Reminder calls cut number of ultrasound no-shows

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012 :: By Jennifer Gladwell

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Management co-lead(s)

Steve DeBell, Stephen.L.DeBell@kp.org, 303-239-7445

 

 

 

 

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Union co-lead(s)

Kennya Martinez, Kenya.Martinez@kp.org, 303-239-7275

Lakewood Radiology unit-based team

Background

The Radiology UBT at Lakewood Medical Office took on the task of reducing the number of no-show patients for ultrasound appointments. Team members studied their data and discovered that more than 5 percent of the ultrasound patients never showed up. No-shows impact patient access, because other patients have to wait longer to get an appointment when a no-show patient needs to repeat an appointment.

The team tried calling patients ahead of time to remind them of their appointment and to discuss instructions for preparing for their appointment. If these instructions are not followed, test results can be compromised and a patient may have to be retested.

The receptionist was given the assignment to call patients; however, the team found this wasn’t the best solution.

“At first, it was slow going and it took a little bit longer, since I had to make the calls in between patients,” says receptionist Sara Kirkpatrick.

When the team began the process of calling patients in April and May 2011, Kirkpatrick juggled patient check-ins while she was making calls. She found that patients weren’t receiving the calls soon enough. She also found she could not make the calls privately with other patients within earshot in the waiting room. She took that issue back to the team, and since then, more team members are involved in making the calls.

Since the team refined the process, the receptionist and the general radiology technician review the schedule daily and divide the calls. They enlist help from two other clinics supervised by the same manager.

The result of their efforts exceeded the stretch goal. As of May, the team had reduced ultrasound no-shows to 1.92 percent, or 12 out of 625.

“This was our first project for our team,” explains supervisor Steve DeBell. “Just walking through the process was eye opening. Then we were surprised by the results.”