BMJ  2003;327 (15 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7424.0-e

Booking system challenges NHS

A booking system that allocates the date of admission of elective surgery is not easy to sustain. McLeod and his collaborators (p 1147) analysed the impact of a new booking policy in 24 pilot centres in the United Kingdom. They looked at waiting times and attendance when patients could choose their date of day case surgery. Some hospitals improved their performance, but only temporarily. Capacity constraints, long waiting times, and changes of managers were seen as preventing a sustained improvement.

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Relevant Article

Booking patients for hospital admissions: evaluation of a pilot programme for day cases

Hugh McLeod, Chris Ham, and Ruth Kipping
BMJ 2003 327: 1147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]