Wait Times, Patient Perceptions and their Impact on the Patient Experience

Conducted by the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at Emory University, the goal of this study was to assess differences in actual and perceived wait times among patients receiving outpatient MRI services at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute. By learning more about the patients’ perceptions of their wait, it may be possible to manage those perceptions and potentially increase patient satisfaction. Perceptions of wait time are particularly important in test and treatment areas such as Radiology where patients have no interaction with their physician.