Patient experience in outpatient clinics: Does appointment time impact satisfaction?

Abstract

The objective of this study is to understand patient experience by appointment time by analyzing the Consumer Assessment of Hospital Provider and Systems (CAHPS) scores at a granular level across pre-determined time periods (AM and PM). This study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods. A deidentified secondary data set from the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Press Ganey website was used to analyze the difference in CAHPS scores across AM and PM time periods. Unstructured survey responses were analyzed as a way to further enrich the quantitative findings. The data sample consisted of 821 responses from a dermatology clinic for the period of May 2017 to May 2018. Results suggested more positive patient experience for AM appointments when compared to PM appointments. The only positive experience for PM appointments was associated with the support staff and timeliness of care. This study indicated that time of day of the appointment is one of the contributing factors for patient satisfaction in the outpatient setting. While this study was conducted in a dermatology setting, it has applicability to the broader outpatient environment.