The Effect of Appointment System Efficiency on Patient Visit Punctuality and Waiting Time at Dentalife Dental Clinic

Abstract

Patient waiting time is one of the key indicators of healthcare service quality, as it can influence patient satisfaction and perceptions of the services. Long waiting times remain a common issue in dental practice settings. Irregular patient arrival patterns and suboptimal appointment systems may reduce service efficiency and affect patient experiences. This study aimed to analyze the effect of appointment system efficiency on patient visit punctuality and patient waiting time at Dentalife Dental Clinic. This study employed a quantitative approach using a cross-sectional design. A purposive sampling technique was used, involving 85 patients as respondents. Data were collected using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire and analyzed using the SEM-PLS. The findings showed that appointment system efficiency had a positive and significant effect on patient visit punctuality and a significant negative effect on patient waiting time. Patient visit punctuality did not show a significant effect on waiting time and was not found to mediate the relationship between appointment system efficiency and waiting time. The novelty of this study lies in integrating appointment system efficiency with patient visit punctuality as a behavioral mechanism within the context of independent dental clinics, an area that has received limited attention in Indonesia. This study concludes that appointment system efficiency plays an important role in improving the effectiveness of clinical service management, while patient visit punctuality has not been proven to be a primary mechanism affecting patient waiting time.