RE: appointment scheduling

[Guest guest]

I mean, I meant it as that folks   misjudge or do not understand the  work we doSo i mean it s our job to plan for that  It is just that people misjudge how long it takes to do work The long windedness  is an issue sometimes but I meant it more as  that human  beings think  things will be  quick but  they aren't.

 

Agreed….the most long-winded patients

always are the ones over the phone who say “it will only take a few minutes of

the doctor’s time” and then they’re here for 30+ minutes J

 

Pratt

Office Manager

Oak Tree Internal Medicine P.C

www.prattmd.info

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010

10:17 AM

To:

Subject: Re:

appointment scheduling

 

 

oh god no They always say it will just take 5minutes.

 no no no

 

 

On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 9:24 AM,

wrote:

Also- the  rules about making all the appointments the same length is very

helpful.

 

I believe asking the patient how much time they

require also works - some evidence somewhere ....

--

Graham Chiu

http://www.compkarori.co.nz:8090/

Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

--

PATIENTS-please remember  that email may not be entirely secure, and that

Email is part of the medical  record and is placed into your  chart (

be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and  brief  questions

Email replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL  if the 

matter is more urgent .

     MD

     115 Mt Blue

Circle

     Farmington

ME 04938

ph    fax

impcenter.org

-- PATIENTS-please remember  that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical  record and is placed into your  chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and  brief  questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL  if the  matter is more urgent .     MD    

     ph    fax impcenter.org

[Guest guest]

I use to get that at my old job. I would spend 30 mins with a pt and they would on survey put, I did not spend enough time w them. One suggestion is to say, your 30 mins or your 1 hr is up, we will need to cont this at another appt...psyche does this, I think it is 50 mins, (10mins to prepare for the next pt) when that is up you are out the door. I need to be like that

 

I mean, I meant it as that folks   misjudge or do not understand the  work we doSo i mean it s our job to plan for that  It is just that people misjudge how long it takes to do work The long windedness  is an issue sometimes but I meant it more as  that human  beings think  things will be  quick but  they aren't.

 

Agreed….the most long-winded patients always are the ones over the phone who say “it will only take a few minutes of the doctor’s time” and then they’re here for 30+ minutes J

 

Pratt

Office Manager

Oak Tree Internal Medicine P.C

www.prattmd.info

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 10:17 AMTo:

Subject: Re: appointment scheduling

 

 

oh god no They always say it will just take 5minutes. no no no:)

 

 

Also- the  rules about making all the appointments the same length is very helpful.

 

I believe asking the patient how much time they require also works - some evidence somewhere ....

-- Graham Chiuhttp://www.compkarori.co.nz:8090/Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

-- PATIENTS-please remember  that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical  record and is placed into your  chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and  brief  questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL  if the  matter is more urgent .     MD    

     ph    fax impcenter.org

-- PATIENTS-please remember  that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical  record and is placed into your  chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and  brief  questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL  if the  matter is more urgent .     MD    

     ph    fax impcenter.org

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice: Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.

This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above.

 If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

[Guest guest]

I think this is an exhausting   part of the job but  just part of the job.Probably the  vast  majority of patients are not in any way abusive about this but they just have no concept of time and after all we are sitting there.   In IMP practices  we do not get up an leave they have to  so we must structur e that

    I think there are tools like saying   I will see you at 11am  for 25min but still, unless maybe a  visible clock helps people.....they  just talk They  just talk.Its natural. Some don;t ,and also  some of us have a personal style not translatable to others that may make it go smoother.but we  moistly have to  say  we need to end now and stand up. I  do not think it  is a problem  but I do think it is exhausting for  us.

 

I use to get that at my old job. I would spend 30 mins with a pt and they would on survey put, I did not spend enough time w them. One suggestion is to say, your 30 mins or your 1 hr is up, we will need to cont this at another appt...psyche does this, I think it is 50 mins, (10mins to prepare for the next pt) when that is up you are out the door. I need to be like that

 

I mean, I meant it as that folks   misjudge or do not understand the  work we doSo i mean it s our job to plan for that  It is just that people misjudge how long it takes to do work The long windedness  is an issue sometimes but I meant it more as  that human  beings think  things will be  quick but  they aren't.

