Timeliness is next to Godliness

Delays have become the norm within health care delivery today.
Everybody is complaining about waiting.
Delays for an appointment.
Delays in the reception area or in the examination room waiting to see the doctor.
Delays on test results.
Delays for referrals to specialists or diagnostic testing.
Many patients tell me wait times can be as long as 10 hours or more in some local emergency rooms in Gainesville.
Same day appointments in the office are becoming more of a reality. Customer demand is fueling this change.
Why is it that we have become so inpatient when it comes to getting our healthcare?
Unrealistic expectations on the part of patients have created many logjams.
Ask yourself the last time you really needed to be seen in an emergency room. Was it truly an urgent problem? Was it life or death? Could it have been handled in an office setting?
What is an acceptable wait time for receiving medical care? It depends on the acuity of the patient's problem. Even with this identified, no one really has the right answer. It is all about supply and demand. Supply of providers and demands of patients.
It appears that may change as the healthcare industry begins to implement the patient-centered medical home. If healthcare delivery is really about the patient, then getting the patient to the right venue to receive their care is a critical success factor for achieving positive outcomes.
Timeliness is next to godliness in healthcare. Of course, it depends on whether you are on the giving or receiving end of healthcare services. Caveat emptor!
Dr. Dale