Speed as Your Competitive Advantage: Reducing Patient Wait Times at Every Touchpoint

Patient satisfaction isn't just a nice-to-have anymore—it's make-or-break for retention, outcomes, and your competitive advantage. In this practical solo episode, Jill Steeley tackles one of the most powerful yet underutilized levers in healthcare: speed. Learn how to provide excellent, thorough, compassionate care while respecting your patients' time at every single touchpoint in their journey through your health center.

The Problem

A typical new patient experience:

8-10 minutes on hold to schedule an appointment
Scheduled 3 weeks out
Long check-in line upon arrival
30+ minutes past appointment time in waiting room
Another 15 minutes waiting in exam room
10-minute visit with provider
Standing in line again to check out and schedule follow-up

Result: Nearly 2 hours for a 20-minute appointment

The question: Are they coming back? Maybe if you're their only option. Are they recommending you? Probably not.

Key Topics Covered

Touchpoint 1: Scheduling the Appointment

The First Impression Problem

You have 7 seconds to make a good first impression
Long hold times send the message: "Your time is not our priority"
First interaction sets expectations for everything that follows

Solutions:

Online scheduling (the #1 must-have)

Patients book when convenient (11 PM, lunch breaks, weekends)

Monitor and reduce hold times
Implement callback systems
Offer extended hours and weekend appointments

Touchpoint 2: Check-In Process

The Bottleneck Problem

Long check-in lines snaking through waiting rooms
Patients watching the clock tick past their appointment time
Providers won't see "late" patients who've been standing in line

Solutions:

Self-service kiosks - Patients are more sophisticated than we give them credit for
Mobile check-in - From their car or waiting room via phone
Advance paperwork - Email forms ahead of time for online completion
Quality improvement frameworks
Measure cycle times - Can't improve what you don't measure

Result: Some health centers cut check-in times in half just by rearranging workflows

Touchpoint 3: The Waiting Room Experience

What Patients Are Judging:

Dirty floors and stained carpet
Ripped chairs and dingy walls
Overall feeling of welcome (or lack thereof)

The Reality: If your waiting room looks neglected, patients wonder what else you're neglecting

Essential Waiting Room Features:

Plenty of comfortable seating (singles, benches, isolation chairs for sick patients)
Wipeable, sanitizable chair materials
Clean, well-maintained space (no stains, rips, or odors)
Free WiFi (yes, even if providers object—patients want it)
Wide walkways for wheelchairs and accessibility
Digital displays with health tips, services, provider introductions

Controversial Take: Skip the coffee station

Inevitably gets spilled
Creates extra cleanup
Becomes something to juggle when called back
If you're moving patients quickly, it's unnecessary