Questions and Answers
What are open hours in a medical practice?
In a practice that uses open hours, doctors see patients on a first-come, first-served basis during set hours.
What does double-booking mean?
Double-booking means assigning two patients to the same appointment time slot.
What is clustering in scheduling?
Clustering appointments means booking patients with similar problems together in blocks of time.
What is wave scheduling?
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How does modified wave scheduling differ from traditional wave scheduling?
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What is stream scheduling?
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Study Notes
Types of Scheduling
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Open Hours:
- Patients are seen on a first-come, first-served basis during specific hours (e.g., 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.).
- Commonly used in walk-in medical laboratories and urgent care facilities.
- High potential for long waiting times due to unpredictable patient flow.
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Double-Booking:
- Involves scheduling two patients for the same appointment slot.
- Allows for management of acutely ill patients or walk-ins when the schedule is full.
- Requires careful management of time, rooms, and staff to minimize patient frustration.
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Clustering:
- Patients with similar issues are scheduled together in dedicated time blocks.
- Example: Annual physical exams may be grouped on Wednesdays, flu shots on Saturdays.
- Enhances efficiency in providing specialized services; also known as categorization.
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Wave Scheduling:
- All appointments are scheduled on the hour, with patients seen in the order of arrival.
- Anticipates no-shows and late arrivals to help manage patient flow.
- E.g., scheduling three patients in one hour, based on a 20-minute average appointment length.
- May lead to longer wait times for patients.
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Modified Wave Scheduling:
- Most patients are scheduled a few minutes after the hour to reduce long wait times.
- Example: Scheduling patients at 0, 20, and 40 minutes past the hour.
- Provides slightly more downtime for physicians compared to wave scheduling, balancing efficiency with patient wait times.
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Stream Scheduling:
- Also known as time-specific scheduling; widely used and recognized.
- Ensures a continuous flow of patients at designated appointment times throughout the day.
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Description
Explore key terms related to scheduling methods used in medical practices. These flashcards cover important concepts like open hours and double-booking. Ideal for anyone studying healthcare management or looking to improve their scheduling knowledge.
