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New appointment hours at health department Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 4, patients can call the health department between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to get an appointment that day, said Early County health department director Alida Ward. "This new open appointment system is designed to allow us to see patients sooner than the conventional appointment system," Ward said. "Patients will get in more quickly. When they arrive here at the health department, we will be able to see them in a more timely manner." Southwest Public Health District's 14 county health departments are adopting the open appointment system for the majority of programs, said district program manager Brenda Greene. "We conducted a survey of our patients and learned that they would like a choice of calling on the day that they wanted to come in or making an appointment in advance," she said. "Other health districts have implemented the open appointment system and have had great results. Also, one of our largest state programs is recommending it as a best practice model for seeing patients." The new system is expected to help Early County Health Department be more efficient, particularly during high volume times like flu season and back-to-school immunization time, Ward said. "We believe our patients will be pleased to find that they have more control over their time and that this system will make it easier for them to get in and out when they come to us for services."
While the health department is aiming at seeing the majority of its patients under the new system, it will continue to set up appointments in advance for those who need them. "We recognize that some people prefer making appointments in advance, and of course we will be glad to accommodate them," said Greene.
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