Application of the Cycle Management Model in Improving Outpatient Appointment Services.

Abstract

To explore the application of plan-do-check-action (PDCA) cycle management model in the management outpatient appointment, and improve the efficiency of outpatient appointment services. The data of outpatients from January 2019 to December 2020 were collected from a tertiary class B general hospital affiliated to a university in Shanghai. Through the investigation and analysis of the current situation, the reasons were found for the low rate of outpatient appointment. PDCA management was carried out, and measures were formulated for continuous improvement and the effective measures were standardized. The appointment rate, recognition rate and the utilization rate of self-service appointment (handheld hospital and self-service machine) were analysed after the intervention of PDCA. Through PDCA cycle management model, the appointment rate of outpatients increased from 9.93% before improvement to 82.50% after improvement, and the recognition rate of patients increased from 51.39% to 92.76%. The utilization rate of self-service appointment increased from 1.03% to 56.38%. Through the construction of multi-channel, wide coverage and convenient operation of the appointment service system, the PDCA cycle management model effectively improves the efficiency of the outpatient appointment services.