Challenging the expectation that no businesses in Qatar answers their phones, Hamad Hospital is asking patients to call ahead and book an appointment before heading to the doctor’s office.

The idea is to reduce long waiting times, connect patients with the right doctors, and reduce foot traffic to the hospital, which has some 3,000 visitors a day, half of whom only come to book appointments, a Hamad Medical Corp. official explained.

The Peninsula reports:

An urgent patient will have the appointment within three days, while a regular case appoints will be given with in a maximum of two weeks. Patients will receive a call to be informed about the appointment, then three-days to the appointment, they will get a reminder and one-day before the appointment, the patient will get an SMS.

The appointment booking center can be reached at 4439 5777 and is staffed from 7am to 6pm.

Primary healthcare centers are also expected to implement an appointment system, with centers in Omar bin Khatab, West Bay, Gharafa and Mesaimeer undergoing a pilot program next month.

Do you go to HMC when you need to see a doctor? Do you think these changes will help?