28% of physicians can't keep up with patient schedules, report says

Alyssa Rege -

Roughly 28 percent of physicians said they fall behind on their appointment schedules daily, according to a recent report from Medscape.

For the report, titled "Practice Workflow Report: Physicians' Bottlenecks, Challenges, and Time," researchers surveyed more than 1,150 U.S. physicians across more than 25 specialties.

Here are five findings from the report.

1. Slightly under half (40 percent) of physicians surveyed said they see 11 to 20 patients per day, while 36 percent of physicians said they see anywhere from 21 to 30 patients daily.

2. Roughly 72 percent of physicians said 10 percent or less of their patients don't show up for their scheduled appointment during a typical week.

3. If they do fall behind schedule, 45 percent of respondents said they fall behind by approximately 16 minutes to 30 minutes.

4. More than three quarters (79 percent) of respondents said the main reason they fall behind on their appointment schedule is because they want to spend a sufficient amount of time with each patient. Other factors that contribute to time challenges include:

  • Patients arriving late and not completing the required paperwork (66 percent)
  • Recording patient notes in-between appointments (49 percent)
  • Appointments booked too close together (47 percent)
  • Overbooking patient appointments (31 percent)
  • Tending to patient emergencies or surgeries (26 percent)

5. Approximately 40 percent of respondents identified as being "somewhat satisfied" with their practice's efficiency, while 23 percent identified as being "somewhat dissatisfied."

To view the report, click here.

 

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