Measuring the Use of Examination Room Time in Oncology Clinics: A Novel Approach to Assessing Clinic Efficiency and Patient Flow

摘要

Purpose:The use of time in outpatient cancer clinics is a marker of quality and efficiency. Inefficiencies such as excessive patient wait times can have deleterious effects on clinic flow, functioning, and patient satisfaction. We propose a novel method of objectively measuring patient time in cancer clinic examination rooms and evaluating its impact on overall system efficiency.