 

Agreed….the most long-winded patients always are the ones over the phone who say “it will only take a few minutes of the doctor’s time” and then they’re here for 30+ minutes J

 

Pratt

Office Manager

Oak Tree Internal Medicine P.C

www.prattmd.info

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 10:17 AMTo:

Subject: Re: appointment scheduling

 

 

oh god no They always say it will just take 5minutes. no no no:)

 

 

Also- the  rules about making all the appointments the same length is very helpful.

 

I believe asking the patient how much time they require also works - some evidence somewhere ....

-- Graham Chiuhttp://www.compkarori.co.nz:8090/Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

-- PATIENTS-please remember  that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical  record and is placed into your  chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and  brief  questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL  if the  matter is more urgent .     MD    

     ph    fax impcenter.org

-- PATIENTS-please remember  that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical  record and is placed into your  chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and  brief  questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL  if the  matter is more urgent .     MD    

     ph    fax impcenter.org

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice:

Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.

This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above.

 If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

-- PATIENTS-please remember  that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical  record and is placed into your  chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and  brief  questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL  if the  matter is more urgent .     MD    

     ph    fax impcenter.org

[Guest guest]

And people will HATE you for that... I was told to do this when I worked at an HMO, and tried it, once...

This is why ACOs will fail...

Long live IMP

Matt in Western PA

Re: appointment scheduling

I use to get that at my old job. I would spend 30 mins with a pt and they would on survey put, I did not spend enough time w them. One suggestion is to say, your 30 mins or your 1 hr is up, we will need to cont this at another appt...psyche does this, I think it is 50 mins, (10mins to prepare for the next pt) when that is up you are out the door. I need to be like that

I mean, I meant it as that folks misjudge or do not understand the work we doSo i mean it s our job to plan for that It is just that people misjudge how long it takes to do work The long windedness is an issue sometimes but I meant it more as that human beings think things will be quick but they aren't.

Agreed….the most long-winded patients always are the ones over the phone who say “it will only take a few minutes of the doctor’s time” and then they’re here for 30+ minutes J

Pratt

Office Manager

Oak Tree Internal Medicine P.C

www.prattmd.info

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 10:17 AMTo: Subject: Re: appointment scheduling

oh god no They always say it will just take 5minutes. no no no:)

Also- the rules about making all the appointments the same length is very helpful.

I believe asking the patient how much time they require also works - some evidence somewhere ....

-- Graham Chiuhttp://www.compkarori.co.nz:8090/Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD ph fax impcenter.org

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD ph fax impcenter.org

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice: Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

[Guest guest]

RE scheduling.

I continue to schedule 1/2 hours for all returns and news, and if I have to see more acutes, put them in on the 1/4 and 3/4 hour... usually limit to /hur, so a "full" day is usually 15 at most.

Matt in Western PA

Re: appointment scheduling

I think this is an exhausting part of the job but just part of the job.Probably the vast majority of patients are not in any way abusive about this but they just have no concept of time and after all we are sitting there. In IMP practices we do not get up an leave they have to so we must structur e that I think there are tools like saying I will see you at 11am for 25min but still, unless maybe a visible clock helps people.....they just talk They just talk.Its natural. Some don;t ,and also some of us have a personal style not translatable to others that may make it go smoother.but we moistly have to say we need to end now and stand up. I do not think it is a problem but I do think it is exhausting for us.

I use to get that at my old job. I would spend 30 mins with a pt and they would on survey put, I did not spend enough time w them. One suggestion is to say, your 30 mins or your 1 hr is up, we will need to cont this at another appt...psyche does this, I think it is 50 mins, (10mins to prepare for the next pt) when that is up you are out the door. I need to be like that

I mean, I meant it as that folks misjudge or do not understand the work we doSo i mean it s our job to plan for that It is just that people misjudge how long it takes to do work The long windedness is an issue sometimes but I meant it more as that human beings think things will be quick but they aren't.

Agreed….the most long-winded patients always are the ones over the phone who say “it will only take a few minutes of the doctor’s time” and then they’re here for 30+ minutes J

Pratt

Office Manager

Oak Tree Internal Medicine P.C

www.prattmd.info

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 10:17 AMTo: Subject: Re: appointment scheduling

oh god no They always say it will just take 5minutes. no no no:)

Also- the rules about making all the appointments the same length is very helpful.

I believe asking the patient how much time they require also works - some evidence somewhere ....

