Dataset Information

Improving outpatient satisfaction by extending expected waiting time.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Long waiting times result in low satisfaction. Although several methods are used to shorten the actual waiting time (AWT) in large hospitals of China, the outpatients still have a long actual waiting time. This study aimed to explore whether satisfaction could be improved by extending the expected waiting time (EWT) instead of shortening the AWT.

Methods

In October 2016, 257 students in grade one voluntarily participated in this study. They came from 6 classes, which were randomly divided into two groups: 3 classes comprised the control group (n?=?125) and 3 classes comprised the experimental group (n?=?132). Unfavorable information (UI) was given to the experimental group alone. Six distinct questionnaires were designed to explore the effects of UI on EWT and the effects of an extended EWT on satisfaction. Satisfaction scores ranged from 0 to 100: 0-25, very dissatisfied; 26-50, dissatisfied; 51-75, satisfied; 76-100, very satisfied. Each participant finished one of the 6 questionnaires online. Of the 257 questionnaires, 233 were valid.

Results

Before UI was given, the initial EWT (T₀) was similar between the control and experimental groups (Z?=?-1.924, P?=?0.054). Under the effects of UI, individuals in the experimental group extended their EWT (T₁) from 121.0 to 180.0?min (Z?=?-6.367, P?0?=?1.5?h and T₁?=?2.5?h, and compared the satisfaction scores between the control and experimental groups: a significant difference was found when AWT =2.0?h (t?=?-?3.568, P?=?0.001), but not when AWT =3.0?h (t?=?-?0.718, P?=?0.475) or when AWT =1.0?h (t?=?-?1.088, P?=?0.280). When AWT =3.0?h, fewer individuals felt "very dissatisfied" in the experimental group (21.2%) than in the control group (44.7%) (?²?=?4.368, P?=?0.037).

Conclusions

EWT was found to be extended greatly by UI. An extended EWT could improve satisfaction scores.

SUBMITTER: Ma WM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6693195 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Improving outpatient satisfaction by extending expected waiting time.

Ma Wei-Min WM Zhang Hui H Wang Neng-Li NL

BMC health services research 20190813 1

<h4>Background</h4>Long waiting times result in low satisfaction. Although several methods are used to shorten the actual waiting time (AWT) in large hospitals of China, the outpatients still have a long actual waiting time. This study aimed to explore whether satisfaction could be improved by extending the expected waiting time (EWT) instead of shortening the AWT.<h4>Methods</h4>In October 2016, 257 students in grade one voluntarily participated in this study. They came from 6 classes, which we ...[more]

PMID: 31409330

Similar Datasets

Project description:Rationale & objectiveThe shortage of deceased donor kidneys identified for potential transplantation in the United States is exacerbated by a high proportion of deceased donor kidneys being discarded after procurement. We estimated the impact of a policy proposal aiming to increase organ utilization by extending eligibility for waiting time reinstatement for recipients experiencing early allograft failure after transplantation.Study designDecision analysis informed by clinical registry data.Setting & populationWe used Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data to identify 76,044 deceased-donor kidneys procured in the United States from 2013 to 2017, 80% of which were transplanted and 20% discarded.InterventionExtend waiting time reinstatement for recipients experiencing allograft failure from the current 90 days to 1 year after transplantation.OutcomeNet impact to the waitlist, defined as the estimated number of additional transplants minus estimated increase in waiting list reinstatements.Model, perspective, & timeframeWe estimated (1) the number of additional deceased donor kidneys that would be transplanted if there was a 5%-25% relative reduction in discards, and (2) the number of recipients who would regain waiting time under a 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month reinstatement policy.ResultsReinstating a waiting time for recipients experiencing allograft failure up to 1 year after transplantation yielded more additional transplants than growth in additions to the waiting list for all model assumptions except the combination of a very low relative reduction in discards (5%) and a very high failure rate of transplanted kidneys that would previously have been discarded (≥5 times the rate of currently transplanted kidneys).LimitationsLack of empirical evidence supporting the proposed impact of such a policy change.ConclusionsA policy change reinstating waiting time for deceased donor kidneys recipients with allograft failure up to 1 year after transplantation should explored as a decision science-based intervention to improve organ utilization.

