Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/79665
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ BUSINESS OF MEDICINE +++ +++ Makes Practice P ATIENT SATISFACTION DROPS signifi cantly after just fi ve minutes of wait time, according to Press Ganey's "2009 Medical Practice Pulse Report: Patient Perspectives on American Health Care." However, actual wait times and perceived wait times differ based on geographic and cultural norms, as well as patients' progress in the visit. According to researchers at Ghent University in Belgium, the actual overall wait time was lower than the perceived waiting time, but the perceived time waiting in the examination area was higher than the actual waiting time. "The well-run patient management system, whether a primary care or group model, relies on the way each practice triages and services patients," says Kathryn I. Moghadas, R.N., R.M., CHBC, CHCC, CPC, risk manager on the Board of Medscape Business of Medicine and President of Associated Health Care Advisors in Florida. "We are training our offi ce staff to communicate effectively with our patients, setting expectations and reas- suring patients with time-sensitivity issues. Streamlining the process starts with each physician through self-examination and PHYSICIANS CAN IMPROVE PATIENT SATISFACTION SCORES AND MAXIMIZE REIMBURSEMENT BY EXAMINING THEIR OWN PRACTICES AND MAKING CHANGES TO INCREASE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF CARE. Perfect data collection to create smarter schedules and reduce ineffi ciencies." Strategies for Success Low reimbursement rates for health care have turned practice management into a numbers game, requiring physicians to see a minimum number of patients per day to keep the lights on. The pressure to pack more patient visits into the day can lead to long wait times and overbooking to compensate for no-shows. Understanding and addressing supply- and-demand issues are important fi rst steps to reduce long wait times. Determining the duration of particular types of visits and scheduling accordingly can help eliminate delays and down time. Doing more for a short time may be necessary to recalibrate the system and relieve pent-up demand. Putting all patients in one line can further reduce wait times. Stocking the same supplies and equipment in each room and reducing the number of appointment types can increase the fl ex- ibility of time slots for schedulers, as well. Being booked for weeks might be perceived by physicians as a sign of prestige, but it can lead to no-shows and delays when working same-day appointments. The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends leaving as much as 70% of schedules open to meet immediate patient need. "Health care reform will increase the importance of effective case manage- ment, increasing from a 9-to-5 model to a 24-hour access to care model," Moghadas says. "Delegating applicable functions to trained, licensed professionals in the practice, including nurses, physician assistants and nurse practitioners, can free up a physician to perform surgery or other functions only he or she can do." ■ 18 | Central New York MD NEWS ■ MDNEWS.COM