SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- The 375th Medical Group is required by inspection standards to have a uniform policy on how best to help patients when they arrive late for an appointment.
No one really wants to be late for an appointment, but it happens frequently enough that it does create a customer service challenge. To serve the late patient at the time they arrive may cause patients throughout the rest of the day to suffer delays through no fault of their own.
As of May 1, the 375th MDG will have personnel trained on procedures that go along with a new policy, and ask your patience as they strive to bring you the service that really says "We are proud Airmen medics serving our nation's heroes."
The first thing you may notice is that patients will be given just one time to show for the appointment. This is an effort to decrease confusion about when to arrive. You may remember being asked to arrive 15 minutes early in some clinics, in other clinics perhaps you were told to arrive at the given time. It took some doing with scheduling templates and software, but now when you get an appointment time, that's it--just show at that time. Different clinics will have different processes based on the nature of the service they provide. You may find yourself completing various forms required to deliver care once you check in. But as they adjust procedures behind scenes to minimize your wait time, you won't have to remember different instructions for different kinds of appointments--just show at the time given.
If you do find yourself late to an appointment, the front desk staff may inquire as to the urgency of the visit. If the visit was for a non-urgent issue, the front desk staff will work with the provider team to see if there is a way to work you into the provider's schedule for that day, or to find a mutually acceptable alternate appointment. If there are questions or issues that need addressing before the next visit, the front desk staff will facilitate a solution with the provider care team and the clinic's patient advocate. For urgent issues clinic staff will work with the patient to ensure urgent needs are met. The ultimate goal, of course, is to find the best solution and have a timely schedule for each patient.
The 375th MDG is extremely proud to serve those who make Team Scott great. Though all delays may not be eliminated, the 375th MDG is "all in" with the effort to continuously evaluate and improve the service they deliver.