• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.47-68
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• 2010

One of the important complaint factors by the patients using medical institutions is various kinds of waiting time. This research is about the causal relationships among waiting time(application of waiting time, perceived of waiting time, fairness of waiting, explanation of the delay, acceptance possibility), service values, and customer satisfaction. The subjects for this study were 256 out-patients currently using seven general hospitals in the Busan area. The findings of the empirical analysis are as follows: First, the good application of waiting time or fair waiting time procedure didn't actually affect perceived waiting time. Second, though the application of waiting time didn't affect acceptance possibility, the fair procedure of waiting time had an affirmative effect on acceptance possibility. Third, even when there was enough explanation about the need to wait, it could shorten perceived waiting time but failed to get sufficient sympathy or agreement from the patients. Fourth, the possibility of acceptance following the sufficient sympathy of patients had an effect on shortening perceived waiting time. Fifth, perceived waiting time lowered customer satisfaction, but had no negative effect on service values. Finally, the ranges of acceptance possibility by the patients were found to increase customer satisfaction and maximize service values. In conclusion, every medical institution needs to focus on, first of all, shortening waiting time for more customer satisfaction and improved service values.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.56-72
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• 2001

Background : To shorten processing time for variety of medical affairs of the patient at the outpatient clinic of a big hospital is very important to qualify medical care of the patient. Therefore, patient's waiting time for medical examination is often utilized as a strong tool to evaluate patient satisfaction with a medical care provided. We performed this study to investigate factors delaying related with waiting time for medical examination. Methods : The data were collected from June 26 to July 30, 1999. A total 275 case of medical treatment and 5,634 patients who visited outpatient clinics of a tertiary hospital were subjected to evaluate the waiting time. The data were analyzed using frequency, t-test, ANOVA, $X^2$-test by SPSS Windows 7.5 program. Results : The mean patient's waiting time objectively evaluated ($30.9{\pm}33.9$ min) was longer than that subjectively by patient evaluated ($25.1{\pm}26.2$ min). Patient waiting time objectively evaluated was influenced by the starting time of medical examination, consultation hours, patients arriving time etc, as expected. The time discrepancy between two evaluations was influenced by several causative factors. Regarding the degree of patients accepted waiting time with the medical examination is 20 min. Conclusion : The results show that, besides the starting time of medical examination, consultation hours and patients arriving time, influence the patient's subjective evaluation of waiting time for medical examination and his satisfaction related with the service in the big hospital. In order to improve patient satisfaction related with waiting time for medical examination, it will be effective examination rather than to shorten the real processing time within the consultation room.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.6-16
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• 2006

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics influencing consultation and waiting time in ambulatory patients. Methods : This study was conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital. Subjects were a total of 10,383 ambulatory patients. Consultation time was measured by time spent for meeting with his/her physician per patient. Waiting time was defined as the time difference between each patient's reserved time and time to meet with his/her physician for ambulatory care. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the factors influencing consultation and waiting time. Results : Consultation time was different according to patient' age, previous experience of clinic visit, recent admission history, medical department, specialist care, type of reservation, and day of the week. Significant factors influencing waiting time were patient' age, residential area, previous experience of clinic visit, recent admission history, medical department, specialist care, time spent after ambulatory care begins, and day of the week. Conclusions : The medical department was the strongest factor affecting both consultation time and waiting time. The ambulatory reservation management systems should take into account patient characteristics as well as care-related features.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.144-152
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• 1996

Background : Because of introduction of nationwide health care system in 1989 and the improvement of socioeconomic status of population the number of outpatient visiting university hospital has good facilities and manpower has increased. So the waiting time for medical service at university hospital are lengthened. Particularly outpatients complain that waiting for prescribed drugs at pharmacy depart are long. Reducing waiting time at pharmacy depart door-to-door delivery system that the patients applying for door-to-door delivery receive prescribed drug at home without waiting at pharmacy depart were studied. The objective of this study is to analysis the opinion of outpatients for door-to-door delivery system, to study the appropriateness of adopting the system and to produce ideal model for the system. Method : Outpatients waiting drug at pharmacy depart were questioned about door-to-door delivery system. to find the factors affect utilizing the system the logistic regression was used. Result : 83.3% of the patients want to utilize the system without charging, and 72.9% of the patients want to utilized system with charging. 68.3% of patients with charging want to use this system because of long waiting time at pharmacy depart. 50% of patients who do not want to use door-to-door do not use this system because of incorrect delivery. The affecting factors to utilize the system were sex, waiting time, fee. Conclusion : The model for door to door delivery system. 1. door-to-door personnel reside in hospital and the patient want to utilize the system apply for the delivery with charging. 2. The applied drugs dispense at spare time. 3. Delivery company gathers drug at appointed time and delivers. 4. The delivery fee is 2,000-3,000 won. 5. To prevent from loss and changing the drug the name of patient on packet are printed and drug packet are sealed. 6. The company submit the confirm sheet which are written that the patient received drug correctly to hospital. 7. The delivery time of drug is reserved for the convenience of receiving.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.28-40
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• 1998