-- Graham Chiuhttp://www.compkarori.co.nz:8090/Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD ph fax impcenter.org

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD ph fax impcenter.org

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice: Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD ph fax impcenter.org

[Guest guest]

Why try to fit round pieces into square holes?

If you run an IMP, your practice should be small enough where u get an idea of

how long each patient will need.

I usually tell patients that I take my time with each one, and never kick anyone

out. Some take longer, some shorter. It usually evens out in the end. At that

point they stop trying to take up more of my time, as they feel more in control,

and become more cognizant of getting out quicker.

Horvitz, D.O.

stown, NJ

Www.drhorvitz.com

Sent from my iPad

[Guest guest]

Easier to set the same time for all -- look at FamilyPracticeManagement.com, under Murray and Tantua, the originators of Open Access Scheduling

Re: appointment scheduling

Why try to fit round pieces into square holes?If you run an IMP, your practice should be small enough where u get an idea of how long each patient will need. I usually tell patients that I take my time with each one, and never kick anyone out. Some take longer, some shorter. It usually evens out in the end. At that point they stop trying to take up more of my time, as they feel more in control, and become more cognizant of getting out quicker. Horvitz, D.O.stown, NJWww.drhorvitz.comSent from my iPad

[Guest guest]

If I think that the main issues have been dealt with and we are over time I usually say " I am so sorry but we are going to have to finish up today because there is another patient waiting. Lets reschedule and allow a little more time next time so we don't have to rush." With people with a lot of problems I often tell them that we are probably gong to need several visits to get to bottom of all of their problems rather than trying to get everything done at one visit. Sometimes though there is something important going on and we just have to get a little behind on the schedule. This week I was seeing a person for a fall which turned out to be a fractured radial head. She had refused to let the MA weigh her. When I came in I said lets get your weight and she started to cry. We ended up having a very long conversation about her obesity because it was one of those critical moments where the patient was ready to talk. The fractured radius ended up being the smallest part of the visit. I was way behind for most of the morning. Patients like this have made me give up trying to guess how much time any patient is going to take and just schedule everybody the same time length. Some of the time I get a little behind, some of the time I have extra time to chart, call patients or write letters. The patients are very understanding on those unusual days that I am far behind because most of the time we run on time and they also know that if they need more time they are going to get it. The trick is knowing how to get it to balance out so that most days the quick and the long patients balance out.

Larry Lindeman MDRoscoe Village Family Medicine2255 W. RoscoeChicago, Illinois 60618www.roscoevillagefamilymedicine.com

I think this is an exhausting part of the job but just part of the job.Probably the vast majority of patients are not in any way abusive about this but they just have no concept of time and after all we are sitting there. In IMP practices we do not get up an leave they have to so we must structur e that

I think there are tools like saying I will see you at 11am for 25min but still, unless maybe a visible clock helps people.....they just talk They just talk.Its natural. Some don;t ,and also some of us have a personal style not translatable to others that may make it go smoother.but we moistly have to say we need to end now and stand up. I do not think it is a problem but I do think it is exhausting for us.

I use to get that at my old job. I would spend 30 mins with a pt and they would on survey put, I did not spend enough time w them. One suggestion is to say, your 30 mins or your 1 hr is up, we will need to cont this at another appt...psyche does this, I think it is 50 mins, (10mins to prepare for the next pt) when that is up you are out the door. I need to be like that

I mean, I meant it as that folks misjudge or do not understand the work we doSo i mean it s our job to plan for that It is just that people misjudge how long it takes to do work The long windedness is an issue sometimes but I meant it more as that human beings think things will be quick but they aren't.

Agreed….the most long-winded patients always are the ones over the phone who say “it will only take a few minutes of the doctor’s time” and then they’re here for 30+ minutes J

PrattOffice ManagerOak Tree Internal Medicine P.Cwww.prattmd.info

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 10:17 AMTo:

Subject: Re: appointment scheduling

oh god no They always say it will just take 5minutes. no no no:)

Also- the rules about making all the appointments the same length is very helpful.

I believe asking the patient how much time they require also works - some evidence somewhere ....-- Graham Chiuhttp://www.compkarori.co.nz:8090/Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD

ph fax impcenter.org

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD

ph fax impcenter.org

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice:

Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.

This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above.

