Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan CY(2), Poon TC(2), Man KY(2), Li KK(1), Li SN(1), Ho KL(1), Wong NS(2), Li LL(1,2), Wong Bonnie (1,2)
Affiliation :
(1) Community Health Centre, North Lantau Hospital
(2) Special Out-patient Clinic, North Lantau Hospital
Introduction :
In the financial year of 2021 to 2022, there were total 2037 new cases triaged and downloaded to Community Health Centre FMSC from North Lantau Hospital Medical Specialty Out-patient Clinic. The service demand was foreseen to be further increased in view of aging and population growth in Lantau Island. Appointment booking workflow was reviewed and streamlined in order to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of patient care.
Objectives :
(1) To minimize the handling time by clinical staff to cater the expansion of FMSC; (2) To minimize the patient’s waiting time in clinic for special investigation and
referral process.
Methodology :
A workgroup was formed with engagement of frontline nursing and clerical staff. The existing booking workflow was reviewed and streamlined. (1) Patients’ recording sheet for new case booking and special investigation appointment booking were replaced by electronic system. In new workflow, patients’ booking progress were documented in OPAS to facilitate clerical staff in responding patients’ phone enquiry timely through record tracing in system instead of hardcopy record. As a result, additional time for returning phone reply call to patients was diminished. (2) With past practice, patients were required to come back clinic in another working day in collection of the special investigation appointment. After streamline of current workflow, it was replaced by mailing appointment letter to patients with assigned staff to follow up for those urgent or early investigation appointments. The new booking workflow was piloted in September 2023 and successful adopted in October 2023. The outcomes were evaluated based on (1) Staffs’ handling time; (2) Patients’ waiting time in clinic; (3) Staffs’ feedbacks.
Result & Outcome :
(1) Staff’s handling time is saved for 5 minutes per each patient in the new workflow. From September to December 2023, there was total 288 numbers of new
cases downloaded from Medical Specialty Out-patient Clinic and 903 numbers of FMSC attendance. We had handled 30 numbers of phone enquiry on new case booking and 360 numbers of special investigation referral, thus 1950 minutes were saved (32.5 hours = 4.67 works days) as compared with the past workflow; (2) Patient’s waiting time in clinic was saved for 30 minutes and their frequent travelling back to clinic in collecting special investigation appointment was diminished; (3) Staff had positive feedback towards the new workflow.
In conclusion, the initiative to streamline of booking workflow could save staff handling time in order to cater future expansion of FMSC service. Patient’s care was enhanced through decrease their waiting time in clinic.
