Inclusion | Exclusion | |
---|---|---|
Participants | • Clients/patients referred to and waiting for ambulatory or community health services. | • People waiting for:  ○ Mental health/addiction services  ○ Specialist medical services (eg. surgery, diagnostic services, radiotherapy etc).  ○ Inpatient treatment  ○ Case management services |
Intervention or independent variable | • Waiting for an ambulatory/ community allied health/therapy service. | • Time spent in the waiting room/ED • Delay in seeking treatment • Factors associated with access to service not related to waiting (for example location /cost /knowledge /attitudes/insurance status /culture) • Studies with co-interventions. Eg Early intervention program involving high intensity treatment vs usual care. |
Comparison | • People who waited vs people who didn’t wait for the same service • Comparison of outcomes cohorts of people who waited for different amounts of time for the same service | • Comparisons of different protocols to determine the optimum timing of a treatment • Studies without comparative data. |
Outcomes | • Quality of care (safety, effectiveness, patient satisfaction) • Clinical outcomes • Satisfaction with care | • Service targets/outcomes/financial. • Patients/clients never seen/denied service through waiting • People who drop off the list having • waited/FTA • Drop out rate/non attendance/completion of program in terms of attendance • Satisfaction related to service processes |
Publication type | • Journal articles • Qualitative and quantitative • Peer reviewed, with data • Case series • Published in English | • Conference papers/abstracts/thesis • Book chapters • Editorials/Opinion • Case study • Review |