Instructions:
To determine demand, measure all requests for care for one week.
Demand in primary care is usually highest on Mondays with seasonal increases during the winter months.
Once demand data is collected, it can be compared with provider capacity to assess whether demand exceeds capacity or capacity is sufficient to meet demand. It’s a good idea to repeat the measurement quarterly to monitor changes in demand.
We provide a few worksheets for data collection; one designed for practices with multiple providers and one for single provider practices.
For multiple providers, complete a worksheet for each day.
- Each row indicates the provider the patient would like to see.
Rows document how the appointment request was received “Phone” “Walk In” and “Patient Portal”.
Rows also document what type of appointment the patient prefers; I – in person visit, T= Telemedicine synchronous visit
- Columns document when patient would like to be seen. There is an “AM” and a “PM” column for “Requests for Same Day Appointment” as well as “Request for Next Day Appointment” and “Requests Future Appointment.” This is to indicate the time of day the patient would like to be seen.
To accurately measure demand, you may need to alter your script regarding scheduling.
- Each individual who is responsible for scheduling appointments will document the requests they receive.
- When a patient requests an appointment, ask “When would you like to come in?” rather than offer the next available appointment.
If they ask about availability in response, advise you have many appointments available but that you’d like to schedule based on when they would like to come in. - Based on the patient’s responses; today, tomorrow, a date in the future, time of day (morning or afternoon), and type of appointment (in person, telemedicine) place a “tick” mark in the appropriate area. This measures demand, not what is scheduled or delivered.
For example, if a patient calls the practice complaining of an ingrown toenail and requests an in-person appointment, that afternoon, the tick mark would be made in the Same Day, PM, I area regardless of when the actual appointment is scheduled for. - Place a “tick” mark in the Urgent Care and ED Column when patients are directed to that level of care. This is a general accounting of patients requiring that level of care. Other tools should be used to determine appropriate utilization and possible opportunities to expand the scope of services provided to impact access.
The data from this worksheet can be summarized and is used in one aspect of determining the balance of supply and demand.
