PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Cameron, Stewart
AU  - Sadler, Laura
AU  - Lawson, Beverley
TI  - Adoption of open-access scheduling in an academic family practice
DP  - 2010 Sep 01
TA  - Canadian Family Physician
PG  - 906--911
VI  - 56
IP  - 9
4099  - http://www.cfp.ca/content/56/9/906.short
4100  - http://www.cfp.ca/content/56/9/906.full
SO  - Can Fam Physician2010 Sep 01; 56
AB  - PROBLEM ADDRESSED Patients have to wait too long to see their family physicians. Open access, a new approach to office scheduling, has shown promise in reducing patient wait times to see primary care physicians. OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAM To offer same-day appointments to most patients who call the office, thus reducing wait times as measured by the third available appointment. Reductions in no-show rates have also been reported by those who have adopted the open-access system. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Following extensive preparation, a 2-site academic practice in Halifax, NS, adopted open-access booking in October 2008. Data on third available appointment times, no-show appointments, and patient volumes were tracked before and during the yearlong implementation. CONCLUSION The clinics recorded a substantial, sustained reduction in third available appointment time, indicating improved patient access. There was also a decline in no-show appointments. Patient volumes were unaffected.