Archives: Patients
Scheduler Stories: Given the Finger
I served as a scheduler at a surgeon's office from 1990 to 1998, and as you might imagine, I experienced my fair share of interesting patients and crazy stories. One such story occurred almost 15 years ago, during a typical...
Wave Scheduling Woes: Inherent Problems and the...
It’s been practiced consistently since the early 1980s as a solution for increased patient volume and the need to make practices more efficient. Wave scheduling, where physicians schedule multiple appointments at the top of the hour and then see patients...
Debunking the Myth of Best and Worst...
Tuesdays and Thursdays are the most popular days to schedule a doctor appointment. Monday mornings are particularly busy because of weekend ailments. Late afternoon spots have the longest wait times. Avoid these days and times at all costs: they’re the...
Why pry? 3 reasons to make follow-up...
The Medical Group Management Association reports that the average rate of no-show appointments nationally in the healthcare industry is around 5.5 percent. It further states that 63 percent of practices tracked missed appointments and cancellations. However, it also finds that...
Patient complaints: be aware and you’ll more...
You see it all the time. A patient squabbles with a receptionist. Or a nurse. Or a physician. Sometimes even with another patient. Though they may seem to be all-too-often occurrences, patient complaints are more infrequent than you might think....