...| CASE: KEEP PATIENTS WAITING? NOT IN MY OFFICE | BUSN 6110/ME – OPERATIONS & PROJECT MANAGEMENT | | | CASE KEEP PATIENTS WAITING? NOT IN MY OFFICE 1. What features of the appointment scheduling system were crucial in capturing “many grateful patients”? By seeing patients at their “exact” appointment times, the patients were very grateful. It is rare that the doctor did not see the patients during their allotted time. The key to ensuring appointments remained on schedule was to book appointment realistically. By allotting the proper amount of time for each visit (this was tied to the services require) this kept the schedule on track. Patients are also given a specific time, e.g., 10:30 or 2:40 vice the usual come in 10 minutes or 30 minutes. There was an adequate number of examining rooms and her 2-3 assistants depending on the workload were well instructed on the standing operating procedures. New patients were asked to arrive in the office early to get their initial paperwork completed. New patients were also told about the strict adherence to appointment times. 2. What procedures were followed to keep the appointment system flexible enough to accommodate the emergency cases, and yet be able to keep up with the other patients’ appointments? The doctor felt that most doctors used them having an emergency as an excuse not to stick to their appointment times and felt this would not work in her practice. If it was a true emergency...
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...Case Study: Keep Patients Waiting, Not in My Office Questions: 1) The key to successful scheduling is to allot the proper amount of time for each visit, depending on the services required, and then stick to it. This means that the physician must pace himself carefully, receptionists must be corrected if they stray from the plan, and patients must be taught to respect their appointment times. By actually timing a number of patient visits, I found that they break down into several categories. We allow half an hour for any new patient, 15 minutes for a well-baby checkup or an important illness, and either 5 or 10 minutes for a recheck on an illness or injury, an immunization, or a minor problem like warts. You can, of course, work out your own time allocations, geared to the way you practice. When appointments are made, every patient is given a specific time, such as 10:30 or 2:40. It's an absolute no-no for anyone in my office to say to a patient, "Come in 10 minutes" or "Come in a halfhour." People often interpret such instructions differently, and nobody knows just when they'll arrive. There are three examining rooms that I use routinely, a fourth that I reserve for teenagers, and a fifth for emergencies. With that many rooms, I don't waste time waiting for patients, and they rarely have to sit in the reception area. In fact, some of the younger children complain that they don't get time to play with the toys and puzzles in the waiting room before being examined, and their...
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...course of my work at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I explain how I was able to complete the project without the benefit of funds from the department. There are four references that I consulted to develop ideas for the project. I have clear memories of visiting the doctor’s office as a child. The frosted glass partition between the receptionist and the waiting area created a boundary that clearly stated “keep out.” When I asked my mother why it was there, she said because the people working in the office wanted peace and quiet. I don’t think I fully understood that explanation at the time, but I did understand that it meant they didn’t want to be bothered. The breaking down of these boundaries is the heart of the Planetree Patient-Centered Care Philosophy. The Planetree website states “Planetree is a non- profit organization that provides education and information in a collaborative community of healthcare organizations, facilitating efforts to create patient-centered care in healing environments.” (Planetree, 2012) In the course of my employment as an imaging technologist at the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, two coworkers and I were picked by management to create a Planetree Project for the radiology department. We were told that we should keep in mind that it was the end of the fiscal year and that money was tight. I shrugged my shoulders in disbelief and complained to my peers...
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...A physician client relayed this story to me: "The patient barged into my office as I was on the phone and threatened to sue me because he had been waiting four hours. I said politely that the hospital called because one of my patients was in critical condition and I have to deal with the critical ones first." Lee J. Johnson, JD When I expressed dismay, the client told me that his patients are used to such situations. Four hours? Unless the patient lives 3.5 hours away and has no cell phone, there is no excuse—in the office or in the courtroom—for making a patient wait that amount of time. The doctor in this example defended his actions by saying that medicine is a business. No business can flourish without positive word-of-mouth promotion, however, and your medical office will not realize good productivity if you are in court instead of the office. PATIENTS HATE TO WAIT In most patient satisfaction surveys related to the medical practice setting, patients' main complaint is long wait times. In one survey, patients waiting 10 or fewer minutes rated their satisfaction as "good" to "very good." Another survey concluded that punctual patients are annoyed if they have to wait 37 minutes to see the physician. If you make a patient wait a long time to see you, you are telling the patient that you do not value his or her time. The good news is that wait time is not likely to show up as the major complaint in a lawsuit. Some cases exist, however, in which plaintiff attorneys...
