AZ Hospital 'VIP' line speeds registration process

Gilbert Hospital, noted for its "Door to Doc in 31 Minutes" slogan, now allows en route registration via a call-ahead phone line. With the new program, which started in March, patients on their way to the hospital can call the toll-free VIP (Very Important Patient) line to provide basic registration information, saving precious seconds once they arrive."It's just speed and convenience for the patient," said Tim Johns, an emergency-department physician and a Gilbert Hospital founder and medical director. "We get to focus on their medical needs instead of asking, 'What was your phone number again?' It's another way to make the point that we don't make people wait." The call-ahead line is part of Gilbert Hospital's efforts to provide the fastest emergency-department treatment times in the country, said hospital CEO David Wanger.