Hear from healthcare consumers what they expect from medical practices with extended hours.
Adapting to your schedule: the case for extended hours
Nearly 17,000 hours. That’s the amount of after-hours care that the Wellstar Pediatric Center has provided over the last nine years. In other words, that’s nearly two additional years of care thanks to extended hours.
This Wellstar facility sees children after regular pediatricians’ offices are closed. For parents, this means peace of mind, since childhood and all the oops’ along the way don’t stop at 5 p.m. It also provides a more immediate option. When your child is not feeling well, you want assistance immediately – not the next morning.
Thanks to all Wellstar locations being connected with electronic medical records, the staff at the Pediatric Center can ensure continuous care. They know the history of each patient and can tailor their care accordingly.
Wellstar also offers extended and weekend office hours in our Primary Care facility on the Atlanta Beltline. This location on Dekalb Avenue NE is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., including weekends.
“Having excellent primary care directly on the BeltLine, where many Atlantans work, live, and play, is reassuring and an asset to the entire community,” said Atlanta BeltLine Partnership Executive Director Rob Brawner.
For patients, the convenience of not stepping away from work to see a doctor is a valuable benefit.
“Kids get sick all the time,” said Brian, a father. “During work hours, you are going to have to take [time] off work to take them.”
Other people walking on the BeltLine shared a similar sentiment.
“I think it’s more convenient. You don’t have to stress out what time the clinic is opening. Is it open on a Saturday? Is it closed on a Sunday?” Dee said.
After-hours care can also reduce emergency department (ED) visits. In a study conducted in Greater Manchester, England, ED visits decreased by 26.4% for patients with minor conditions who didn’t have a provider. This reduction can help save time in the ED and reduce lines, but it isn’t clear whether these results would save costs or apply to other locations, the researchers noted.
There are also challenges to introducing extended or weekend office hours broadly in healthcare systems; these range from planning for increased staff to adjusting current economic models.
Here at Catalyst Voice, we would like to hear your thoughts about extended and weekend office hours in healthcare. Complete our survey on the topic here and hear from others what they expect out of a medical practice with flexible scheduling.
Healthcare on your time
Hear from Christine Beam about what healthcare appointments could look like in the future. Convenience and access are key elements of delivering PeopleCare for everyone, every time. Watch the video.
Survey Results: Extended Hours
Your survey participation has been incredible! Here is some of what we learned from you about extended medical office hours.
Your Voice
How do you feel about Saturday morning appointments or additional extended hours in general? Let us know!
Did work or other commitments ever make you cancel a doctor’s appointment?
