Family medicine
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Open access is one method of improving the quality of clinical practice. Leaving the majority of appointments open to be scheduled the same day allows patients to have control of their access to care. These appointments can be used for all visit types, including physical exams. Our objective was to implement this system to improve efficiency, and patient/provider satisfaction, while maintaining financial profitability. ⋯ Open access has improved revenue, simplified office processes, decreased nursing work, and improved patient satisfaction without any increase in provider time or clinic expansion.
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There continue to be significant racial and ethnic disparities in rates of childhood and adult immunizations in the United States. The causes are multifactorial, including inequities in education, income, and socioeconomic status; structural and systemic barriers in the health care delivery system; and beliefs, preferences, and practice patterns of the recipients and providers of care. ⋯ The individual clinician can contribute to the narrowing of this gap by being informed of and using available national and regional resources, implementing national standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate health care services, and using every clinical encounter to assure that vaccination is offered and provided. Specific action steps are suggested.