Open AccessDefining Access Management in Health Care Delivery Organizations
Author(s) -
Susanne Hempel,
Lara Hilton,
Susan Stockdale,
Peter J. Kaboli,
Isomi M Miake-Lye,
Margie Sherwood Danz,
Danielle E. Rose,
Susan Kirsh,
Idamay Curtis,
Lisa V. Rubenstein
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the journal of ambulatory care management/journal of ambulatory care management
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1550-3267
pISSN - 0148-9917
DOI - 10.1097/jac.0000000000000382
Subject(s) - stakeholder , health care , business , access management , health care delivery , knowledge management , public relations , computer science , political science , computer network , law
Managing patient access to care in health care delivery organizations is instrumental in shaping patient experiences. We convened an inclusive stakeholder panel, informed by evidence, to understand the dimensions and establish definitions of access and access management. The literature varies in access definitions, but the temporal measure "time to third next available appointment" was consistently used as an indicator of access. Panel deliberations highlighted the importance of patient-centeredness and resulted in comprehensive definitions for access management, optimal access management, and optimal access. Health care organizations and researchers can use the developed definitions and concepts as starting points for initiatives to improve access management.