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...Business Process: 1 Patient Arrival 1 Check in Process: 1 Wait in waiting room 2 Urine Sample 2 Wait in waiting room for nurse 2 Nurse takes/records vitals on paper 2 Wait to see Doctor 2 See Doctor 2 Check Out: 2 Data Collection and Analysis: 3 Type of data collected: 3 Recommendation for collecting proper data using information technology: 3 Recommendation: 3 Digitized Form 4 Data and System Security 4 Ethical Issues: 5 Guidelines: 5 System Requirement’s: 6 System: 6 Other Requirments: 6 Conversion 7 Direct Data Entry 7 Idea: 7 References 8 introduction: I have been called to one of the Atlantic Urological Associates offices to provide recommendations for an efficient information system that will help with the following: * Minimize patient waiting time * Decrease paper work between the office and other healthcare entities * Increase quality of patient care * Optimize the billing and coding process Upon arriving at the doctor’s office I notice the waiting room is full and there is a line of people waiting to check in. Behind the desk is an overstressed receptionist who is trying to manage checking everyone in, answering the phones, and filing/completing paper work. When it is finally my turn she hands me paper work that I would have to fill out if I was a new patient. I find a chair sit down and start filling them out, and 10 minutes later I am called back to the front desk to verify my insurance information...
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...If I were given the opportunity to set up and design a medical office, I would strive to create an environment that is suitable for average suburban families of any income level, providing comfort and convenience. I would first locate a multi office facility where most of our patients’ care could be done in one place. Ideally, there would be various specialties, a pharmacy, radiology and imaging, and lab services available. This would provide convenient accessibility for patients requiring dual care, specialties, or medication following their initial visit with us. When you enter this office you will be peacefully enveloped into pale sage, light brown and neutral tones, creating a sense of warmth and comfort. You could hang your coat or dry your umbrella by the door (Wells, 2005). Beautiful canvases with scenic views from around the U.S. would provide an insight to the magnificence our country still holds, and silk trees creating small accents and a sense of harmony throughout the room (Harrison, 2010, p.4). There would be a severance of sorts within the waiting area. In the area closest to the door would be a reading nook, for those seeking quiet and privacy while they wait. They would have four oversized arm-chairs to relax in, magazines, newspapers, educational materials, and slightly lower lighting. The center of the room would be the main waiting area, with large, cloth, arm free chairs, non-restricting and giving individuals a sense of personal space. Ten of the chairs...
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... b. Overall Conclusion Proposal/ Problem Statement Going to the doctor’s office for an appointment can turn into a very long and tiresome affair. Upon arriving, you have to check in, only to wait in a very long line to put your name down. Next, comes the seemingly endless process of waiting to get your name called which often takes up to an hour on a busy day. Finally, after being taken to the examination room, there is yet another half hour wait. So, what ends up taking only about five minutes of the actual doctors time, leaves you with half the day gone. These issues of several different waiting periods are what many patients deal with and often lead to hesitation in actually making an appointment. The lackluster communications involved in this structure is what makes this a bad business to operate. Essentially, a doctor’s office is a business, and like any other business, customers are vital. However, in a fast moving society where the economy is struggling, time is money and many people do not have the luxury to sit and wait. These inefficient processes seem to slow their business down a great deal as well as the lack of profitability that could otherwise be turned into a profit. For example, a man by the name is Beatrice Vance died in the waiting room while the receptionist told him to wait for the doctor to be seen: “Beatrice Vance died of a heart attack. The coroner says waiting in the emergency room helped kill her. The...
