During a patient appointment, Ms. Mooney suggests limiting the patient visit to the reason for the appointment and encouraging the patient to reschedule if they have other concerns. “Appointments can get behind by addressing too many questions unrelated to the purpose of that visit,” she says.
Dr. Zadvinskis has found the electronic medical record system to be a great asset in organizing his day and keeping it on schedule. “I have learned to build time into my day and into each patient visit so that I can immediately update records and not let work pile up or get left for the end of the day,” he says. “This has worked well for both me and my patients, who have access to their own records via our app.”
Dr. Sesin, on the other hand, has found that multitasking throughout the day works for him. “As I interview patients, I input information into the EHR, and I discreetly monitor incoming text messages on my iPhone from doctors (inpatient and outpatient consult requests),” he says. Between patients, he checks e-mails.
Handling Tardy & No-Show Patients
In an effort to get patients to arrive on time and not miss appointments, Ms. Mooney advises confirming appointments and letting patients know what papers and information they should bring in advance. She also suggests asking patients to write down specific questions so the provider can address them.
If a patient skips an appointment, call them that day or the next one to ensure there wasn’t an unavoidable problem and to reschedule them.
You’ll also want to set policies and make patients aware of them. If a patient is late at Dr. Wei’s practice, they are given a gentle reminder to make sure they arrive on time the next time. Chronically tardy or no-show patients are first sent an “at risk” letter letting them know that being late or not showing up is jeopardizing their health. “If their behavior continues, they are discharged from the practice,” he says.
By comparison, Dr. Sesin will accommodate tardy patients, but they have to wait until they can be fit in. “Many of our patients are elderly, and we do not feel comfortable sending them home without seeing the doctor,” he admits. “Most of the time, their lateness has to do with transportation or traffic issues.” No-shows must pay a $25 “no call, no show” fee.
Bottom Line
If your patients are often stuck waiting, you can do many things to keep your office on track. Work with staff to set priorities, handle patient delays and cope with busy times, while analyzing your own time management and streamlining your workday. Don’t add to your patients’ miseries by making them wait.
