The key to improving access to health care services lies in maximizing capacity. This can be acheived without adding costly resources, by predicting and managing patient demand, increasing efficiency in office practices, and streamlining the flow of patients within and between provider settings.
Consider following overarching goals when setting your aim:
Establish open access systems that offer patients appointments with their primary care provider on the same day they call.
Synchronize patients, information, and resources within the office to "do today’s work today."
Optimize the care team by expanding the role of nurses and non-clinician staff and reducing non-care tasks for physicians.
Institute a master-scheduling process to maximize office efficiency.
Supplement face-to-face visits with alternative methods of care, such as telephone advice and triage, email, group visits, and other service innovations.
Tips for Setting Aims
Click here for more information and general tips on Forming the Team, Establishing Measures, Selecting Changes, or Testing Changes.
For Clinic AccessReduce waiting time to see a urologist by 50 percent within 9 months.Offer all patients same-day access to their primary care physician within 9 months.Reduce waiting time to see a physician to less than 15 minutes within 9 months.
Practice Supply Worksheet: Use this worksheet to review the practice supply by day of the week and by sessions to identify variation in the supply of your practice.
