Quantitative Evaluation of Appointment System for Outpatients in Dental Clinic

치과의원 외래환자 예약관리체계의 계량적 평가

This study purported to evaluate the performance of the appointment system for outpatients in primary care dental clinic. The data of patients' time flow for 1,245 patients in Y Dental Clinic were collected for one month in 2002 and then analyzed. Specifically, the time periods of treatment and patients' waiting as well as rates of appointment and it's failure are estimated. The accuracy of expected treatment time period was also evaluated. The results showed that 72% of patients visited the clinic with appointments, and only 56% kept their appointments. The patient's waiting time period turned out to be 11 minutes in Y clinic. The expected treatment time period is turned out to be very important because they influence significantly on patient's waiting time period. Practically, the expected treatment time period should be overestimated about 9 minutes in general, and the characteristics of dentist, each patient's diagnosis and age need to be especially considered. Hospitals and clinics also need to make the systematic and detailed critical pathways for a variety of patient cases by analyzing the patients' treatment pattern. With the improved appointment systems, healthcare institutions will approach the goal of effective and efficient management of the institution and also satisfy their customers.