A Study of an Appointment Scheduling System for Outpatients at the United States Air Force Academy Hospital
Abstract
With over 260,00 annual outpatient visits in a 70 bed hospital, staffed by 560 personnel, an efficient and effective means of scheduling outpatient ambulatory appointments at the USAF Academy Hospital, Colorado Springs, Colorado is paramount. The research problem involved determining the proper appointment system configuration, centralized or decentralized. A key aspect of this decision process was measuring the patient and staff satisfaction levels using questionnaires. The conclusion was that a successful appointment scheduling system must be tailored to the needs and desires of the patients and the clinical staff. The recommendations were based on the patient and staff satisfaction levels, efficiency of operations, cost considerations, and physical facility constraints. The recommendations involved establishing a decentralized system for booking appointments in large clinics, and a centralized system for booking appointments in other smaller clinical areas. Keywords: Theses; Hospital management; Appointments; Scheduling system; Outpatient; Ambulatory; Centralized appointments; Decentralized appointments; Outpatient satisfaction; Staff satisfaction.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 30, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA196484
Entities
People
- Donald W. Shields
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology