Appointment Scheduling Flashcards
buffer zone
period in the day with no scheduled appointments, intended to accommodate emergencies and allow the physician to catch up if running late
clustering (group procedures, categorizing)
similar procedures are scheduled on predetermined days or in predetermined time blocks
daily scheduling log
ledger-type book listing day’s appointments; used for cross-referencing financial entries, data collection on types and number of procedures, and total patients seen
double booking
scheduling two or more patients at the same time
length of stay (LOS)
the time the patient is in or is expected to be in the hospital
matrix
preparing the appointment book or computer to show what times are available and unavailable for appointments
modified wave
scheduling method that uses hour blocks broken down into smaller time increments; individual patients are scheduled within those increments
open hours (tidal wave, open booking)
scheduling method with no appointments needed; first come first served
patient flow analysis
a periodic study conducted by the medical practice to assess the efficiency of scheduling and staff
patient portal
secure website giving patients twenty four hour access to personal health information from an internet connection and in some cases allow them to schedule their own appointments
postprandial
after meals
recalls
notices that inform the patient of a missed appointment and the need to reschedule
reminders
cards or digital methods or sent to the patient informing them that an appointment is coming up or to remind the patient to call and schedule an appointment if the patient is due for a procedure
tickler file
an index system with cards placed in chronologic order, usually by week or month; used as reminders for items that need attention in the future, such as immunizations
time-specific (streaming)
patient is given an appointment time based both on length of time needed and on available appointments; this is the most common scheduling method
