Advanced Access Scheduling Outcomes

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Abstract
Advanced access is an appointment scheduling system that allows patients to seek and receive health care from their provider at the time of their choosing.1 Traditional scheduling systems arrange appointments for future dates, resulting in each physician's patient care time being mostly scheduled well in advance. Consequently, wait time for appointments can be long, and patients may miss long-scheduled appointments.2 In fact, the average wait time in 2009 for a new nonurgent visit with a US family practice physician was 20 days.3 By contrast, in advanced access, patients are offered an appointment on the day that they call or at the time of their choosing, preferably within 24 hours. This results in few prescheduled appointments and a relatively open schedule. Triage is minimized because everyone is offered an appointment whether for urgent or routine care.