Harrison A T
Medical Centre, East Bridgford, Nottingham.
Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1988 Mar 5;296(6623):685-6. doi: 10.1136/bmj.296.6623.685.
To test the efficiency of a flexible appointments system patients seeing one of the partners in a semirural dispensing practice were asked to choose whether they wanted appointments lasting five, 10, or 15 minutes. After seeing the doctor they were asked to fill in a questionnaire that asked, among other questions, how long an appointment they had booked, whether they had felt rushed, whether the doctor had seemed hurried, whether they had seen the doctor on the day they wanted, how long they had had to wait in the surgery, and whether they liked the system. Five minute appointments had been chosen by 124 of the 309 patients who returned completed questionnaires, 10 minute appointments by 155, and 15 minute appointments by 30. Mean consultation times were 6.1, 9.2, and 12.9 minutes, respectively. Altogether 298 patients liked the system. An appointment system that was flexible while remaining practical and efficient resulted from letting patients choose the length of their appointment. Such a system encourages patients to share in the responsibility of organising a practice efficiently.
为测试灵活预约系统的效率，在一个半乡村配药诊所就诊的患者被要求选择他们想要5分钟、10分钟还是15分钟的预约。看完医生后，他们被要求填写一份问卷，其中包括他们预约了多长时间、是否觉得匆忙、医生是否显得匆忙、是否在他们想要的那天见到了医生、他们在诊所等了多久以及他们是否喜欢这个系统等问题。在309名返回完整问卷的患者中，124人选择了5分钟的预约，155人选择了10分钟的预约，30人选择了15分钟的预约。平均诊疗时间分别为6.1分钟、9.2分钟和12.9分钟。共有298名患者喜欢这个系统。让患者选择预约时长，产生了一个既灵活又切实高效的预约系统。这样的系统鼓励患者共同承担高效组织诊所工作的责任。
