1. Choose a manageable sample
Select one procedure type or one team's incoming patient questions for five business days. Record the dates, scope, and number of scheduled procedures so a later comparison uses a similar workload.
Observation dates and scope:
Use aggregate counts and broad categories. Do not put patient names, phone numbers, dates of birth, record numbers, or copied messages on this worksheet. Keep clinical documentation in your established systems.
2. Count questions and total staff work
Suggested categories: directions and arrival logistics, preparation instructions, recovery education, scheduling or billing, and questions requiring clinical review. The practice decides which questions need its clinical team.
For each contact, observe handling, documentation, review, and follow-up time. Record repeat contacts and unresolved work. If you cannot observe a field reliably, mark it unavailable rather than guessing.
| Day | Question contacts | Total staff minutes | Repeat contacts | Clinical handoffs | Unresolved contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | |||||
| Day 2 | |||||
| Day 3 | |||||
| Day 4 | |||||
| Day 5 | |||||
| Total |
Three most repeated question categories and counts:
3. Test one improvement
Choose a change suggested by the observations: clearer directions, a better-labeled handout, a consistent explanation, or another way to access routine education. Repeat the same measurement over a comparable period.
- Include staff review, corrections, and follow-up in the evaluation period.
- Report one-time setup and training separately.
- Account for changes in procedure volume and staffing.
- Ask what remained unresolved and whether the team would continue the workflow.
Baseline staff minutes / evaluation staff minutes / one-time setup minutes:
What improved, and what added work?
An automated answer is not proof that a phone call was avoided. A simple before-and-after audit can guide a practice decision; it does not establish causation or clinical outcomes.
Share it with your practice manager
This worksheet is free to use and share with attribution to PrepQ Health. It is an operational planning tool, not clinical advice or a research-validated instrument.
Prepared by PrepQ Health, a patient-education technology company co-founded by Keith Schmidt, MD, and Ryan Kuta, DO. Updated September 8, 2026.