Open-access versus bookable appointment systems: survey of patients attending appointments with general practitioners

British Journal of General Practice

Shane W Pascoe¹  Victoria L Allgar¹  Richard D Neal¹ 

[1] Meanwood Group Practice, Leeds

关键词: access;    appointment provision;    general practice;    cross-sectional survey;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：卫生学

来源: Royal College of General Practitioners

【 摘 要 】

Access to consultations with general practitioners (GPs) is an important health policy issue. One method of providing 24-hour access is through the provision of open-access surgeries. The study aimed to compare patients, perceptions of ‘bookable’ and ‘non-bookable’ (open-access) appointments. A cross-sectional survey design was used and recruited 834 patients in a general practice. There were statistically significant differences between the bookable and the non-bookable appointments for the questions on ‘choice of doctor’, ‘whether able to see the doctor in the time they needed to’, and ‘convenience of the appointment’. More patients with bookable appointments saw their doctor of choice. One-fifth of patients, equally distributed between the two groups, did not feel that they were seen within the time they needed to be. Almost three-fifths of patients, equally distributed between the two groups, reported that it was either ‘easy’ or ‘very easy’ to make the appointment. Greater convenience was reported by those with bookable appointments. These findings support the hypothesis that within a single practice, there is scope for a combined appointment system in which patients can self-select, with equal satisfaction, the type of appointment that they prefer, dependent upon their own preferences or needs at the time.

【 授权许可】

Unknown