr. Rachel Franklin, "Secure messaging may reduce the amount of phone calls your office gets, eliminate phone tag issues, and enable doctors and staff to reply to patient questions more rapidly."

5. Maintain a clear policy about no-shows and late arrivals

It's now or never to establish a strategy for dealing with no-shows or people who come late for appointments. Make it mandatory to reschedule if someone is more than 15 minutes late or fails to show up, and consider imposing a charge if this happens often. It is important to communicate these rules to your patients so they know you respect their time.

6. With the use of a survey, identify obstacles

Even if you don't know where wait times are coming from, a tidbit of information may help. eVisit recommends giving patients a short survey to monitor how much time they spend in the waiting room, exam room, and in talking to their doctor.

7. Make use of a cellphone queue

Reduce wait times and improve patient satisfaction by using a mobile queuing tool. Qless, for example, gives patients more control over their time and aids in patient flow management. Instead of sitting in the waiting area, customers may join a virtual queue that changes their location in real-time.

8. Accept telemedicine as a viable option

By using virtual therapy alternatives, patients may save time by not having to travel or wait in an office. Additionally, telemedicine solutions may reduce the time it takes to collect patient data by eliminating no-shows and late arrivals, as well as by cutting office visits in half on average.

9. Organise a welcoming waiting area

Although waiting times cannot be entirely eliminated, they may be minimised by making the waiting area a welcoming and comfortable environment for your patients. Providing fast and secure medical office Wi-Fi may be a simple solution to this problem. Deeper restructuring of the waiting room according to evidence-based methods that predict patient happiness is an option for those interested.

10. Consider it a chance to take advantage of the time spent waiting

Rather than being a hindrance, the waiting room presents an opportunity, according to a study published in the journal Can Fam Physician in 2013. The waiting room manager turns passive waiting into active care by screening, monitoring, and educating patients while they wait. The first step in utilising the waiting room to enhance patient happiness and health outcomes is to rethink it as an opportunity.

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While eliminating wait time completely may be an impossibility at this time, reducing them is definitely doable. Long wait time is a warning indication that you need to improve your practice's efficiency if you don't want to lose income and patients.

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This article was originally published on November 12, 2021.

Disclaimer- The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of M3 India.

The author is a practising super specialist from New Delhi.