Patient access has become a focal point of performance improvement initiatives across healthcare organizations — and for good reason. Patients today are waiting upwards of a month on average to see a specialist, with much longer delays in some regions, especially rural communities. Extended wait times not only frustrate patients but also negatively impact outcomes and widen existing health inequities.
A recent AMN Healthcare survey underscores the challenge. The average to schedule a physician appointment in 15 major metropolitan areas has increased by 19% since 2022 and by 48% since 2004. Findings point to the longest wait times being reported in obstetrics/gynecology, gastroenterology and dermatology.
One finding was particularly striking: Across physician specialties, orthopedics was the only one that saw a drop in wait times. Since 2022, the average time to get an orthopedic appointment decreased by 12 days, down 29% since 2022 and 29% since 2004.
This begs the question: How has orthopedics cracked the code on wait times? The answer may lie in the specialty’s proactive adoption of digital tools and its commitment to patient-first strategies that reduce friction, modernize scheduling, and streamline access.
One study found that there has been a rapid increase in the use of digital tools in orthopedics, focusing on everything from patient access to operational efficiencies and medical capabilities that deliver timely, active interventions. From an access standpoint, other specialties can learn a lot from orthopedics when it comes to aligning with patient-driven access trends that drive down wait times and position provider groups for the future of healthcare.
Digital patient intake and scheduling
Consumers are used to digital self-service in nearly every other aspect of life whether using an app to schedule flights or pay their electric bill. On-the-go has become the norm.
These expectations extend to digital intake and scheduling as well — whether completing registration forms or getting insurance verification, patients increasingly want easy, frictionless experiences.
Orthopedic organizations have been quick to respond. Their appointment processes are often highly defined and repetitive, making them an ideal fit for digital intake and scheduling solutions. For example, patients needing a knee replacement will likely follow a predictable pattern of tests, treatments, surgery and follow-up. By automating these workflows, orthopedic organizations can automate these scheduling patterns and reduce the change of gaps in care. Visits and follow-ups can be scheduled in sequence guided by best-practice protocols, while advanced automation accounts for provider preference — an area that is known to cause scheduling bottlenecks across specialties.
The focus on structure has also accelerated self-scheduling adoption. A 2024 nationwide analysis revealed a 53% year-over-year increase in implementations of self-scheduling tools across healthcare organizations, and a 65% increase among orthopedic organizations since 2023.
Putting patients in the driver’s seat to manage their own scheduling has proven to improve access. Results from another analysis found that providers can realize a 30% decrease in no-show rates through self-scheduling, as well as improve patient satisfaction by 20%. These findings are especially impactful since 83% of patients prefer the ability to book appointments digitally. Consequently, orthopedic organizations relying on technology-enabled self-scheduling not only improve the overall experience but also enhance operational efficiency.
Rules-based systems extend these benefits even further. By automatically matching the patient to the right level of provider — whether MD or PA — rules-based scheduling eliminates call-backs and ensures accuracy the first time. When these rules are orchestrated across multiple channels (phone, web, or chat), provider preferences remain consistent, creating a seamless experience for both staff and patients.
Early AI adoption
Orthopedics is also at the forefront of AI adoption. From the use of these tools in imaging to incorporating them into workflows that address visual perception, speech recognition and decision-making, providers in this specialty are seeing notable returns. Research suggests that AI can enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning in orthopedics and can significantly improve administrative workflows.
On the patient access front, new voice AI solutions provide a natural, conversational experience that improves self-scheduling processes. They tie seamlessly into a provider organization’s existing phone system, making interactions feel personal and high touch. Notably, these solutions — already commonly used in other industries — can handle repetitive, high-volume inquiries such as appointment rescheduling and cancelations, so staff can focus on addressing more complex needs.
Replicating Ortho’s success
Improving patient access is critical across all specialties, and it starts with putting patients first. As a specialty with a high volume of elective surgeries, orthopedic organizations understand the importance of patient engagement and experience when it comes to improving access. It’s why they have been early adopters of technology-enabled processes that consumers are accustomed to in so many other areas of life. Other specialties can learn a lot from orthopedics on the patient experience front in terms of digital intake, scheduling, referrals and adopting AI in ways that will benefit the patient.
Source: metamorworks, Getty Images
Jeff Gartland joined Relatient in 2021 as CEO, bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience in healthcare and technology. He delivers a strong record of innovation, strategic growth and successful go-to-market execution. Before Relatient, he was president of the Advanced Analytics & Services business for the Diversified Business Group at Anthem. Additionally, Jeff previously led Ciox Health in transforming the business into a platform for accessing and analyzing the complete health record. He further opened up new market segments across life sciences and precision medicine to enable research efforts leveraging real-world data across all therapeutic areas.
Under his leadership, Relatient has grown to reach over 50 million patients annually through its award-winning patient scheduling and access platform, including Dash Self, a #1 KLAS ranked self-scheduling solution.
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