Are wait lists inevitable in subacute ambulatory and community health services? A qualitative analysis.

Conclusions Service providers perceive high demand to be a key driver of wait times, but a range of other factors also contributes and may represent opportunities for improving access to care. These other factors include improving process efficiencies, greater consistency of service delivery through more efficient management of human resources and shifting to more consumer-centred approaches in measuring wait times in order to drive improvements in patient flow.What is known about the topic? Wait times are common in out-patient and ambulatory services. These services experience high demand, which is likely to continue to grow as health service delivery shifts from hospital to community settings.What does this paper add? Although demand is an important driver of wait times, there are other modifiable factors that also contribute, including process inefficiencies and service disruption related to human resource issues. An underlying staff attitude of acceptance of wait times appears to be an additional barrier to improving access.What are the implications for practitioners? The findings of the present study suggest that there are opportunities for improving access to ambulatory and community health services through more efficient use of existing resources. However, a more consumer-focused approach regarding acceptability of wait times is needed to help drive change. PMID: 28131111 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Australian Health Review - Category: Hospital Management Authors: Tags: Aust Health Rev Source Type: research