---
title: Wait Times > Summary Report
description: A real-time overview of outpatient waiting list performance, helping teams monitor demand, identify long waits, and manage capacity across hospitals and specialties.
---

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April 24, 2026

# Wait Times \> Summary Report

## Gives a real-time snapshot of the outpatient waiting list performance, highlighting demand, delays, and capacity pressures across hospitals and specialties. 

#### **Location in SystemView**: Explore \> Outpatients \> Wait Times \> Summary Report

**In this article:**

- [What it is](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-wait-times-summary-report#What-it-is)
- [Why it matters](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-wait-times-summary-report#Why-it-matters)
- [How to use it](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-wait-times-summary-report#How-to-use-it)
- [How it works](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-wait-times-summary-report#How-it-works)
- [How it helps you](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-wait-times-summary-report#How-it-helps-you)
- [Best practices](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-wait-times-summary-report#Best-practices)
- [FAQs & Troubleshooting](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-wait-times-summary-report#FAQs-Troubleshooting)

---

### **What it is**

The **Wait Times Summary Report** provides a real-time overview of outpatient waiting list performance across hospitals and specialties. It combines key metrics and detailed wait time data to help users understand demand, delays, and overall system pressure.

![](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-22-2026-09-58-19-8154-AM.png?width=670&height=202&name=image-png-Apr-22-2026-09-58-19-8154-AM.png)

---

### **Why it matters**

##### *Managing outpatient waiting lists effectively is critical to reducing clinical risk and improving patient outcomes.*

This report helps teams to:

- Identify patients waiting beyond recommended timeframes (*over target*)
- Detect growing demand and capacity gaps
- Monitor performance trends over time
- Support timely and data-driven decision-making

---

### **How to use it**

#### **Apply Filters**

Use the filter bar to focus on specific:

- Hospitals or regions
- Specialties
- Categories (Urgent, Semi-Urgent, Routine)
- Wait status or patient cohorts

#### **Review Key Metrics**

Start with the headline figures:

- Current waiting list size
- Weekly change
- Average demand (YTD and 13-week rolling)

#### **Analyse the Table**

Scan the table to:

- Identify specialties with high **Over Target** counts
- Compare **median vs long wait times**
- Spot areas with high weekly additions

#### **Take Action**

Use insights to:

- Prioritise long-wait patients
- Adjust clinic capacity
- Escalate high-risk specialties

#### **Step-by-step workflow:**

1. Open *Outpatients → Wait Times → Summary Report*
2. Apply relevant filters (e.g. specialty or hospital)
3. Review top-level metrics for demand trends
4. Scan table for high Over Target values
5. Drill into specialties requiring action
6. Use Patient List to prioritise bookings

---

### **How it works**

The report aggregates outpatient data from source systems and presents it in a structured format:

- **Waiting list data** is grouped by hospital and specialty
- **Wait times** are calculated in days (median, 90th percentile, maximum)
- **Over Target patients** are identified based on clinically recommended timeframes
- **Demand metrics** (additions) are tracked weekly and averaged over time

Data is refreshed regularly, with a timestamp displayed on the report.

---

### **How it helps you**

- **Quickly identify pressure points**  
  Pinpoint specialties with long waits or growing demand
- **Improve patient flow**  
  Focus on patients most at risk of delays
- **Support planning and forecasting**  
  Use trends to anticipate future demand
- **Enable proactive management**  
  Act early before delays escalate into larger backlogs

---

### **Best practices**

#### **How often should I use it**

| What to do | How often | Who it’s for | Why it helps |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Review headline metrics (waiting list size, weekly change, demand trends) | **Daily / Weekly** | Service Managers, Admin Teams | Quickly identify shifts in demand and emerging pressures |
| Monitor **Over Target patients** and long waits | **Daily** | Clinical & Scheduling Teams | Reduces clinical risk by prioritising patients exceeding timeframes |
| Analyse specialty-level performance | **Weekly** | Operational Managers | Highlights areas requiring additional capacity or intervention |
| Compare rolling averages and weekly additions | **Weekly / Monthly** | Performance & Planning Teams | Supports trend analysis and forward planning |
| Validate data and review anomalies | **As needed** | All users | Ensures decisions are based on accurate and reliable data |

#### **Pair with these components**

Use this report alongside:

- **🔗 [Waiting List \> Patient list](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-waiting-list-patient-list)<https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-waiting-list-patient-list>**  
  To identify and prioritise individual patients for booking
- **🔗** [**Waiting List \> Risks & Projections**](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-waiting-list-risks-and-projections)  
  To understand future demand and patients at risk of breaching
- **🔗** [**Waiting List \> Dynamics**](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-waiting-list-dynamics)  
  To analyse demand vs capacity (additions vs removals)
- 🔗 **[Waiting List \> Trends](https://academy.healthcarelogic.com/knowledge/outpatients-waiting-list-trends)**  
  To monitor long-term waiting list performance and growth

#### **Tips for success**

- Focus on **Over Target patients first** to reduce risk
- Use filters to **narrow down to actionable cohorts** (e.g. specialty, category)
- Look beyond totals - review **percentiles and maximum waits** for hidden delays
- Track **weekly changes** to spot early signs of pressure
- Combine insights with operational actions (e.g. adding clinics, reallocating capacity)
- Regularly review data with clinical and operational teams to align priorities

---

### **FAQs / Troubleshooting**

**Why has the waiting list suddenly increased or decreased?**  
This may reflect a change in weekly additions/removals, data updates, or operational activity such as clinics being added or cancelled.

**What does “Over Target” mean?**  
Patients who have exceeded their clinically recommended waiting time and may be at increased clinical risk.

**Why does the data refresh time vary?**  
Data refresh depends on source system updates and integration timing.

**What should I do if data looks incorrect?**

- Check filters are applied correctly
- Confirm with source system data
- Escalate if discrepancies persist

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