A Comprehensive Analysis of Wait Times in Ambulatory Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan

Abstract

Objective Wait times are an important determinant of patient satisfaction measured objectively and associated significantly with it. It is a measure of time taken from the arrival of patients to the registration desk of a facility to the time they access service. This study focuses on current patient pathways at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Outpatient (OBGYN) Ambulatory Clinic at Shalamar Hospital and assesses wait times by stratifying it at each step of the pathway. Methodology Data on consultation times was obtained from 105 patient processes over three months. We had in-depth discussions with the doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff to better comprehend the medical conditions, the terminologies, the structural hierarchy, and the functions of the department. Based on this the patient journey through the clinic was further dissected into operational steps including the check-in process, patient vitals screening, patient history, physical examination, medical hierarchy, referral for further testing or procedures, and lastly prescription generation. Results The average wait time for obstetrics and gynecology patients is 45.18±39.37 minutes. The average time the patients waited for the check-in process was 1.73±1.80 minutes, for the vitals screening was 3.08±10.07 minutes, for patient history and examination was 19.90±22.71 minutes, and for consultation within the medical hierarchy (SR and Consultants) patients waited 1.31±5.71 minutes. For those patients who had no other tests or procedures recommended, the prescription generation required a further 4.10±3.14 minutes. While those who had tests or procedures recommended waited 5.75±28.27 minutes for voucher generation for the specific test or procedure and 9.31±11.35 minutes for the test or procedure itself. Conclusion The obstetrics and gynecology clinic at Shalamar Hospital has average wait times comparable to others in the region of approximately 45 minutes. The longest wait during the visit is before patient history and examination approximately 20 minutes. To improve wait times, the clinic should implement staggered appointments, use a token system, manage queues better, follow clinic hours, and improve coordination between doctors. This will allow for improved patient experiences, faster patient turnovers, and increased patient inflow.