Using survey results to determine if first visit orientation to the ambulatory clinic will improve the patient experience

The question the study posed was “Will providing dedicated time for a patient/family to orient to the clinic during the first appointment impact patient experience survey results?” The initial visit to the clinic is the foundation for a growing relationship between the patient/family and care team. Study results showed a slight improvement in first visit scores in six out of seven categories that were tracked and while it had not been the intent of this study to include no-show rate comparisons, notably 9 of 12 clinics experienced a decline in their no-show rate.