1. Front Office Administration 2nd edition Brenda A. Potter,
CPC
2. Appointment Scheduling
3. A Well-managed AppointmentSchedule 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 Practitioners 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 patients 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 patients
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 RescheduledAppointments If possible, document
in patients 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
patients 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
