title: Increased access rate to a primary health-care centre by introducing a structured patient sorting system developed to make the most efficient use of the personnel: a pilot study.
abstract: The primary health-care centre (PHCC) participating in the study has had financial problems for several years and it has been particularly difficult to recruit general practitioners (GPs). As a result, the access rate to the PHCC was low. The purpose of this study was to increase the access rate to the PHCC and to make the most efficient use of the staff by introducing a structured patient sorting system. All personnel were involved in the implementation process and participated regularly in interdisciplinary work-groups. A variety of Drop-in receptions were created and a manual for sorting patients by condition was introduced. The main finding was that the total access rate to the PHCC increased by 27% and that each staff member increased their personal access rate by an average of 13%. Eighty-three percent of the patients who were initially treated by the rehabilitation team were treated solely by the team and did not need to see a GP. No medical backlashes were reported. These findings indicate a more efficient use of the personnel. Furthermore, both personnel and patients indicated an improvement in the possibility to book patient appointments after the introduction of the structured patient sorting system.
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care, Västra Götaland Region, Sweden. jorgen.thorn@allmed.gu.se
authors.forename: Jörgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thorn
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maun
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bornhöft
authors.forename: Malena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kornbakk
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wedham
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaffar
authors.forename: Cathrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thanner
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D014218:Triage / Q000145:classification* / Q000458:organization & administration*