What's a fair token system for walk-ins vs appointments?

Last reviewed: 9 May 2026 Gaurav, Founder, Vaidya OS

Quick answer

Time-bucketed slots: divide the day into 15-minute blocks, with 4 token slots per block. Booked appointments fill 3 of the 4; the 4th is reserved for walk-ins. If a booked patient is more than 15 minutes late, their slot opens to walk-ins. Patients see fairness because the rule is visible and consistent.

In this answer

The 4-slot 15-minute block
The rules to post visibly
Why this works

The walk-in vs appointment fight is the #1 cause of clinic Google review damage. A clear, posted rule fixes it.

The 4-slot 15-minute block

Time block	Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Slot 4
10:00-10:15	Booked	Booked	Booked	Walk-in
10:15-10:30	Booked	Booked	Booked	Walk-in

The rules to post visibly

Booked patients: arrive 5 minutes early. 15-minute grace; after that, slot opens to walk-ins.
Walk-ins: served in the dedicated 4th slot per block, in arrival order.
Emergencies: doctor's discretion; jumps the queue.

Why this works

Visible fairness: nobody can argue when the rule is on the wall.
Booked-patient confidence: they know they won't wait 90 minutes behind walk-ins.
Walk-in feasibility: 4-8 walk-in slots per day means most are seen same-day.
Late-arrival recovery: empty slots become walk-in opportunities, not lost revenue.

Vaidya OS auto-allocates by time block and slot type.

Gaurav

Founder, Vaidya OS

Last reviewed 9 May 2026 · Published 9 May 2026

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In this answer

The 4-slot 15-minute block
The rules to post visibly
Why this works