In this article:
What is the general calendar?
The general calendar is used to set your practice's general availabilities instead of specific clinician availabilities which allows for greater flexibility in scheduling appointments. This approach is particularly useful in scenarios where the practitioner performing the service does not need to be a specific individual. Here’s an example to illustrate the benefits and functionality of using general availabilities.
Example Scenario
If a clinic has multiple nurses who are all trained to perform blood tests, however, there is only one room available for this procedure. By using general availabilities, the practice can optimise the use of this room without being constrained by the schedule of a specific nurse.
Benefits of General Availabilities
Optimised Resource Utilisation:
By booking appointments based on general availabilities, the practice can ensure that the dedicated room for blood tests is used efficiently. This prevents the room from being underused due to the unavailability of a specific nurse.
Increased Flexibility:
Patients can be booked for appointments based on the availability of any qualified nurse, rather than waiting for a particular nurse’s availability. This can lead to shorter wait times for patients.
Balanced Workload:
Workloads can be distributed more evenly among the available nurses. This helps prevent burnout and ensures that no single nurse is overwhelmed with appointments.
For more information on setting your General availability, see here.