By far the most popular scheduling solution we see is the telemedicine time block. Telemedicine time blocks reduce double scheduling while keeping the schedule organized. Providers or administrators will determine a period that is set aside for telemedicine scheduling only. This could be a considerable stretch or a short burst, but the most common increment is about two hours.
On the master schedule, this time is blocked out for telemedicine, and all the appointment scheduling happens on the telemedicine platforms. For patients who are self-scheduling, they are only able to schedule within the time block. While staff can schedule at other times, it is recommended that telemedicine scheduling be restricted to ensure that patients do not get missed or left waiting. Some groups block out time daily while others reserve it for a single period throughout the week. This will be dictated by volume and the needs of the organization and can be designed specifically depending on the use case. vii
