COMPARISION BETWEEN THE QUEUING SYSTEM AND APPOINTMENT SYSTEM IN HOSPITALS
ABSTRACT
The Problem of the Study: Despite the globalization in health services and technological integrations, patients still face with uncalled-for waiting times in service encounter process. This waiting time cannot be limited to not only waiting physicians but also waiting for treatment, waiting for an emergency or waiting for an accident case. It is aimed in this study to understand the effects of these waiting times on psychological effects on patient satisfaction.
The Purpose of the Study: It is aimed in this study to evaluate the level of patient satisfaction by analyzing and evaluating waiting in queues and appointment system in policlinic units of State Hospital.
Method: This study mainly consists of the patients that are provided services from State Hospital. The study was conducted based on a survey system with 150 patients in 4 policlinics between 28.04.2014 and 09.05.2014.
Findings and Results : Even though waiting periods change in each polyclinics, the most intense times of queues are between 08:00-11:00 and 13:00 and15:00. Generally waiting periods in Otorhinolaryngology is 62 minutes, 45 minutes in General Surgery , 47 minutes in Ophthalmologic clinic and 68 minutes in Internal Diseases clinic. The highest contentedness level in appointment system is in Ophthalmologic clinic. Periods in waiting in queues are much more than those in appointment system. At the end of the study, it is determined that appointment system is more efficient than waiting in the queues.
Key Words: Queue and Appointment System, Hospital, Patient Satisfaction
Presentation Language: English
[1] Gümüşhane University/Healty Care Management/Turkey/sbostan29@gmail.com.