Melba Ansah

Expanding access takes more than opening up schedules – it requires intentional alignment across people, processes, and performance metrics. In this strategic discussion, Melba Ansah, Executive Director of Ambulatory Ops & Strategic Initiatives at UChicago Medicine, will walk through her organization’s TARGET (Template, Access, Realignment, Growth, Efficiency, Transparency) initiative, designed to drive enterprise-wide improvements in provider availability, operational efficiency, and access to care.

• What makes for strong scheduling template hygiene – and how do you define and enforce it?
• How can organizations better track and act on no-shows, cancellations, and unbooked slots?
• What benchmarks are most useful for ensuring new patients are seen within competitive timeframes?
• What operational blind spots – like unbooked appointment slots or poor exam room utilization – might limit access without us realizing it?