How Niagara Health Developed Waitlist Management Software: A Guide to Building Your Own

Healthcare systems worldwide are struggling with long wait times for treatment. 

In Canada, the median wait time for healthcare has reached a record high of 30 weeks. 

That's 222% longer than in 1993. 

This delay affects patients deeply, causing increased pain, anxiety, and the potential for worsening health conditions.

Niagara Health, a regional healthcare provider in Ontario, faced similar challenges with surgical wait times. 

To tackle this, they implemented Novari Health's surgical waitlist management and eBooking system across its three surgical campuses. 

Known as Novari ATC, this system has helped improve surgical efficiency and patient access.

By using digital tools to manage waitlists, Niagara Health has reduced backlogs, maximized operating room time, and eased the workload on clinicians and staff. 

Their success story is a great example for other healthcare organizations looking to optimize waitlist management and improve patient care. 

In this blog, we’ll explore how you can build a similar solution for your organization.

Understanding the Need for Waitlist Management Software

Long wait times are a big problem in healthcare worldwide. 

For example, patients at the busiest hospitals can wait at least 18 weeks for routine procedures. 

That’s five times longer than patients at quieter hospitals. 

At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, more than 60% of patients waited at least 18 weeks. 

Why does this happen? There are several reasons:

• Limited Resources: Healthcare systems often struggle with limited funding, which leads to shortages in things like hospital beds, medical equipment, and staff.

• Specialist Availability: There aren’t enough specialists to meet demand, which causes delays in consultations and treatments.

• Surgical Backlogs: The need for surgeries often exceeds available operating room time and the capacity of surgical teams.

On top of these issues, many healthcare systems still use outdated methods to manage waitlists, like handwritten notes, spreadsheets, and phone calls. These methods create problems, such as:

• Patient Dissatisfaction: Poor communication and inaccurate wait time estimates lead to frustrated patients and complaints.

• Safety Risks: Errors in scheduling or miscommunication can delay critical treatments and put patient safety at risk.

Explore the Benefits of Waitlist Management Tools

This is where waitlist management software can make a huge difference.

By using digital solutions, like online forms, healthcare organizations can streamline processes and improve efficiency. For example:

• Streamlined Appointment Requests: Patients can submit their requests online, at any time. This reduces the need for phone calls and allows staff to focus on other tasks.

• Automated Data Collection: Online forms reduce errors by ensuring data accuracy. This helps create reliable waitlists and improves communication with patients.

• Freed Staff Time: Automation cuts down on administrative work, so staff can spend more time on direct patient care.

Digital waitlist management tools also provide valuable insights, like:

• Patient Demographics: Information such as age and location helps tailor communication and services.

• Wait Times: Tracking wait times helps identify problem areas and improve efficiency.

• Reasons for Delays: Understanding delays can lead to better solutions for managing resources.

• Cancellation Rates: Analyzing cancellations can help optimize scheduling.

By using these insights, healthcare providers can make better decisions, improve scheduling, and reduce patient wait times, ultimately enhancing patient care.

Key Features of an Effective Waitlist Management Solution

Here's a breakdown of the key features to include:

1. Transparency and Communication

• Importance: Keeping patients informed about their waitlist status reduces anxiety and frustration.

• Benefit: When patients understand where they stand, they are more likely to feel satisfied and trust the healthcare provider.

2. Virtual Queuing

• Functionality: Allows patients to join a waitlist remotely via their phone or computer.

• How it Works: Patients receive updates through text messages or emails, enabling them to manage their time better.

• Impact: Reduces crowding in waiting rooms and provides a more convenient experience for patients.

3. Triage System

• Purpose: Prioritizes patients based on medical urgency rather than a first-come, first-served basis.

• Benefit: Ensures patients with critical needs receive timely attention while maintaining fairness.

4. Integration with Existing Systems

• Systems to Integrate: Electronic health records (EHRs), scheduling software, and billing systems.

• Advantage:
  • Streamlines data sharing across departments.
  • Reduces manual entry errors.
  • Automatically updates the waitlist when appointments are canceled or rescheduled.

• Example: If a patient cancels an appointment, the system identifies another patient on the waitlist and offers the slot immediately.

5. Customizable Notifications

• Feature: Allows patients to set preferences for practitioner, location, or time.

• Benefit: Patients receive alerts tailored to their needs, improving satisfaction and reducing irrelevant communication.

6. Data Insights and Reporting

• What It Tracks:
  • Patient demographics.
  • Reasons for delays.
  • Cancellation patterns.
  • Waitlist trends by day, location, or practitioner.

• Why It Matters: Helps healthcare organizations make data-driven decisions to optimize scheduling and resource allocation.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Waitlist Management Platform

Creating a reliable waitlist management system takes careful planning and execution. Here's how you can build one:

1. Define the Scope

• Identify Key Areas: Start by identifying which services or departments need waitlist management the most. For example, radiology, surgery, or physical therapy.

• Understand Your Users: List everyone who will use the system—patients, admin staff, nurses, and doctors.

2. Gather Requirements

• Talk to Stakeholders: Discuss with your team to understand their challenges and expectations. This ensures the system solves real problems.

• Review Current Practices: Analyze how waitlists are currently managed. Spot inefficiencies and areas that need improvement.

3. Design the System

• Pick the Right Technology: Choose tools that support scalability, security, and easy integration.

• Consider Cloud-Based Options: Cloud platforms make it easier to access the system from anywhere, reducing setup costs and improving flexibility.

4. Develop the Software

• Focus on Simplicity: Make the system user-friendly so everyone—tech-savvy or not—can navigate it easily.

• Ensure Security: Protect patient data with strong security measures and comply with healthcare regulations like PIPEDA/HIPAA.

• Test Extensively: Before launch, test every feature. Ensure the system handles different conditions without errors.

5. Integrate with Other Systems

• Connect Seamlessly: Integrate the software with existing tools like EHRs and scheduling systems. This ensures smooth workflows.

• Reduce Duplicate Work: Automation can handle updates, such as cancellations, and keep the waitlist accurate in real time.

6. Train and Support Your Staff

• Offer Training: Ensure all staff know how to use the software, from basic tasks to advanced features.

• Provide Ongoing Support: Be ready to assist with technical issues or questions. Regular updates keep the system efficient and up-to-date.

Looking for a Tech Partner to Build Your Waitlist Platform? We Offer More!

Developing a tech solution, especially in healthcare, is no easy task. 

While this blog can guide you to some extent, creating a seamless and effective waitlist platform requires a reliable tech partner who truly understands your vision—and that's where we shine.

Here’s why SyS Creations is your ideal partner:

• A Team That Covers All Bases: With 50+ experts, including tech ninjas, healthcare professionals, compliance specialists, and business analysts, we ensure your solution is not only technically sound but also commercially viable.

• Healthcare Is Our Sole Focus: We specialize exclusively in healthcare projects. This focus gives us unmatched insight into healthcare workflows, ensuring your solution aligns perfectly with clinical operations—a critical factor for success.

• Deep Local Expertise: As a Burlington-based healthcare tech company, we understand the Canadian market and its unique challenges. Our local presence allows us to ensure your solution is fully compliant with regulations like PIPEDA and aligns with patient care expectations.

Imagine having a partner who knows your industry inside and out, collaborates with you at every step, and builds a solution tailored to your needs.

So, what are you waiting for?