Waiting for healthcare refers to any

waiting period A waiting period is the period of time between when an action is requested or mandated and when it occurs. In the United States, the term is commonly used in reference to gun control, abortion and marriage licences, as some U.S. states require ...

experienced by a patient before or during

medical treatment A therapy or medical treatment (often abbreviated tx, Tx, or Tx) is the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually following a medical diagnosis. As a rule, each therapy has indications and contraindications. There are many different ...

. Waiting to get an appointment with a physician, staying in a

waiting room A waiting room or waiting hall is a building, or more commonly a part of a building or a room, where people sit or stand until the event or appointment for which they are waiting begins. There are two types of waiting room. One has individuals ...

before an appointment, and being observed during a physician's

watchful waiting Watchful waiting (also watch and wait or WAW) is an approach to a medical problem in which time is allowed to pass before medical intervention or therapy is used. During this time, repeated testing may be performed. Related terms include ''expec ...

are different concepts in waiting for healthcare. When a patient is waiting, their family and friends may also be waiting for an outcome. Waiting time influences

patient satisfaction Patient satisfaction is a measure of the extent to which a patient is content with the health care which they received from their health care provider. In evaluations of health care quality, patient satisfaction is a performance indicator measured ...

. Patients can spend longer waiting for treatment than actually receiving treatment. Some experts have suggested that patient waiting rooms in hospitals be integrated with the other rooms providing patient care so that information updates can come freely to anyone waiting. Time in the waiting room has been used to experiment with giving patient health education. In 2014 the

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is a United States-based non-profit institute created through the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It is a government-sponsored organization charged with funding comparative ...

began funding a study for improving the waiting room experience. Patients who are waiting for surgery depend on the availability of the

operating theater An operating theater (also known as an operating room (OR), operating suite, or operation suite) is a facility within a hospital where surgical operations are carried out in an aseptic environment. Historically, the term "operating theater" refe ...

, and if any patient getting treatment in that room takes longer than scheduled, all patients who are waiting to be next must wait beyond their appointed time. It can be difficult to maximize efficient use of the operating room when unexpected delays can happen and lead to patients waiting.

References

{{Health governance Medical terminology Time management