Digital Versus Traditional Booking System for Clinical Appointments

Health Informatics

digital booking, telephone booking

In the Canadian Forces Health Services Ottawa clinical administrative resources are currently constrained, directly impacting workflow and patient care. Given the nature of the current EMR and digital health infrastructure, DBS is not currently being employed. Therefore, investigators sought to determine the relative benefit of using an online booking system when compared to TB. To the investigator's knowledge, validation of this type has not been conducted in this setting.

Introduction: The impact of digital booking systems (DBS) on clinical care, administrative efficiency and health care costs have not previously been explored in the Canadian Forces Health Services. No show rates were shown to be reduced by 6-42% percent compared to traditional booking (TB) depending on the system and the clinic. Therefore, investigators sought to determine the relative benefit of using an online booking system when compared to TB. Methods: Main outcome variables included total time for booking all patients between groups including the start to end dates of each intervention, the number of hours spent on the phone / answering emails, and the number of phone calls and emails received, and the number of phone calls / emails regarding booking problems, cancellations, changes and no shows. Descriptive and mean comparative statistics will be used to determine any differences between groups.

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Canada