Appointment scheduling system and method
First Claim
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1. A system for scheduling appointments comprising:
- a microprocessor-based system comprising an output device, an input device, and, a data storage device, said microprocessor-based system including a database having a plurality of patients and patient specific information listed therein, said patient specific information including at least each patient'"'"'s name, an account number for each patient and a future date when each patient should see a caregiver; and
,a program stored in said data storage device that includes instructions that periodically cause the microprocessor-based system to review the future date for each patient in the database and create a list of patients who need an appointment with the caregiver within a range of one to seven days of a date on which the microprocessor-based system has reviewed the patients'"'"' future dates, the list of patients is displayed on the output device such that each patient on the list is called and offered an opportunity to schedule an appointment within the next seven days.
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Abstract
A scheduling program and system includes a database of client information including a field relating to an appointment date. Within a range of the appointment date, preferably one week, the program cues a user to contact a patient to schedule an appointment within the next week. Three attempts are made to schedule the patient before the patient is withheld from the Loop and informed via mail that it is now the patient'"'"'s responsibility to contact the office to arrange an acceptable appointment. The program further includes a method for tracking “no-show” and non-paying patients.
67 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for scheduling appointments comprising:
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a microprocessor-based system comprising an output device, an input device, and, a data storage device, said microprocessor-based system including a database having a plurality of patients and patient specific information listed therein, said patient specific information including at least each patient'"'"'s name, an account number for each patient and a future date when each patient should see a caregiver; and
,a program stored in said data storage device that includes instructions that periodically cause the microprocessor-based system to review the future date for each patient in the database and create a list of patients who need an appointment with the caregiver within a range of one to seven days of a date on which the microprocessor-based system has reviewed the patients'"'"' future dates, the list of patients is displayed on the output device such that each patient on the list is called and offered an opportunity to schedule an appointment within the next seven days. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of scheduling appointments for a medical practice comprising the steps of:
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providing a microprocessor-based system; providing a program that periodically cause the microprocessor-based system to review a future date for each patient in a database and create a list of patients who need an appointment with a caregiver within a range of one to seven days of a date on which the microprocessor-based system has reviewed the patients'"'"' future dates; entering patient information into the microprocessor-based system; entering a date on which an appointment is to be made into a database; periodically searching the database and prioritizing an appointment schedule according to patients that should be seen within the next seven days; contacting the patients that should be seen within the next seven days and attempting to schedule the patients for an appointment within the next seven days; and
,continuing contacting patients until a physician'"'"'s schedule is full for a particular day. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A medium that stores instructions that operate a system for scheduling appointments comprising a microprocessor-based system comprising an output device, an input device, and, a data storage device, said microprocessor-based system including a database having a plurality of patients and patient specific information listed therein, said patient specific information including at least each patient'"'"'s name, an account number for each patient and a future date when each patient should see a caregiver;
- said instructions periodically cause the microprocessor-based system to review the future date for each patient in the database and create a list of patients who need an appointment with a caregiver within a range of one to seven days of a date on which the microprocessor-based system has reviewed the patients'"'"' future dates such the list of patients is displayed on the output device where each patient on the list is called and offered an opportunity to schedule an appointment within the next seven days.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification