This document discusses best practices for managing medical appointment schedules, including using computerized systems, scheduling methods, handling different appointment types like walk-ins or surgical procedures, and planning for issues that may arise. It emphasizes scheduling to maximize availability and efficiency while meeting patient needs.

1. Front Office Administration
2nd edition
Brenda A. Potter, CPC

2. Appointment Scheduling

3. A Well-managed Appointment
Schedule
 Provides optimal availability of services for
patients
 Maximizes use of facility resources
 Avoids excessive downtime
 Reduces waiting time for patients
 Maximizes number of patients a physician can
serve

4. Computerized Appointment System

5. Computerized Appointment System
 Most offices today use a computerized
appointment system
 Advantages
 More than one user can access system
 Prompts for essential appointment information
 Makes updated schedules available quickly
 Interfaces with registration, billing, and insurance
functions
 Several open appointments may be viewed at one
time
 Appointment information may be quickly retrieved

6. Computerized Appointment System
 Concerns
 Plan for computer down time
 Backup of computer information
 Equipment and software may be costly
 Training necessary for employees

7. Manual Appointment System
 Appointments must be written in book with pencil
 Only one person at a time may use appointment
book
 Canceling appointments is cumbersome
 More than one book necessary for several
physicians

8. Scheduling Methods
 Type of practice determines standard
appointment length
 Specialists usually require longer appoints
 Primary care physicians may schedule
appointments every 10 or 15 minutes
 New patients require longer appointments

9. Double-booking Appointments
 Scheduling one appointment at the same time as
another
 Double-booked appointment is usually an urgent
care appointment

10. Walk-in Patients
 Patient who arrives at clinic without an
appointment
 ALWAYS check with practitioners before
accepting them.

11. Walk-in Clinics
 Urgent care facility
 Often accept ONLY walk-in patients
 Often open extended hours

12. Group (Block) Scheduling
 Multiple patients scheduled at the same time

13. Series Of Appointments
 Patient with multiple appointments at the same
time
 Example:
 Hair Removal
 Allergy or Botox injections
 Best to schedule on same day of week at same
time
 Example:
 Appointments scheduled for Tuesdays at 1:00 PM

14. Multiple Appointments
 Patient is seeing multiple providers for treatment
 Try to schedule on same day for convenience of
patient
 Make sure medical record is available for each
provider

15. Appointment Parameters
 Practitioner’s preference
 Many MDs like variety
 Restrict number of procedures if necessary
 Availability of equipment and resources
 Discuss with practitioners on how many:
 Tattoo removal cases.
 Advanced hair removal cases.

16. Setting the Schedule
 Block off days the office is closed
 Block off practitioners’ unavailable days and times
 Block off meetings, personal appointments

17. Advance Booking
 How far in advance?
 Send appointment reminders

18. Appointment Components
 Name
 Reason
 Determine length of appt
 Use standard abbreviations
 Do not enter potentially embarrassing terms
 Daytime telephone number of patient
 Medical record number or DOB

19. Prioritizing Appointments
 Nature of patient’s problem will determine when
patient is scheduled
 Ask patient when he/she would like to come in to
the office
 If unsure about severity of patient’s
problem, medical staff may need to triage

20. No-Shows
 Patient does not arrive for an appointment
 Allow some time for possible patient delays
 Most offices do not charge
 Documentation is critical

21. Canceled and Rescheduled
Appointments
 If possible, document in patient’s record
 If rescheduled, may not need to document

22. Ancillary and Referral Appointments
 Ancillary – Appointments made with other
departments in health facility
 Referral – Patient referred to another
provider, such as specialist
 Document in patient’s record

23. Surgical Appointments
 Obtain type of procedure to be performed
 Obtain insurance approval for procedure
 Ensure patient has appointment for pre-op
physical
 Patient phoned day before surgery with
instructions

24. Pharmaceutical and Other Sales Persons
 Pharmaceutical reps meet with providers and
staff on a regular basis
 Most sales persons will be required to make an
appointment

25. Posting the Schedule
 How often is update needed?
 Confidentiality concerns – schedules CANNOT be
viewed by patient

26. Appointment Reminders
 Should a reminder be done for every
appointment?
 Telephone reminders
 When should you call?
 Should you leave a message?
 Written reminders – forms or letters

27. Planning for the Unexpected
 Minimize impact if possible
 Notify patients as soon as possible
 Patients may wait or reschedule