Improving accessibility for outpatients in specialist clinics: reducing long waiting times and waiting lists with a simple analytic approach

Table 3 Descriptive data at the start, at 65 days waiting time and at end of project

Variable	Start					By 65 days						End of project
Variable	Sum	Mean	Min	Max	SD	Sum	Mean	Min	Max	SD	P val *	Sum	Mean	Min	Max	SD	P val#
Waiting time (days)		161	74	312	69		55	37	64	8.3	< 0.001		52	41	74	9.9	< 0.001
Waiting time treated (days)		89	50	124	20		74	50	100	15	< 0.05		60	40	76	12	< 0.05
Evaluation time (days)		5.5	1.9	14	3.8		4.4	2.1	11.9	3.0	ns		3.4	1.1	9.5	2.4	ns
Number of new patients waiting	15,874	1322	369	2980	783	8138	678	248	1450	344	< 0.01	8922	686	296	1650	389	< 0.01
Number of delayed controls	18,700	1558	310	3324	794	8575	714	101	1671	449	< 0.001	5993	461	40	1337	360	< 0.001
Percent of patients booked (%)		27%	11%	63%	17%		63%	29%	93%	20%	< 0.001		61%	36%	91%	17%	< 0.001
Patients waiting/Total activity		280%	136%	581%	141%		126%	65%	226%	55%	< 0.001		85%	0%	201%	53%	< 0.01
Total activity/month	13,525	1127	387	2246	576	14,772	1231	468	2659	671	ns	16,005	1231	508	2804	681	ns
New referrals (number of patients)	4355	362	143	718	168	5149	429	143	916	209	< 0.025	5042	388	168	956	229	ns
Number of physicians (FTE)	346	28	10	68	18	360	30	10	70	19	ns	390	30	10	65	18	ns
Number of nurses (FTE)	557	46	8	150	12	542	45	10	123	12	ns	450	41	11	128	11	ns
Number of consultations/FTE Physician		48	22	107	28		51	19	107	26	< 0.01		54	21	117	28	< 0.05

Note: FTE full time equivalents; * P-value comparing start and 65 days WT. # P-value comparing start and finish. ns = Not significant

ISSN: 1472-6963