Project description:The Singapore General Hospital Diabetes Centre (DBC) is a multidisciplinary specialist outpatient clinic which aims to provide an integrated one-stop service for diabetes. As with many tertiary academic centre clinics, DBC encounters an expanding patient load, greater patient expectations and increasingly complicated patients who require services from a multitude of health providers. Such rising demands amidst limited resources cause inefficiencies and long waiting times to consultation. This result in low patient satisfaction and an unpleasant clinic experience. A multidisciplinary team was formed to reduce the waiting time at DBC and improve communication and work processes of staff. Addressing wait-times is complicated as multiple stakeholders and operational processes are involved and interlinked. By systematically breaking down processes and identifying problem areas, targeted changes were implemented. This included a revised model of appointment scheduling, a patient reminder system, more effective communication sheets and work reassignments. The primary aim of this project was to improve the patient turn-around time (duration a patient spends at the centre for a visit). There was no documented improvement in turn-around time after project implementation (108.23 minutes versus 106.6 minutes) but other secondary aims were achieved. These included an increase in the percentage of patients seen by the doctor within 60 minutes from 80% to 84%, a reduction in wait-time for payment and reappointment at the cashier by 36.6% and a reduction in non-attendances of new cases to the clinic from 30.2% to 21.3%. Staff satisfaction and communication were greatly improved. To aid sustainability, personalized reports of individual doctor's waiting times and workload were produced quarterly and tracked. As this is a first step quality improvement project, efforts to track, examine and further improve turn-around times are on-going. Future initiatives are directed at time-efficient appointment scheduling between care providers for same day appointments, a reactive SMS system for reminders and reappointments and optimization of processes and manpower allocation for clinics.

Project description:BACKGROUND:In China, a long waiting time for registration is a common occurrence in many tertiary hospitals. This study aimed to analyze the effects of a comprehensive reservation service for non-emergency registration on appointment registration rate, patient waiting time, patient satisfaction and outpatient volume at the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center. METHODS:This was a cross-sectional study. This study investigated the effects of a comprehensive reservation service for non-emergency registration in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center in China starting in October 2015. In total, 2194 patients completed a satisfaction survey administered by the Guangdong Situation Research Center. The content of the questionnaire consisted of six aspects: general impression, service attitude, service quality, hospital environment, price perception and medical ethics. A Likert 5-point rating scale was used in the questionnaire; answers were classified as "very satisfied", "relatively satisfied", "neutral", "unsatisfied" and "very unsatisfied". The method of application was paper-based. T-tests were used to compare the sample means, and chi-square tests were used to compare the rates. A multiple-test procedure was performed to evaluate the differences in the reservation rates during a 12-month period. RESULTS:After the implementation of the comprehensive reservation service for non-emergency registration in our hospital, which has an annual outpatient volume of approximately 4 million, the monthly appointment registration rate increased from (34.95?±?2.91)% to(89.13?±?3.12)%,P?<?0.01. The patient waiting time was significantly reduced (P?<?0.01), and the proportion of patients who believed that the waiting time required improvement was decreased significantly (P?<?0.01). Moreover, the third-party evaluation result of outpatient satisfaction significantly improved (P?<?0.01). The total hospital outpatient volume decreased(P?<?0.01). The outpatient volume of the Department of General Pediatrics decreased. CONCLUSION:The implementation of the comprehensive reservation service for non-emergency registration in the hospital shortened patient waiting time and improved patient satisfaction, and the outpatient volume was effectively controlled. These results indicated that this program obtained the desired results in a Grade 3A hospital in China.

Dataset Information

Improving outpatient satisfaction by extending expected waiting time.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Improving outpatient satisfaction by extending expected waiting time.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets