Table 2 Major themes illustrating the impact of central intake implementation
Theme | Participant quotes |
|---|---|
Reduced service duplication | (P1) We no longer have unwarranted service duplication. (P8) We just don’t (have children)…on multiple lists. |
More equitable wait times based on priority need | (P4) I think it’s working for families. And, I mean families still have to wait. So that’s, um, not good. But I think it’s an easier system to navigate. (P8) I think that’s been one of the benefits for the therapists too, right, is that they have a clearer sense of the priorities. |
Increased communication among therapists | (P5) There’s a discussion that usually happens between the two therapists (at 2 different sites) so that you can kind of tweak out when that service is going to happen. (P7) I do know like just communication, uh, between therapists is better. |
Clearer, simpler and more transparent processes for accessing the service in the right location | (P6) The central intake, I think it just paved the way for us to stream people to the right destination, the right location and make it easier for everybody to, uh, know who’s in the queue and to have even a way to track where people were. (P1) We have children going to the appropriate provider and being served based on their needs, not on diagnosis. (P3) One of the things is that one central point of entry, you know, for everybody. Like for the families, you know. For physicians. For, you know, uh, all of the support people in the community, you know, to come through one route, you know, is, uh, to me like fabulous. You know like that’s it right there in a nutshell, you know. (P4) And certainly some of the evaluative things that I’ve heard are just, um, particularly from the PT side …. there’s like hardly any complaints from families or from referring people. (P5) So it’s a better understanding I think from the families of what services are out there for physiotherapy at least. And, and that’s huge….There’s more satisfaction. |
More accurate wait time data | (P7) Wait list under control, you know, like in terms of, um, knowing who’s who and who’s waiting and who’s got what and how long have they been waiting. (P1) We now know where every child is within the system. Nobody’s guessing anymore….central intake can certainly answer the question. (P4) I think the waiting list has been really cleaned up. Like I think it’s accurate for the first time. |