Patient Safety | 04.05.24
Seeing a Doctor Doesn't Have to Be So Frustrating
by NAMSS Staff
Wall Street Journal (03/25/24) Landro, Laura
Recent surveys show that the average wait time to make a new-patient appointment is 30 days in many U.S. cities, and more than 33% of Medicare patients are waiting even longer. Patient experience firm Press Ganey indicates that about 50% of patients say they experience long wait times on the phone to reach the appointment scheduler, as well as long wait times in the waiting room and less time with the doctor in the exam room. Milbank Memorial Fund warns part of the problem is a shortage of providers given the rising demand, lower Medicare reimbursement rates, and higher levels of burnout. The American Medical Association estimates that over 83 million Americans live in regions without sufficient access to medical care, including primary doctors and specialists. Some solutions on the rise include the centralization of scheduling for individual doctor's offices; a combination of texts, calls, and emails to improve communication about appointments; and the use of online intelligent-scheduling systems to make it easier to book, cancel, and reschedule appointments.
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