What Efforts Are You Taking to Improve Patients’ Access to Your Services?

Q: What efforts are you taking to improve patients’ access to your services?

A: Access is a key priority for Cleveland Clinic. Our mission is to bring our model of patient care ― one that concentrates on the patient first by providing the best quality and experience ― to as many patients as possible. To that end, we have a number of approaches aimed at expanding access to our digestive and surgical care:

Geographic growth

We are expanding regionally by acquiring hospitals and extending where our physicians and providers work. And we’re reaching out more remotely, as far as Florida, Abu Dhabi and London. Within each of those sites, we’re also working to improve access by having the right support for our teams and optimal schedules for patients.

Embracing technology

Whether it’s by offering online scheduling so patients can make an appointment for a time that suits them or by giving patients and physicians who live too far away electronic second opinions and consultations, we are improving access through technology.

We’re also using technology to help physicians easily access consultations from a Cleveland Clinic physician or surgeon using app technology, which gives them direct contact with our team.

Shared medical appointments

Finally, we’re making it easier for patients to get in and see us for certain key clinical problems that are suitable for shared medical appointments. These include appointments with our bariatric (medical & surgical), inflammatory bowel disease, and chronic abdominal pain teams.

These programs can be accessed through our physicians or nurse navigators (ddsinavigator@ccf.org). All in all, we are constantly focused on using schedule optimization, technology and putting people in the right place to bring our model of care to as many patients as possible.

— Conor Delaney, MD, PhD

Chairman, Digestive Disease & Surgery Institute

Cleveland Clinic