The goal of medicine, or the medical practitioner, is not only to provide treatment, but also to make your patients feel better. One way to do this is by seeing patients as soon as they arrive. To make this work, you have to tell patients when to come, so they arrive just in time to be seen by the doctor.
It is a patient flow management issue that is easily resolved if you implement these six ways to reduce wait times in hospitals.
Use a patient flow management system
Having a nurse or orderly tell patients and their families to sit in a row outside your examination room without knowing how long they must wait is not really acceptable these days. Get a patient management system that allows patients to queue up from anywhere, using their phone or on the Internet.
Integrate PMS with your healthcare information system
Identity of patients waiting in the queue must be available instantly to authorized medical staff, for scheduling immediate followups and subsequent visits in future. Integrate the patient flow management system with your existing healthcare information system (HIS) for seamless data synchronization.
Implement pooled queues
Patients requiring multiple services will automatically get assigned to the one where medical staff is currently free. For example, health checkups involving diagnostics, ECG, and BP can be scheduled efficiently, sending patients to departments where staff are immediately available.
Prepare medical staff before patients arrive
Staff can quickly provide services by identifying patients and their specific needs in advance. Accessing patient records from HIS or EHR systems for those just getting in line allows for immediate preparation of the required tests or physicians.
Ask patients to upload reports and history
Send appointment notifications via WhatsApp or email along with a digital information form. Asking patients to fill this out and upload medical history beforehand ensures the file is ready for the doctor the moment the patient arrives.
Schedule tests based on pre-examination data
For surgery, cardiac care, or physical injuries, tests like X-rays or MRIs can be scheduled based on the information provided by the patient before they arrive. This streamlines the process and avoids unnecessary waiting on the day of the appointment.
The Efficiency Impact: A Case for Diabetic Care
Consider diabetic patients who need sugar testing and GP consultation. The traditional approach requires a fasting blood sample, a breakfast break, a second sample, and then a long wait for results before finally seeing the doctor.
"Instead of wasting the patient’s time, you can make it simple and efficient. Let the patient fill out a form online, send a lab assistant to their home for the first sample, and then have them come to the lab for the second sample immediately followed by their scheduled doctor’s appointment."
Providing such patient-friendly experiences where you reduce wait time in hospitals makes people feel better, and they will be loyal patients who will want to come back to you next time they need to see a doctor.