Health Department to Implement Open Access Scheduling
Same day and next day appointments to offer greater flexibility for patients
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2010
BURLINGTON The days of calling weeks or months ahead to schedule appointments for most clinical services at the health department will soon be a thing of the past. Starting Monday, November 8, the Alamance County Health Department (ACHD) will implement Open Access Scheduling. The Childrens Dental Health Center, Child Health, Maternity, and WIC will remain on a traditional appointment system, but may be added in the future.
We have worked diligently for several months in preparation for our transition to Open Access, said Barry Bass, Health Director.
The cornerstone of Open Access Scheduling involves doing todays work today. By doing this, nearly all patients can be seen in clinic on the day they call for any problem, whether urgent, routine or preventive. Patients also have the choice of calling for a next day appointment; if a same day appointment is not convenient. Several other local health departments throughout North Carolina have already implemented Open Access, including Cabarrus, Chatham, and Davidson counties.
Our staff members are very excited to provide family planning, immunization, and communicable disease (including STD) services the same day people request to be seen, stated Dr. Kathleen Shapley-Quinn, ACHD Medical Director. While we will have less flexibility to see patients who arrive late for appointments, we expect another big benefit of this new scheduling system will be that patients will have less wait times once they arrive at their appointments. We look forward to patients suggestions as we move towards a more efficient system for everyone, concluded Shapley-Quinn.
For more information about Open Access or any of the Alamance County Health Departments clinical services, please call (336) 227-0101.