14 proven ways to reduce patient wait times
Why improving wait times matters — and how your practice can do it efficiently.
Long patient wait times are one of the most common sources of frustration in medical practices. They impact not only patient satisfaction but also provider efficiency, staff morale and overall revenue.
While some wait time issues stem from factors outside your control—like patients arriving late or emergencies disrupting the schedule—many delays are preventable. Fortunately, there are practical, high-impact strategies you can implement to reduce patient wait times without overhauling your entire practice.
Here are 14 tactics to help your team shorten delays, improve workflow and create a better experience for everyone involved.
Reducing patient wait times doesn’t require a complete overhaul, but it does require intention, teamwork and consistent tracking. Practices that address delays head-on enjoy better patient satisfaction, greater staff efficiency, and more time spent on what matters most: quality care.
Need help getting started? Choose two or three tips from this list and work with your team to implement them this quarter. Track the results, celebrate your wins—and then tackle the next set.
Ep. 52: Private equity and hospital consolidation with Yashaswini Singh, PhD, MPH
February 17th 2025Yashaswini Singh, PhD, MPH, a health care economist and assistant professor at Brown University's School of Public Health, discusses her recent research article on private equity and hospital consolidation in primary care.