If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD

ph fax impcenter.org

[Guest guest]

Agree

Re: appointment scheduling

If I think that the main issues have been dealt with and we are over time I usually say " I am so sorry but we are going to have to finish up today because there is another patient waiting. Lets reschedule and allow a little more time next time so we don't have to rush." With people with a lot of problems I often tell them that we are probably gong to need several visits to get to bottom of all of their problems rather than trying to get everything done at one visit.

Sometimes though there is something important going on and we just have to get a little behind on the schedule. This week I was seeing a person for a fall which turned out to be a fractured radial head. She had refused to let the MA weigh her. When I came in I said lets get your weight and she started to cry. We ended up having a very long conversation about her obesity because it was one of those critical moments where the patient was ready to talk. The fractured radius ended up being the smallest part of the visit. I was way behind for most of the morning.

Patients like this have made me give up trying to guess how much time any patient is going to take and just schedule everybody the same time length. Some of the time I get a little behind, some of the time I have extra time to chart, call patients or write letters. The patients are very understanding on those unusual days that I am far behind because most of the time we run on time and they also know that if they need more time they are going to get it. The trick is knowing how to get it to balance out so that most days the quick and the long patients balance out.

Larry Lindeman MD

Roscoe Village Family Medicine

2255 W. Roscoe

Chicago, Illinois 60618

www.roscoevillagefamilymedicine.com

I think this is an exhausting part of the job but just part of the job.Probably the vast majority of patients are not in any way abusive about this but they just have no concept of time and after all we are sitting there. In IMP practices we do not get up an leave they have to so we must structur e that I think there are tools like saying I will see you at 11am for 25min but still, unless maybe a visible clock helps people.....they just talk They just talk.Its natural. Some don;t ,and also some of us have a personal style not translatable to others that may make it go smoother.but we moistly have to say we need to end now and stand up. I do not think it is a problem but I do think it is exhausting for us.

I use to get that at my old job. I would spend 30 mins with a pt and they would on survey put, I did not spend enough time w them. One suggestion is to say, your 30 mins or your 1 hr is up, we will need to cont this at another appt...psyche does this, I think it is 50 mins, (10mins to prepare for the next pt) when that is up you are out the door. I need to be like that

I mean, I meant it as that folks misjudge or do not understand the work we doSo i mean it s our job to plan for that It is just that people misjudge how long it takes to do work The long windedness is an issue sometimes but I meant it more as that human beings think things will be quick but they aren't.

Agreed….the most long-winded patients always are the ones over the phone who say “it will only take a few minutes of the doctor’s time” and then they’re here for 30+ minutes J

Pratt

Office Manager

Oak Tree Internal Medicine P.C

www.prattmd.info

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 10:17 AMTo: Subject: Re: appointment scheduling

oh god no They always say it will just take 5minutes. no no no:)

Also- the rules about making all the appointments the same length is very helpful.

I believe asking the patient how much time they require also works - some evidence somewhere ....

-- Graham Chiuhttp://www.compkarori.co.nz:8090/Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD ph fax impcenter.org

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD ph fax impcenter.org

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice: Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

-- PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( be careful what you say!)Email is best used for appointment making and brief questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if the matter is more urgent . MD ph fax impcenter.org

[Guest guest]

Please do! I'm open access -- the only prebooks I do are those on Medicaid taxi or seniors who need transportation and their kids need time off. So I hand out "appointment cards" that say "Call for appointment first week of January" etc. My malpractice insurance has a fit! I don't call to remind them! It sould be a set appointment.... etc. I say patients need to take some responsibility for themselves!

It's generally not the patients making me feel like a doormat - if it is it's a new one who hasn't realized they really can reach me, etc. It's the insurance company who is rejecting payments or prior auths or drug stores sending 5 copies of refill requests when the patient has paper copy or better yet telling the pateint they don't have my script because they only checked the fax not the e-scripts.

You're right -- if I'm feeling stepped on I have to look at keeping my boundaries better.

Great camp topic.

Do we have a date for camp yet?

To: < >Sent: Thu, December 23, 2010 6:09:40 PMSubject: Re: appointment scheduling

Carla,

I like it as a camp topic. I'll put it on the list of ideas.

Thanks.

