Efficient patient care in the digital age: Online appointment scheduling in an ophthalmology practice

Abstract

Background Despite its potential to improve patient access, streamline administration, and enhance healthcare efficiency, systematic data on online appointment scheduling (OAS) in medical practices is lacking. Method Prospective, single center study conducted at an ophthalmology practice. Over a period of 12 weeks, all booked appointments, both online made via the OAS system, and offline made by practice staff via phone, email, or in-person, were recorded across four doctor consultations. Patient demographics, booking type (new appointment/rescheduled/cancelled), date and time of the booking, and the next available appointment slot were documented. Results 1080 interactions (new booking 76.8%, rescheduling 13.1%, cancellation 10.1%) were made by 880 patients via OAS and 2427 appointments offline by 1902 patients. Patients booking offline were older than those booking online (mean 50.3 ± 28.1 years vs. 41.7 ± 22.2, p < 0.0001). No difference between the groups was found regarding sex distribution (both, female around 59%, male around 41%, p = 0.81). New patients showed a preference for booking online (p < 0.0001). 63.1% of online bookings occurred on weekdays during practice hours. 36.8% of cancellations/reschedulings were made one to two days before the appointment. These vacant slots were promptly filled again, as OAS was primarily used for near-term bookings (booking time to appointment ≤7 days in 47.7%; selection of the earliest available appointment in 44.1%). Compared to appointments made offline the no-show rate was reduced by OAS (6.8%, n = 164, vs. 1.6%, n = 13, p < 0.0001). Conclusion OAS contributes to patient-centered and efficient resource utilization in healthcare by reducing no-show rates and promptly filling vacant slots.