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...paper I discuss how holding patients in the Emergency Department (ED) has a negative effect on patients. To many patients in the ED , medication errors and patients lingering in the ED instead of being in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are the main cause of mortality and morbidity. For this assignment, I gathered information to figure out if the increased number of patients in the ED, medication errors, and the length of time ICU patients are held in the ED at Ohio Valley Medical Center (OVMC) is an actual issue that is effecting our patients. After doing a complete assessment and gathering the needed information, a plan will be put together to cut back on the issues that are causing the morbidity and mortality. Overcrowding in the Emergency Department seems to be an issue that is rising. To many patients are being held in the ED and this is affecting the care of our patients. Overcrowding in the ED and medication errors are occurring because patients are being held in the ED for prolonged periods of time. When these patients are held and the ED has more patients than it should, their is not enough staff and the patients are not getting the care they should. Most of these patient’s are critically ill and need one on one care which is not the option in an overcrowded ED. When a department is to crowded, it leads to delayed care and poorer health outcomes. Overcrowding in the emergency department not only affects the patient but also has a negative affect...
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...helping the physician by obtaining the patient’s medical history; taking and recording the patient’s height and weight; obtaining and recording vital signs, such as pulse, temperature, respiration, and blood pressure; preparing the patient for examination and/or treatment; drawing blood; assisting in examining And/or treating the patient; performing routine laboratory tests and EKGs; Applying dressings; instructing the patient in preparation for x-rays and laboratory examinations; preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician. The clerical, or administrative, responsibilities that a medical assistant may be expected to perform include scheduling and receiving patients; transcribing and maintaining medical records; procedural and diagnostic coding; typing and taking dictation; arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory procedures for patients; and handling telephone calls, correspondence, reports, insurance matters, office accounts, fees, and collections. Swanson, B. (2005) Careers in Health Care. New York: McGraw-Hill. Whether it’s in the front of the office or behind the scenes, the medical assistant are more than likely the first and last faces you will see during your visit. They work in doctor’s offices or larger medical organization such as hospitals. Medical assistants must enjoy working with...
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...Name goes here MKT/551 Professor Joe Zimmerman Marketing Audit Overview May 31, 2011 Table of contents page Case Study: Peace Memorial Hospital: Downtown health Clinic …….………………. 3 Executive Summary …………………………………………………………………….. 3 Environmental Aspects …………………………………………………………….. 5 Demographics …………………………………………………………………….. 5 Politics …………………………………………………………………….. 7 Competition …………………………………………………………………….. 8 Marketing …………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Objectives …………………………………………………………………….. 9 Strategies …………………………………………………………………….. 10 Tactics …………………………………………………………………………….. 10 Four Ps …………………….…………………………………………….. 11 Product …………………………………………………………… 11 Price …………………………………………………………………… 11 Place …………………………………………………………………… 11 Promotion …………………………………………………………… 12 Marketing Information Systems ……………………………………………. 12 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………….. 13 References ……………………………………………………………………………...
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...in my research is the issue of confidentiality and privacy of the patients. Even more today than there has been before keeping patients records private has become more and more difficult. There are different levels of information that can be affected. According to nursingworld.org the administrator protects information that is private, secret or privileged. This means that not all information is medical information about the patient but also information about the payroll or other contact information about the patient and the staff. This also would include information the patient does want their doctor to know about them which would be more privileged information and things they do not want their doctors to share with others. One of the main issues with keeping such information confidential according to the article Administrative Ethics and Confidentiality/Privacy Issues on nursingworld.org is that most often younger people are working in offices that do not respect or have accurate knowledge of the privacy laws such as HIPPA. Hippa is a government list of regulation and rules to abide by in any medical practice put into place to protect the patients. According to hippa-101.com any office using electronic software must have the appropriate blocks to operate for example a password to get in and out of files, also virus protection and firewalls to prevent the system from being hacked into. There are new hippa laws added each year as technology grows and unless the office constantly...
