Medical practices in the USA try dropping waiting rooms

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 15 Jun 2004 - 3:00 PDT

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Doctors comment that if they let patients go straight to the examination room, efficiency is increased and patient loyalty is enhanced - some are dropping waiting rooms.

Why did the patient cross the road? To get to the office with no waiting room.

That's the situation at Boys & Girls Pediatrics in Knoxville, Tenn. Parents are declining appointments at its location with a waiting room in favor of appointments across the street at the location without one -- even if they have to wait longer to get an appointment. The office has 18 exam rooms, each with an outside door that opens directly to a parking space.

"We have patients who come specifically for that very reason," said Jim Kimball, MD, a pediatrician and senior partner with Boys & Girls Pediatrics. "When parents come for the first time, we tell them it may seem a little strange at first, but you get used to it quickly. You can't come in a wrong door."

There's been a lot of attention devoted making the waiting-room experience more pleasant for patients, but a few practices like Boys & Girls Pediatrics have decided the best approach is to not have a waiting room at all, or, at the least, minimize its use by ushering patients back to exam rooms as soon as they check in.

This article continues in the American Medical Association Website.

By Mike Norbut

Copyright 2004 American Medical Association.