Webinar on Improving Access and Experience of Care for Patients

Our second Ideal Primary Care Practice Model webinar took a look at enhancing inbox management in primary care and was hosted by Family Physician Dr. Daniel Pepe and Office Manager Kindra Murphy. You can review a recording here.

Here are a few quick tips for Improving Access and Experience of Care for Patients.

1. Appointment Flexibility & Patient Satisfaction: By implementing flexible scheduling and online booking, clinics can experience improved patient satisfaction and a reduction in complaints regarding accessibility.
2. Improved Access & Staffing Adjustments: Look for ways to utilize your staffing complement. For example, in one practice hiring more administrative staff while reducing nursing hours allowed for more efficient phone and scheduling management. Online booking options further alleviated pressure on phone lines, ultimately reducing patient frustration with accessibility.
3. Building Trust: Establishing trust involves consistent follow-through on commitments (e.g., check-ins, availability for follow-ups). Small gestures, like proactive patient calls, helps reinforce trust and make patients feel cared for.
4. Technological Integration: Integrating new tech (e.g., online booking, remote administrative support, and AI tools like an AI scribe for documentation) can enhance efficiency. AI scribing is particularly valuable, reducing documentation time and increasing patient interaction time.
5. Cultural and Behavioral Adjustments: A calm, welcoming office culture is a great way to help reduce patient anxiety. Staff interactions, from reception greetings to personalized follow-ups, foster a positive environment and encourage open communication.
6. Process Testing & Adaptation: It’s important to iteratively test new processes, such as adjusting the number of appointments based on patient flow and feedback, to find the optimal solution.
7. Cross-team and External Collaboration: Collaboration between clinics and brainstorming with others in similar roles can help find practical solutions and identify impactful innovation, especially for smaller practices.

You can download a PDF version of these tips here.