Determining the impact of a clinic coordinator on patient access and clinic efficiency in a pediatric multidisciplinary spina bifida clinic using medical informatics

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze the effects on patient access by decreasing missed appointments after hiring a clinic coordinator using medical informatics.

Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis of the rates of missed appointments before and after hiring a clinic coordinator in a multidisciplinary spinal differences clinic were analyzed using a commercially available business software system (SAP® Business Objects). The total number of clinic visits was collected for each month to determine the access available for patients.

Results: The median number of missed appointments per clinic by month before employing the clinic coordinator was higher than in the two years following implementation (p < 0.0005). No differences were seen in the number of available appointment slots per month indicating no new clinics were needed to improve patient access (p = 0.551). Projected billing amounts prior to hiring the clinic coordinator indicated that $91,520 was lost in the 2 years prior to hiring this coordinator compared to $30,160 lost during the 2 years following the creation of this position (p = 0.0009).

Conclusion: Hiring a clinic coordinator decreased the rate of missed appointments and was a cost-efficient intervention to improve patient access and provide effective patient care in a multidisciplinary setting.

Keywords: Pediatrics; appointments and schedules; coordination (administrative); informatics; no-show patients; patient appointments; spina bifida; spinal dysraphism.