Background : Many patients have been frequently complaining that they have to spend couples of hours in hospital on visiting outpatient clinic. Among several steps, two major time consuming steps were waiting to see a doctor and/or waiting at pharmacy to get medicine. Therefore not only to provide the proper guidance for medication or counseling on health affairs but also to make waiting time short is very important for the better hospital services. The aim of this study is to validate several time-saving processes to reduce waiting time at outpatient pharmacy and its efficacy. Methods : We surveyed the time interval actually taken to receive medicine after issuing prescription by doctors, and analyzed the data on the bases of relevant or possible causative factors. Then following processes were given to reduce waiting time and resurveyed and compared both data to validate efficacy of those processes : 1. No work-off on Monday and Tuesday 2. Work hour shift to start 30 minutes earlier 3. Changeable work shift between outpatient pharmacy and ward pharmacy according to work load 4. Use of pre-made medicines prescribed more frequently by certain doctors at certain time 5. Cooperation with doctors to use set prescriptions. Results : Before the process, mean waiting time at pharmacy was 29.2 minutes and most time consuming period was from noon to 1 PM, 3 to 4 PM, 1 to 2 PM in order of frequency. Only 37.7 % of patients could get the medicine within 20 minutes. Three times of surveys after process showed mean waiting time at pharmacy were 18.1 minutes, 19.0 minutes, and 17.6 minutes, respectively. And 72.7 %, 81.3%, and 82.2% of patients could get the medicine within 20 minutes. Conclusion : The mean waiting time was markedly reduced with above mentioned processes which applied intradepartmently event hough with little cooperation from other department. Consequently, the complaints of patients were decreased with increasing the satisfaction degree. In conclusion, those suggestions were recommanded to improve the degree of satisfaction of patients.

• Journal of the Korea Society for Simulation
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.57-64
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• 2012

The waiting time of patients is an important factor related with service quality of a hospital system. An appointment system of patients is not popular, in special, in a private hospital. An appointment system is expected to diversify patients in time and to reduce patient's waiting time. Three appointment rules are suggested and analyzed to compare the waiting time of appointment and walk-in patients using simulation analysis. The results of two way ANOVA show that the time slot of 30 minutes for allocating appointment patients is better than the time slot of 60 minites in view of patient's waiting time. The results of the appointment level 1 also show that the constant pattern rule and the zigzag pattern rule give shorter waiting time for walk-in patient and for appointment patient, respectively.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2012

Objective: This study is to review the current state of services offered to pharmacy users, and develop a service design converging a prescription service and a smart phone application service in order to enhance patients' experience at pharmacies and home. Background: Under the new medical system; separation of prescribing and dispensing drugs, a doctor writes a prescription to their patients and patients have their prescription filled at the pharmacy. As the number of flue, allergy and atopy patients has increased, waiting lines have been longer at pharmacies. Besides, the current medical service system lacks of providing proper information on prescribed pills to patients. There are already services offered during waiting times such as offering free drinks, magazines or suggesting general drugs which you can buy without prescription, however they neither cover the current medical service's shorts nor shorten the waiting time. Method: I researched objective and perceived waiting times reduction methods, the current service status at pharmacies, and the government's policy direction in a medical service. Also, I observed a patient's journey from the hospital to pharmacy and then home. I examined the circumstance at pharmacies, patients' behaviors and their thoughts during their journey, and extracted three main goals to design a service in order to help patients have positive perception during the waiting time; (1) to reduce the perceived time by the way of visualizing time and offering readings about what patients consider necessary, (2) to educate patients what they are into and how to get through, (3) to establish trust among patients, doctors and pharmacists. Based on three goals, I designed a structure and a wireframe for a new service application of smart phones. Results: With a new service design for pharmacy users, users can track their medical record and visit the information about their current medical treatments anytime. Also the service helps patients build reliable relationships with doctors and pharmacists. Conclusion: Experience is not just an activity but series of multiple activities. The serving range of a medical service should not be determined by stakeholders but user's holistic experience. By approaching a service design with a holistic vision, it can enrich not only a temporary experience but also a whole life well being. Application: Since there are already many service applications advising patients about their illness and finding right doctors, this service design is focused on the experience from getting a prescription till feeling better. The next move is to combine those two parts medical services and design an integrated service application. As a prescription is going to be coded in numbers, we might consider to design an un-attended pharmacy which can shorten huge amount of time for filling prescriptions.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.49-69
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• 2003

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.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.77-100
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to the improvement of general hospital outpatients waiting time using Theory Of Constraints(TOC) methodology and to the development of a Reception Desk in general hospital. This study is to provide decision-making guidelines for hospital managers and to provide feedback for the efficiency of job process. The target people of the study are outpatients and Cashiers on Chungnam national university hospital in Daejeon. The methods of study are summarized as follows. First, The team managers from a Reception Desk group were appointed. This team managers have the adjustment authority to the Outpatients schedule of doctor and Cashier members. Second, The consolidation of the general Reception desk and special inspection the Reception Desk. A movement line and waiting time of patients were simple and fast to accept. As a result of study, it shows that the TOC is the method for a job process and waiting time improvement, patients' satisfaction increase and we need an objective measurement indexes in the medical treatment industry.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop the methods for evaluating patients' queue environment using decision tree and queueing theory. Methods: This study uses CHAID decision tree and M/G/1 queueing theory to estimate pain point and patients waiting time for medical service. This study translates hospital physical data process to logical process to adapt queueing theory. Results: This study indicates that three nodes of the system has predictable problem with patients waiting time and can be improved by relocating patients to other nodes. Conclusion: This study finds out three seek points of the hospital through decision tree analysis and substitution nodes through the queueing theory. Revealing the hospital patients' queue environment, this study has several limitations such as lack of various case and factors.