Sharon

Sharon McCoy MDRenaissance Family Medicine10 McClintock Court; Irvine, CA 92617PH: (949)387-5504 Fax: (949)281-2197 Toll free phone/fax: www.SharonMD.com

I've really struggled with some of these issues over the years and still don't have them all figured out but I just keep chanting "boundaries" when I find myself feeling like a doormat. As Jim said, the relationship is not a one-sided responsibility- the patient has responsibility also and there are consequences when those responsibilities are not met. Rewarding some behaviors is detrimental and similar to refilling those opioids because they "lost" their prescription again. Yet being patient centered may mean that you are appropriately flexible, not rigid. The times I think I'm finding that perfect balance are quite liberating.I think this would be a great topic for Camp.Carla

To: Sent: Thu, December 23, 2010 6:00:38 AM

Subject: RE: appointment scheduling

I think there are times when being too "patient centered" can becomedetrimental:1) to your own health and family time/commitments (what to do when alreadyfully booked, need to leave "ON TIME" to pick up kids or be at theirChristmas concerts and patients walk in, asking for same day apts... Pts.who fail to come in for over one year, despite multiple reminders, by phone,e-mail and snail mail!)2) to patient's ability to become "self-managed". If we send multiplereminders, it seems to enable a "dependence" on the practice, and encouragedpatients to demand MORE of our time so they have to plan LESS around theirmedical needs...When the provider begins to feel like a "doormat", my opinion is that is too"patient-centered"!!!RRamona G. Seidel, MDwww.baycrossingfamilymedicine.comArnold, MD410

518-9808 Re: appointment schedulingI am a firm believer in empowering your staff so I would first start with astaff meeting to problem solve. Always consider if you are the problem andnot the staff.We have totally simplified our schedule and make no distinction between"miscellaneous things and truly sick patients". All our appointments are thesame length. I figure that some patients will be quick and some will

belonger and it will average out. It is often impossible to know from a phonecall how much time a person will take. A "check up" can be a ppd placementor a major illness. I don't want my staff asking anyone why they are comingin but rather when they want to come in.You can block certain times for same day appointments that open up thenight before to help you with same day appointments. On Mondays more thanhalf our appointments are blocked until Friday night. If you can't see everypatient the same day they call on more than 1 day a week then you probablyhave too many patients for your situationLarry Lindeman MDRoscoe Village Family Medicine2255 W. RoscoeChicago, Illinois 60618www.roscoevillagefamilymedicine.com<http://www.roscoevillagefamilymedicine.c/om/>On Dec 21, 2010, at 12:15

PM, george cote wrote:We are a family practice with one provider and our patient flow never seemsto go smoothly. I have tried different strategies but it seems we always endup with too many appointments for miscellanous things, such as back aches,depression ect.. to the exclusion of truly sick patients and an overloadedafternoon schedule. I do not seem to be able to get the front office tounderstand how things should flow. Any ideas on how to make them understandjust how important scheduling is?Scheduling continues to be a problem for our office. Any suggestions?--PATIENTS-please remember that email may not be entirely secure, and thatEmail is part of the medical record and is placed into your chart ( becareful what you say!) Email is best used for appointment making and briefquestions Email replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL if thematter is more urgent . MDph fax impcenter.org<http://impcenter.org/>------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

I give people 3 options on my appointmentquest scheduler: New patient/physical

visits 90 minutes, follow-up 30 minutes, and sick visits/visits which are quick

15 minutes. There always seems to be some slack in my schedule so I tell people

if they're really sick (or more often have a sick child) they can call me and I

can fit them into the schedule. If a sick visit seems to take a turn for a

longer I just say " I think we need more time; we've dealt w/ yr sinus/eczema etc

why don't you come back in a week, we'll see how the sinus/eczema is doing and

we'll talk abt your concernn you have chronic lyme etc... " . This seems to work

well. I also have a loose self-rule where if anything takes longer than 60

seconds onthe phone I have the patient come in to talk abt it/be examined.

McGonigle

Ocean State HOlistic Medical Collaborative

Providence RI

>

> Why try to fit round pieces into square holes?

>

> If you run an IMP, your practice should be small enough where u get an idea of

how long each patient will need.

>

> I usually tell patients that I take my time with each one, and never kick

anyone out. Some take longer, some shorter. It usually evens out in the end. At

that point they stop trying to take up more of my time, as they feel more in

control, and become more cognizant of getting out quicker.

>

> Horvitz, D.O.

> stown, NJ

> Www.drhorvitz.com

>

> Sent from my iPad

>