Anecdotal evidence at the institution's breast imaging center suggested that a large proportion of scheduled exams were not being performed, so an interdisciplinary team of radiologists, technicians, nurses, administrators, and clerical staff was formed with the primary goal of improving workflow and productivity, according to senior author Dr. Nalini Kanth.
An interval review found that the vast majority of unfilled appointments were due to patient no-shows, and interventions were initiated to address this issue, Kanth said. Thanks to systematic preappointment phone calls and documentation by clerical staff, the institution was able to decrease the no-show rate from 21% to 7.1%.
"Getting all key players together in an interdisciplinary team was an important process in identifying the problem and root cause," Kanth told AuntMinnie.com.
