Digital Versus Traditional Booking System for Clinical Appointments

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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In the Canadian Forces Health Services Ottawa clinical administrative resources are currently constrained, directly impacting workflow and patient care. Given the nature of the current EMR and digital health infrastructure, DBS is not currently being employed. Therefore, investigators sought to determine the relative benefit of using an online booking system when compared to TB. To the investigator's knowledge, validation of this type has not been conducted in this setting.

Detailed Description
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Introduction: The impact of digital booking systems (DBS) on clinical care, administrative efficiency and health care costs have not previously been explored in the Canadian Forces Health Services. No show rates were shown to be reduced by 6-42% percent compared to traditional booking (TB) depending on the system and the clinic. Therefore, investigators sought to determine the relative benefit of using an online booking system when compared to TB. Methods: Main outcome variables included total time for booking all patients between groups including the start to end dates of each intervention, the number of hours spent on the phone / answering emails, and the number of phone calls and emails received, and the number of phone calls / emails regarding booking problems, cancellations, changes and no shows. Descriptive and mean comparative statistics will be used to determine any differences between groups.

Official Title
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A Pilot Study: Comparing Digital to Traditional Booking System for Clinical Appointments

Conditions
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Health Informatics

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Appointment booking system


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients that have never been seen for new consultations Exclusion Criteria: none
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Digital Booking<br>Patients bookings done through digital booking system. | Other: Appointment booking system<br>* Patients were sent an email to book an appointment using the telephone/email versus a online booking system.<br>|
| Traditional Booking<br>Patients bookings done through traditional booking like telephone or secure email. | Other: Appointment booking system<br>* Patients were sent an email to book an appointment using the telephone/email versus a online booking system.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total time for booking all patients | total time taken for DB and TB patients to be booked in a clinic time slot |  3 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Percent of Patients Booked | Percent of Patients Booked for each group |  3 months | 
| Average Time Spent per Patient | Average Time Spent per Patient |  3 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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digital booking, telephone booking