Certified Medical Assistant Practice Exam

Which type of scheduling system schedules three patients at the beginning of each hour?

1. Wave

2. Block

3. Stream

4. Wave

The correct answer is: Wave

The scheduling system that schedules three patients at the beginning of each hour is known as the wave scheduling system. This approach allows for a concentrated influx of patients, typically three at the top of each hour, and is designed to reduce waiting times by allowing multiple patients to arrive simultaneously. By having three patients scheduled at the same time, it creates a more dynamic flow of patient care, allowing for adjustments as needed throughout the hour based on how long each appointment takes. This method can help accommodate longer appointments or delays while still ensuring that there is a steady flow of patients during the hour. Other scheduling systems, such as block scheduling, stream scheduling, and variations of wave scheduling, do not follow this specific format of having multiple patients scheduled at the very start of each hour. Block scheduling may involve scheduling in larger chunks of time for specific types of patients, while stream scheduling typically has appointments spaced out more evenly, rather than clustering them at one time.