{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]],"date-time":"2026-08-05T07:46:07Z","timestamp":1785915967331,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"AOSIS","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,6]],"date-time":"2026-08-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785974400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Lead time is the total time spent by a patient in a facility from their arrival until the end of the last service they receive. Increased waiting times, which are idle times, in between service points within a service system significantly lengthen the lead times.\nAim: To review lead times and the determinant factors in public optometry services in South Africa.\nMethods: Literature was reviewed from Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect databases using key terms such as \u2018lead time\u2019, \u2018waiting times\u2019, \u2018optometry services\u2019 and \u2018public hospitals\u2019. To obtain more data about optometry services and wait times in public hospitals, seven websites were also included.\nResults: It was determined that 38 academic papers were pertinent to the review. Fifteen were optometry and eye care, six on lead time,six on triage, three queuing theory, one on patient flow, three on lean theory and two on frame work. Human resource limitations, insufficient equipment, unequal optometrist distribution and ineffective referral and patient flow mechanisms are among the main issues influencing lead times.\nConclusion: To address the prolonged lead times for service in optometry, the report emphasises the urgent need for systemic changes in rural South African public hospitals. To ensure patients receive prompt and efficient eye care. It is imperative to increase the availability of qualified staff, upgrade infrastructure and expedite procurement procedures.\nContribution: This study not only sheds light on existing debates on lead times and the system-level factors such as human resources, infrastructure and patient flow inefficiencies that influence them in South African public optometry services, but it also highlights important knowledge gaps and offers guidance for further studies and improvements in the healthcare system.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/hsag.v31i0.3208","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]],"date-time":"2026-08-05T06:57:33Z","timestamp":1785913053000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A review of lead times and determinant factors in public optometry services in South Africa"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"31","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-6254-1043","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mapula P.","family":"Rapao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/017p87168","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Limpopo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2086-8002","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pheagane M.W.","family":"Nkoana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/017p87168","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Limpopo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abdool, Z., Naidoo, K. & Visser, L., 2022, \u2018Development of a diabetic retinopathy screening model for a district health system in Limpopo Province, South Africa\u2019, African Vision and Eye Health 81(1), 568. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/AVEH.V81I1.568","DOI":"10.4102\/aveh.v81i1.568"},{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Afolabi, M.O. & Erhun, W.O., 2005, \u2018Patients\u2019 response to waiting time in an out-patient pharmacy in Nigeria\u2019, Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research 2(2), 207\u2013214. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4314\/TJPR.V2I2.14601","DOI":"10.4314\/tjpr.v2i2.14601"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ali, M.A., Milani, F. & Dumas, M., 2025, \u2018Data-driven identification and analysis of waiting times in business processes\u2019, Business & Information Systems Engineering 67(2), 191\u2013208. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s12599-024-00868-5","DOI":"10.1007\/s12599-024-00868-5"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ameh, N., Sabo, B. & Oyefabi, M.O., 2013, \u2018Application of queuing theory to patient satisfaction at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria\u2019, Nigerian Medical Journal 54(1), 64\u201367. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4103\/0300-1652.108902","DOI":"10.4103\/0300-1652.108902"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Arksey, H. & O\u2019Malley, L., 2005, \u2018Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework\u2019, International Journal of Social Research Methodology 8, 19\u201332. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/1364557032000119616","DOI":"10.1080\/1364557032000119616"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Biya, M., Gezahagn, M., Birhanu, B., Yitbarek, K., Getachew, N. & Beyene, W., 2022, \u2018Waiting time and its associated factors in patients presenting to outpatient departments at Public Hospitals of Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia\u2019, BMC Health Services Research 22(1), 107. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12913-022-07502-8","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-022-07502-8"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Blanford, J.I., Kumar, S., Luo, W. & MacEachren, A.M., 2012, \u2018It\u2019s a long, long walk: Accessibility to hospitals, maternity and integrated health centres in Niger\u2019, International Journal of Health Geographics 11(1), 24. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/1476-072X-11-24","DOI":"10.1186\/1476-072X-11-24"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Brindley, C., Lomas, J. & Siciliani, L., 2023, \u2018The effect of hospital spending on waiting times\u2019, Health Economics 32(11), 2427\u20132445. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/HEC.4735","DOI":"10.1002\/hec.4735"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Buthelezi, L.M. & Van Staden, D., 2020, \u2018Integrating eye health into policy: Evidence for health systems strengthening in KwaZulu-Natal\u2019, African Vision and Eye Health 79(1), 1\u201310. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/AVEH.V79I1.549","DOI":"10.4102\/aveh.v79i1.549"},{"key":"ref9","unstructured":"Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2007, Understanding emergency department wait times: How long do people spend in emergency departments in Ontario? 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