Waiting and Appointment Times [QSI Ref: XR-304]
Descriptor
Waiting time of patients prior to appointment.
Background
Patients find waiting for an examination distressing. Unnecessary waiting reduces departmental efficiency and increases departmental congestion.
The Cycle
The standard:
A locally agreed standard that 90% of patients should be called into the examination room within 10 minutes of their allocated appointment time.
Target:
90%
Assess local practice
Indicators:
Percentage of patients who are called into the examination room within 10 minutes of their appointment time.
Data items to be collected:
For each patient record on a short proforma:
• The appointment time allocated
• The actual time of the examination
• The identifiable reason for any delay
Suggested number:
All for 1 week period.
Suggestions for change if target not met
• If waiting times are too long, then the allocation of the number of appointments in any one session should be reviewed. This may involve reorganisation of staff working hours
• Avoid allocating multiple patients to the same appointment time
• Review arrangements for patients changing their clothes prior to examination
• Recruit Imaging Support Workers
Resources
• Prospective data recording
• Reception clerks to fill in the proforma
• Radiographer: 2 hours for recording of information
No other expense necessary, although a time/date stamp might be helpful in those departments without an electronic facility for recording booking in time.
References
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The Audit Commission. Improving your Image. How to Manage Radiology Services More Effectively. London: Audit Commission, 1995.
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Patient’s Charter (1995). London: National Charter Standards, Department of Health, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NS.
Submitted by
Taken from Clinical Audit in Radiology 100+ recipes RCR 1996, updated by CRAC 2012, updated by P Mehrotra 2017