SCHEDULING PATIENTS

Once you know the patient's eligibility and the type of dental care to provide, you can schedule an appointment. Dental procedures can vary from clinic to clinic, as well as, the type of appointment system and the method of scheduling appointments.

In most cases, appointments are based on fixed, non-variable lengths, such as 45, 60, or 90 minute lengths, or as an incremental time method using 10, 15, or 20 minute units of time. The increment method is often the best use of treatment time because the patient is appointed only for the time needed to complete the procedure.

Whatever type of appointment system is used when you schedule appointments, make sure you do so accurately. Enter the information in the appointment book or computer system first, and then complete the patient's appointment card. If you complete the patient's appointment card with the date and time of the appointment first, and then enter the information in the appointment book or computer-based system (CHCS-Composite Health Care System), you risk having more than one patient scheduled for an appointment time. This can happen easily if you are interrupted and fail to record the information into the appointment book or system.

A policy can be adopted of reappointing patients to the same operator for all subsequent treatment if needed. This policy is particularly applicable to operative dentistry patients. On the other hand, a policy of reappointing patients to the next available open time may be preferable. Another alternate is to keep a few appointments open, thus permitting some flexibility in the dentists' schedules, allowing them to take care of unforseen situations that may arise from time to time. Next we will discuss the patient register, dental appointment book, and appointment cards.

Patient Register

The patient register or log is maintained at the appointment desk and shows the date, name, rank/rate, and reason for the visit. It is usually a log-type book, which lists every patient who was seen at the DTF on a particular day.

Dental Appointment, Daily, NAVMED 6600/5

At most DTFs, dental appointments are scheduled at the Central Appointment Desk. This department usually takes care of the appointment schedule(s) for the entire DTF. The appointment book consists of a series of NAVMED 6600/5 Forms (fig. 2-1) or local forms that resemble the 6000/5.

Dental Appointment Card, NAVMED 6600/6

A NAVMED 6600/6 (fig. 2-2) is given to each patient scheduled for a dental appointment. Other dental appointment card types can also be used depending on your DTF's policy. Figure 2-3 illustrates a Dental Appointment Slip that has carbon copies and comes in 3 parts.

Appointment Failures or "No Shows"

Appointment failures result in the loss of man-hours for providers and should be kept to a minimum. There is no single best way to handle appointment failures. The DTF's commanding officer (CO) or officer in charge (OIC) should consider procedures and methods to keep lost time to a minimum. An active liaison between the DTF and the organizational units will also help minimize the problem.

You can help eliminate appointment failures by impressing upon patients the importance of keeping them. If time permits, you could contact patients by telephone before their appointments to remind them of the date and time. If you have a broken appointment or cancellation, you should notify the appointment desk. It may be possible to fill the appointment time with a sick-call patient or a patient waiting for treatment. Another method of minimizing lost time is the patient call list, which is discussed next.

Patient Call List

The Patient Call List is used for patients requiring extensive treatment, or need to be seen sooner than the next available scheduled appointment time. The list of patients usually live or work a short distance from the DTF, or are available on short notice in case of a broken appointment or cancellation.. A call list log should contain the patient's name, rank/rate, home/office telephone number, and dental treatment to be performed.

DENTAL COMPUTERIZED RECALL

The computerized dental recall system is used to schedule military patient's return to the DTF on a 3-, 6-, or 12-month basis for routine or specialized treatment (e.g., examinations, perio).

The system uses twelve separate lists or file sections (one for each month). It is continuously updated, month by month. Most DTFs have a recall list that operates with custom computer software programs installed on personal computers (PCs) such as the Dental Management Information System (DENMIS).