PATIENT WAITING-TIMES

Aim. To assess the effect of patient arrival times, on patient waiting times to see a family doctor. To assess the relative waiting times for booked and acute patients. Methods. Patients in a Whangarei general practice were monitored for the times that they were booked, arrived, and were seen by the doctor for the month of May 1993. Results. The relative arrival and waiting times for 407 patients were assessed. Of these 407, 89 were acute patients. Excluding acute patients, 10% arrived on time, 66% were early, and 24% were late for their appointments. The 10% (31/318) of patients who arrived on time for their appointment waiting an average 17.58 minutes (8.54) The 66% (212/318) of patients who were early waited an average 23.30 minutes (16.20) compared to a corrected early waiting time of 15.20 minutes (12.14). The 24% (75/318) of patients who were late waited an average 14.56 minutes (11.00). Early arrivals were on average 10.39 minutes (10.58) early, with 33% more than 15 minutes early, and 3% more than 30 minutes early. Late patients were on average 9.47 minutes late (12.10), with 33% more than 15 minutes late, and 4% more than 30 minutes late. Booked patients waited an average 20.68 minutes (14.97) compared to acute patients waiting an average 24.39 minutes (18.87). Conclusions. The majority of booked patients arrive early for their appointments, and consequently have a longer actual waiting time than on time or late patients. When corrected for these early arrivals, there is no difference in waiting times. Booked patients statistically have as long an actual waiting time as acute patients, but when corrected for early arrivals, acute patients wait longer. Modification of patient arrival time may reduce overall patient waiting time. Effective triage of acute patients, and encouragement towards patients making an appointment may assist efficient patient management.