5 Steps to Improve Patient Scheduling Templates

Mastering the art of scheduling pays off with stronger patient retention, a better provider experience and even increased revenue. But how do healthcare organizations achieve it in today’s digital-forward world?

Here are five steps to optimize your scheduling template:

1.??????Review your current scheduling templates. As you review, ask yourself the following questions:

· Does the provider practice in more than one department?

· Which appointment types does the provider use?

· How long is each appointment type scheduled?

· Which appointments, if any, must happen on a certain day or at a certain time?

· Which appointments, if any, should occur within a few days of scheduling?

· Which appointments, if any, currently have a longer than desired lead time?

· How many appointments are scheduled per slot?

2.??????Revalidate the current rationale behind your templates. Your review should focus on three components:

· Template design assessments

· Template standards and maintenance policies

· Scheduling protocols, such as policies for productivity, use of blocks and bumps

3.??????Implement adjustments to your scheduling templates to address identified gaps and inefficiencies.

1. Evaluate updated scheduling templates for ease and accessibility by testing the patient portal and call center.
2. Identify and rebook displaced patients to minimize disruption to your patient population.

While critical, an optimized scheduling template should not mark the end of any patient access initiative. From avoiding the so-called “referral blackhole,” to setting goals for call center performance, provider organizations must take broad action to ensure patients can quickly and reliably access quality healthcare.?

Want to learn more about how healthcare providers can improve patient access to care? Get our full Patient Access Optimization checklist on BDO.com. ?

How else do you think providers can improve patient access? Let me know in the comments below.