Reducing Clinic Visit Times Using Pre-Visit Video Education at a Weight Loss Center

Abstract

Background: Obesity is on the rise, increasing the demand for efficient treatment and delivery of care in the obesity medicine ambulatory care setting. Local problem: Clinicians provided redundant information during the client's initial visit, leading to longer than necessary clinic visits. Methods: Iterative plan-do-study-act cycles were used for this quality improvement project. Interventions: A 4-minute educational video was sent to clients prior to their initial appointment using automated systems through the electronic health record. Education consisted of the specialty services offered, nutrition, and frequently asked questions. Results: Visits completed in under 40 minutes increased from 73% to 84%, with average initial visit times decreasing from 44 to 37 minutes. The number of patients providers were able to see increased from 10 to 18 after implementing the educational video. Conclusions: Clinics may consider using pre-visit video-based education to reduce visit time and improve efficiency in the obesity medicine ambulatory care setting.