Just See More Patients: Essential Elements of an Access Strategy

By a Physician Access Leader 

After a series of challenges put access on the hot seat (and me with it), I knew that the only way forward was to root our efforts in evidence-based best practices. Instead of reacting to the immediate pressure to see more patients, I sought to reframe the conversation – drawing from proven strategies to present leadership with a comprehensive, data-driven path to better access. 

The solution wasn’t just about efficiency; it was about slowly reforming the system to become sustainable, scalable, and aligned with the realities of our ambulatory practices. That approach rested on the following key pillars of success: 

• Education at all levels. Every stakeholder – clinicians, administrators, and health system leaders – needed standard training on access optimization and how their roles influenced patient flow.
• System-wide governance structures. Oversight committees were erected to review FTE allocations, commitment requests, and clinical operations to ensure standardization and efficiency; their implementation changed the culture.
• Standardized best practices. Through structured work groups, we developed specialty-specific access guidelines and created a centralized access team to drive accountability.
• Investments were made in technology-driven scheduling improvements; upgrades and template optimization ensured that scheduling changes were aligned with operational capacity and patient demand.
• Clear accountability metrics. Every initiative was tied to measurable outcomes—ensuring that progress could be tracked and adjusted in real-time. 

This work should have been done long ago, but once we put the pieces together, our efforts laid the foundation for lasting improvement. 

Beyond Efficiency: The Art of Patient Access 

In healthcare, access is often framed as a mathematical equation – a problem to be solved through increased efficiency and resource allocation. But patient access is not a mechanical process; it is an inherently human, artistic discipline that requires a nuanced understanding of clinical practice, operational flow, and patient behavior – to name a few. 

The phrase “just see more patients” implies that the solution is simple. In reality, it is perhaps the most complex and multifaceted challenge in healthcare today – which is why, without prioritizing a central access strategy, even countless resources and years of labor won’t fix the problem. 

True success doesn’t come from pushing volume at all costs, but from establishing committed, accountable leadership that drives a unified strategy – one that ensures access isn’t just a consideration, but a system-wide priority.

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