Adoption of open-access scheduling in an academic family practice

PROBLEM ADDRESSED: Patients have to wait too long to see their family physicians. Open access, a new approach to office scheduling, has shown promise in reducing patient wait times to see primary care physicians. OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAM: To offer same-day appointments to most patients who call the office, thus reducing wait times as measured by the third available appointment. Reductions in no-show rates have also been reported by those who have adopted the open-access system. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Following extensive preparation, a 2-site academic practice in Halifax, NS, adopted open-access booking in October 2008. Data on third available appointment times, no-show appointments, and patient volumes were tracked before and during the yearlong implementation. CONCLUSION: The clinics recorded a substantial, sustained reduction in third available appointment time, indicating improved patient access. There was also a decline in no-show appointments. Patient volumes were unaffected.