BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2013; u479.w1007 doi: 10.1136/bmjquality.u479.w1007 Improving patient access at a movement disorder clinic by participating in a Process Improvement Program

Our multi-disciplinary neurology team were dissatisfied with long access times for consultation for new referrals. We participated in a rapid process improvement workshop and a structured improvement process. Over a six-month period we were able to reduce our access time for initial appointment for patients with suspected movement disorders from 133 to 20 days. We implemented a 'carousel ' multi-disciplinary appointment and a standardised clinic form that improved the flow of patients and that we estimate will save 150 hours of physician time and 320 hours of administrative time per year. Problem Our specialist team provides tertiary care services at an academic health centre for a large geographical region. Access times for consultation at a multi-disciplinary clinic for neurological patients were very long, which was a concern for both family physicians and our neurology team. Because of our long wait list, it was necessary to triage referrals by perceived urgency and secretarial staff often had to 'squeeze' urgent patients into full schedules, causing clinics to run over-time