Reduce patient waiting times with effective appointment scheduling

We have all experienced it, we all hate it, and we have all complained. Waiting for an appointment with your doctor, in a crowded waiting room, often for longer than expected, is no fun for anyone. Especially if you then have to queue again to book a follow-up appointment.

It’s one of the major sources of patient complaints and one of the major issues healthcare professionals are desperate to resolve.

In fact, a 2019 report on healthcare consumers shows that 77% of patient comments about waiting times are negative and 20% would change providers if made to wait too long.

Patient wait time management is critical in improving both satisfaction and operational efficiency. So where should you begin?

Inevitably, there will always be patients who run late or require immediate attention. While this can’t be entirely controlled, you can implement changes to help get your appointment system and booking schedule back on track.

Many practices have already adopted online booking systems and appointment scheduling software to improve time management. Yet, some clinics are still wary of replacing their manual processes. The good news? You don’t have to reinvent everything at once. With the right booking software, you can make gradual improvements that significantly reduce patient frustration and save time.

Here are some practical steps to get started:

Step 1. Analyse patient booking behaviour

To optimize your booking process, start by understanding how your patients interact with your practice. When do patients book appointments? Which services are most popular? Do patients prefer to schedule appointments online, via a booking page, client app, or by phone?

In order to start configuring your booking schedule according to the needs of your practice, you need to understand how your patients book and use your services. What are the most popular appointments? Which are most commonly booked online, by phone or as drop-ins? Which are the busiest times in the waiting rooms, on the phones and online? Do certain services or specialists need more scheduled time for each appointment than others?

Create a spreadsheet or whatever tracking document works for you and your team and start documenting how your practice works. Make sure your whole team is involved in documenting the information.

Include information to define like:

• How long the doctor needs for a basic check-up
• How long is needed for more specialised procedures
• The most booked appointments and which rooms and equipment are required
• How many patients walk in without an appointment
• How long a telephone booking takes
• Which times of day reception received most calls
• How many patients don‘t show up for appointments

This information will start to give a clearer indication of how to improve the scheduling of your resources. Decide if you will only take phone or online bookings on certain days. Decide if certain appointments should have a mandatory ‘buffer time' before or after the patient's time with the doctor. Discuss improvements to the schedule with your team and implement them.

Step 2. Make decisions based on your findings

Move to a Shared, Flexible Calendar

Switch to an online booking software that supports real-time calendar sync across all your devices.

• This should improve clarity and internal communication and reduce booking errors.
• Make sure you have a calendar works across multiple devices, allowing you and your team to be aware of and reactive to any changes as they happen.
• Find a system that allows you to gather patient information before, during and after an appointment. TIMIFY allows you to modify the booking process and questions posed to patients to suit your practice and get the data you require. In this way you will obtain the information needed in advance to provide a better consultation and utilise the time during the appointment optimally.

Offer your patients the possibility to book their appointments

online

• Move to an online appointment system with enough flexibility to manage different service durations and that can be modified or updated daily. For instance, if you find that some of hours of the day are less busy, offer these slots to be booked online.
• Look for flexible software that can easily be adapted to the needs of your practice, staff and patients. Find a system that will allow you to manage also your room treatments, equipments or devices, and/or add preparation and follow-up times to the services that required it.
• Try out free trials of software solutions! TIMIFY offers one too, which you can sign up for here or book a demo from one of our team.
• If you have reservations about using an appointment booking software, read this blog article: Five Myths About Online Booking Debunked.

​​​​​​​Send appointment reminders to minimise missed

appointments

• If no-shows are a problem, try sending appointment reminders by email or SMS. An appointment reminder can reduce no-shows by up to 40%.

​​​​​​​Try to keep to your schedule

• Respect your appointment schedule as much as possible. Encourage patients to arrive on time and ensure that last minute changes are kept to a minimum. Doctors should also aim to keep as close to the schedule as possible.
• Be realistic about appointment times and the buffer times in-between appointments. If appointment times are slipping from the start of the day, the schedule will never be accurate.

Step 3. Communication is key

Keep Your Patients in the Loop

If you’re introducing new scheduling methods, especially online booking systems, explain to your patients the convenience, security, and reliability they can expect.

• Use waiting room flyers to inform them about changes
• Highlight benefits like booking outside working hours, the ability to manage their own appointments, and receive reminders
• Add QR codes that direct them to your booking page for instant access
• Promote your booking options with tips from our blog: How to Increase the Number of Online Appointment Bookings

Even with improvements, some delays will still happen. If emergencies arise or staff are unexpectedly unavailable, keep your patients informed. Offering them the option to reschedule appointments via the system shows that you value their time.

Automate and Empower

A smart appointment scheduling software like TIMIFY automates communications and reduces workload. Once a patient schedules a visit, they can independently cancel, reschedule, or edit their appointment details—no need for a phone call.

It also helps clinics accept bookings for recurring appointments, manage in-person and video consultations, and organize availability across multiple locations. This level of integration helps you run your business more smoothly, with fewer errors and happier patients.

Start now

These tips are designed to help you analyze the scheduling challenges within your clinic and start implementing practical solutions with modern scheduling software.

Patients expect flexibility, self-service, and modern convenience, just like in other industries. By staying current with digital booking systems and robust features, you improve both patient satisfaction and your operational flow.

TIMIFY offers an all-in-one solution for practices of any size or specialty. From acuity scheduling to managing clients, services, and even offering discounts, our platform has what your team needs.

Visit our website to learn how TIMIFY can help your healthcare business reduce waiting times, eliminate scheduling headaches, and create a better experience for your patients and customers alike.