Improving Accessibility to Outpatient Department Through Reduction of Third Next Available Appointment in Tertiary Hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia

The Outpatient Department (OPD) of Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital - Taif Region (AHAFH) plays a critical role in providing specialized medical services to a diverse population in Taif region, Saudi Arabia. The hospital faces the challenge of ensuring timely access to a comprehensive array of 40 specialized services and subspecialties, supported by 120 rooms in the OPD. This article outlines a significant understanding of the patient flow process and queuing mechanism in the context of the OPD and the dynamics of supply and demand. Our project was initiated during the last few weeks of fourth quarter 2020, which revealed a concerning trend of increasing the third next available appointment (TNAA), surpassing the optimal target of <14 days. The study used pre-test and post-test monitoring of the TNAA. Patients’ categories of referral were identified as urgent and routine. We also established a referral and discharge criteria for each clinic specialty and reminder messages on patient appointments 24 hours and 48 hours prior to their actual appointment. The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model for improvement was utilized to implement action plans and interventions to address the increase of TNAA (in days) in the OPD. Weekly huddles were conducted to monitor project progress, action plans, data, and challenges. During the intervention phase, notable changes were observed in the control chart, including shifts in TNAA mean decreasing from 9.4 days to 5.6 days after the implementation of four PDSA cycles. Moreover, the average TNAA in each quarter showed consistent reduction in TNAA, with an average of six days in Q1 2022. The study sheds light on the complexity of managing the patient flow and access in an outpatient setting. By implementing effective strategies and continuous and vigilant monitoring of the outcomes, outpatient departments can strive to ensure that patients receive specialized care in a timely manner.