Hospital Appointment System Improvement
A complete business-analysis package proposing improvements to a hospital's appointment booking workflow, covering requirements, stakeholder needs, process redesign, and implementation risk.
Background
Hospital appointment systems are often built incrementally without a formal requirements process, leading to scheduling inefficiencies and inconsistent patient communication.
Problem Definition
The existing appointment workflow lacks clear process ownership, has no formal requirements baseline, and provides limited visibility into where patients or staff experience friction.
Objectives
- Document the current (AS-IS) appointment process
- Design an improved (TO-BE) process
- Define functional and non-functional requirements
- Assess risks and propose an implementation strategy
Scope
Covers the appointment booking, confirmation, and reminder workflow for outpatient scheduling; excludes billing and clinical record systems.
Stakeholders
Requirements
- Online and phone-based appointment booking
- Automated confirmation and reminder notifications
- Role-based access for staff editing schedules
- Reporting on appointment KPIs (no-show rate, wait time)
Process Flow
AS-IS: manual/phone booking → paper or spreadsheet scheduling → manual reminder calls. TO-BE: online + phone booking → centralized digital schedule → automated confirmation/reminders → post-visit feedback loop.
Findings
- High no-show rate traced to a lack of automated reminders
- Scheduling conflicts arise from disconnected booking channels
- Staff spend significant time on manual confirmation calls
Recommendations
- Introduce a centralized digital scheduling system
- Automate confirmation and reminder messaging
- Track and report on appointment KPIs to guide ongoing improvement