No Queuing - No Long Waiting Time in Clinic - A Legacy
On my 66th birthday, 2015, specifically, February 2, 2015, I decided to try another scheme to decrease the waiting time of my patients consulting me in my clinic in Manila Doctors Hospital (MDH). [Note: I have tried other schemes before, such as calling before coming; giving out my cellphone numbers; creation of appointment schedule aside from regular schedule; etc.]
Starting February 2, 2015, I tried “consultation with appointment time.”
ROJoson Medical Clinic Consultation with Booked Appointment Time (not making patients wait for a long time)
Target: No patient will have a waiting time for more than 60 minutes from booked appointment time.
System started in 2015, refined in 2016. Still ongoing up to present writing (November 2018) - 3 years now.
Backgrounder:
I started with a target of no more than 90 minutes waiting time from booked appointment time in February 2016.
I changed the target to no more than 75 minutes in May 2016.
In October 2016, I changed the target to no more than 60 minutes.
The target will remain to be no more than 60 minutes waiting time from booked appointment time for 2017.
Summary Report:
As I completed my last clinic for the year (December 29), here is a summary report on the performance of my booked appointment time system in ROJoson Medical Clinic for 2016.
Since February 2016 (the start of this system):
1. I was late only twice in starting my clinic - maximum of 10 minutes only and I gave advance notice to my patients that I would be late.
2. I started with a target of no more than 90 minutes waiting time from booked appointment time in February 2016. From February to April, 2016, only one patient waited for 96 minutes. The rest were within the 90 minute-target. The overall mean waiting time during this period was 19 minutes.
3. I changed the target to no more than 75 minutes in May 2016. From May to October, 2016, only one patient waited for 87 minutes. The rest were within the 75-minute target. The overall mean waiting time during this period was 12 minutes.
4. In October 2016, I changed the target to no more than 60 minutes. From October to December, 2016, only one patient waited for 66 minutes. The rest were within the 60-minute target. The overall mean waiting time during this period was 10 minutes.
3. The overall mean waiting time (from booked appointment time) from February to December 2016 was 14 minutes with a range of 6-26 minutes.
I am happy with the system and my patients are also happy (I hope). The patients do not have to wait for a long time during a patient consultation with me.
I will continue with the refined system of 2016 and I will maintain the target in 2017 as no more than 60 minutes waiting time from the booked appointment time.
I hope those patients who have experienced my system of booked appointment time will validate my above report.and give me a feedback.
Dr. Rey
Year-end 2017 Summary Report
As I completed my last clinic for the year (December 21), here is a summary report on the performance of my booked appointment time system in ROJoson Medical Clinic for 2017.
1. I was late only 5 times in starting my clinic for the whole year; range: 5 -25 minute; maximum of 25 minutes only and I gave advance notice to my patients that I would be late.
2. Only a total of 7 patients waited for than 60 minutes from the booked appointment time. Range: 62 to 131 minutes; mean of 76 minute and mode of 68 minutes.
3. The range of waiting time from the booked appointment was 0 to 131 minutes. The overall mean waiting time (from booked appointment time) was 8 minutes.
I am happy with the system and my patients are also happy (I hope). The patients do not have to wait for a long time during a patient consultation with me.
I will continue with the refined system of 2017 and I will maintain the target in 2018 - no more than 60 minutes waiting time from the booked appointment time.
I hope those patients who have experienced my system of booked appointment time will validate my above report and give me a feedback.
Dr. Rey
Year-end 2018 Summary Report
Still to be prepared by December 31, 2018
Interim report (January to November 2018): https://sites.google.com/site/rojosonmedicalclinic/booked-appointment-performance---november-2018
Sample Feedback:
Reynaldo O JosonMay 17, 2015 ·
15may16 - When I was making rounds at ManilaMed at 8am, while waiting in the elevator, I overheard a lady saying to the effect that her boss asked her to go to ManilaMed early to queue in a doctor's clinic as the doctor's system of seeing patients is on a basis of first come first serve. She said she would just call her boss to go to ManilaMed when it's about time the doctor is ready to see her boss. This reminds me of the new system I am doing since February 1, 2015 for my patient consultation - booking for an appointment time. After 3 months of deployment with pilot testing and orientation, I am happy with the result. Those who booked for an appointment time are being seen as early as the booked appointment time without waiting to some waiting, but not for more than one hour. I got no negative but only positive feedback. I am happy to see I am doing a big service to my patients, not to waste their precious time just waiting for doctors. Patients, just like doctors, have their own life to live and want and should be given the right to manage their time in living their life to the fullest. This is another legacy I like to leave to my patients.
18apr26 - Sir goodmorning po. This is Michelle Galang-Melendez po, one of your former surgery residents in OMMC. Sir I saw your strategy in preventing long waiting period for patient in your facebook account. I think its very patient friendly and would prevent future legal problem on our part. I would like to ask permission po from you so I could use it, though I would edit some parts po to fit in the province. Sir is it ok if I “copy” it. Thank you po for lending some of your time reading this. (18apr26 Feedback)
18jul19 - Ramon Unchuan Brod, kudos 2u. I think u are the only one who has an appointment system, FMAB & Cebu doctors don't have! And u can wait for hours! I practiced for 30 years in Sweden: 30 minutes is max the patient for the appointment time, otherwise consultation fee is refunded & the patient can continue to wait OR gets a new time the next day! No show patient will be sent a bill for consultation fee! If the patient comes 10 min. LATE the physician will not see him, & will have to pay the CONSULTATION FEE!
Violeta Chua Reyes Saludo ako sa yo doc. I had experienced 5 hrs waiting time before with another doctor. 1st, because she was 2 hrs late from her scheduled clinic hr. 2nd, she only accepts walk in patients to be registered upon arrival. I never returned to her clinic. (18jul31 Feedback)
Linda Veniga I wish most doctors would do the same! Kudos to you Dr Joson.
My legacy to my patients!
My legacy to the medical profession!
Towards Excellent Patient Experience!
ROJoson Way!
References:
https://sites.google.com/site/rojosonmedicalclinic/booked-appointment-performance---2016
https://sites.google.com/site/rojosonmedicalclinic/booked-appointment-performance---2017
ROJ@18nov10;19oct31
Feedback in July 1-3, 2019
ROJ@19jul3