Most practices have made efforts to reduce patient wait times in the past year

The Medical Group Management Association’s most recent MGMA Stat poll asked medical practice leaders if they had changed processes to reduce patient wait times in the past year. Overall, 49% of respondents answered “yes”, 22% said they were “working on it”, 27% said “no” and the remaining 2% were “unsure”.

Many of those who answered “no” explained that wait times were “already optimized in previous years” and that they were not an issue in their practice. Of those who answered “yes”, the majority indicated they started utilizing various forms of technology to streamline and improve patient wait times. Respondents described how their organizations “introduced tablets for check-in,” and implemented “pre-registration and pre-eligibility checks before patients arrive.” Also, frequently mentioned was how organizations added “evening and weekend hours in primary care” or extended “office appointment slots by 5 minutes each to allow more time per patient.”

The poll was conducted on March 27, 2018, with 1,100 applicable responses.  Of the total responses, 72 indicated the question was not applicable with net 1,172 total responses. For five steps you can take to improve patient wait times, read on: Will the doctor see me soon?

MGMA Stat is a national poll that addresses practice management topics, the impact of new legislation, and related topics. Participation is free and available to all healthcare professionals. Click here to see more results of other polls and information on how to participate in MGMA Stat.