The public health care system is currently overburdened by justifiable demands for care, in particular an increase in the burden of diseases and increasing number of patients seeking care. Studies have proven that the length of time that a patient waits to receive health services is one of the important drivers of satisfaction and compliance with treatment and is indeed one of the commonest, most consistent bitterness issues that most complain about. The Department of Health remains committed to providing an improved quality of services to all the people seeking care in our public health establishments through proper management of patient waiting time systems.

Various interventions have been implemented in our public health establishments to improve patient waiting time and satisfaction, however; the effects thereof differ across health
establishments. In our quest to improve patient waiting time, we therefore align ourselves with globally and locally proven initiatives for improving patient waiting time.
Successful implementation of this guideline requires concerted efforts from all levels of health in particular, managers from provincial Quality Assurance and Improvement units, Public Relations and or communication officers, sub/districts and front-line staff members including clinicians and respective managers.