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...Danielle Babb CIS500 November 21, 2012 Abstract Mobile computing has allowed great strides in the care and monitoring of patients. Medical personnel are able to obtain real-time data on patient vital signs via mobile networks. Network integrity and data assurance are important factors in the delivery of vital statistics for patient care. Social network support forums provide a source of interaction with those with similar health concerns. Mobile Computing and Social Networking The use of mobile computing technology to monitor patient vital signs is a critical step forward to help keep people healthy and to improve healthcare outcomes. This technology has transformed the lives of patients by cutting down the amount of time one spends in a doctor’s office for basic monitoring services. Mobile devices, when loaded with the appropriate applications, are useful in transmitting information such as blood pressure, glucose readings or even temperature back to medical offices. Medical personnel can then track a patient’s condition and if need be, have them come in if their vital signs are not positive. This could avert a trip to the hospital in some cases. In a survey of American consumers, 61% said they would like self-monitoring devices that remotely sends information to their doctors. (Mobile Technology Allows for Remote Patient Monitoring, 2012) Network Management Mobile technology has made great strides. From the early days of networking to the present...
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...Phoenix HCS/466 February 1, 2012 Facility Planning Part I In my community there is a significant need for an urgent care facility. The emergency room in my community is providing care for uninsured, and emergencies at the moment. If it was an urgent care facility for the ambulatory patients who are uninsured; this would take a huge load off the emergency room, and it would allow true emergencies to be treated accordingly. Currently many services that can be rendered in such a setting are done at the hospital as an outpatient service. This service uses up valuable resources, which could be used for inpatient population is an urgent care facility existed. This community would function very well by developing an urgent care facility that gives much needed services without the headache of hospital waiting time, and hospital registration. Patients presently take up valuable space in the community emergency room or may travel a very long distance to an urgent care facility. Many patients cannot afford the traveling expense, which include gas and mileage for his or her health care. This needed facility does not supersede the patient primary care physician. An urgent care facility is an accessible option when a patient’s regular physician is unavailable and is unable to offer a timely appointment, or when sickness strikes up after normal office hours. Urgent care offers a better alternative instead of waiting in an emergency room for hours. The current population being served...
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...An electronic medical record also referred to as an (EMR) is a medical record that is turned into a computerized file that has been created by the medical facility that delivers care to its patients and/or patients. It can be created by a doctor’s office, surgery center, dental clinic or any office in the health field. Electronic medical records seem to be a more efficient and effective way of retrieving patients information that allows retrieval, storage and modifying of patients records so many can gain access and up to date information pertaining to the patients overall care and status. One of the major benefits of electronic medical records is that is saves time and makes the whole process more efficient and accurate. By being able to have all the patients information at the touch of a computer key makes it a quick record s transfer from one physician to another especially in a critical situation, or needing a different type of care from another physician in a particular field. Copying, faxing, and having to transfer and mail out patients records takes many man hours but also uses lots of office paper. Electronic medical records are cost efficient and saves times by being able to e-mail many recipients at one time. That in return saves time and money for all doctors offices involved. I myself have had problems reading doctors notes or physicians orders and this will save time in trying to analyze or make out that handwriting it will be typed into a format that...
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...Introduction My previous individual paper written on the last company I worked for was written about the previous pediatrics practice I was employed by. While some might think that there are few ways to market a medical practice, a few things came to mind when I really started to think about the different types of products and services the practice provided. Product and Pricing Strategies During my early months at the practice, not much thought was put into why people came into our office. I know word of mouth goes a long way, so I figured parents talk to one another, and suggest pediatricians as well as advice on parenting, etc. One of the biggest things that come to mind about this practice is that they offer a lower cash price to parents that do not have insurance and have to pay for their children(s) visit. Our office provides a discounted (15%) rate for these parents. I know a lot of parents fall upon hard times when a new baby is in the family and the occasional lapse in insurance coverage can be disastrous to the pocketbook. Another thing that is worth mentioning is that we offered shot-free allergy testing in the office. This could be done before or after another appointment, making it easier for parents to combine appointments. With most parents working outside of the home, it was crucial for the owners of the practice to think about this, easing parents minds’ because they might have had to take the day off of work for an appointment. Another great...
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