diff --git a/src/__tests__/hooks/debounce.spec.ts b/src/__tests__/hooks/debounce.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..73be39e3eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/hooks/debounce.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { renderHook, act } from '@testing-library/react-hooks'
+import useDebounce from 'hooks/debounce'
+
+describe('useDebounce', () => {
+  beforeAll(() => jest.useFakeTimers())
+
+  afterAll(() => jest.useRealTimers())
+
+  it('should set the next value after the input value has not changed for the specified amount of time', () => {
+    const initialValue = 'initialValue'
+    const expectedValue = 'someValue'
+    const debounceDelay = 500
+
+    let currentValue = initialValue
+
+    const { rerender, result } = renderHook(() => useDebounce(currentValue, debounceDelay))
+
+    currentValue = expectedValue
+
+    act(() => {
+      rerender()
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(debounceDelay)
+    })
+
+    expect(result.current).toBe(expectedValue)
+  })
+
+  it('should not set a new value before the specified delay has elapsed', () => {
+    const initialValue = 'initialValue'
+    const nextValue = 'someValue'
+    const debounceDelay = 500
+
+    let currentValue = initialValue
+
+    const { rerender, result } = renderHook(() => useDebounce(currentValue, debounceDelay))
+
+    currentValue = nextValue
+
+    act(() => {
+      rerender()
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(debounceDelay - 1)
+    })
+
+    expect(result.current).toBe(initialValue)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/__tests__/patients/list/Patients.test.tsx b/src/__tests__/patients/list/Patients.test.tsx
index bfce7907c7..56cb7a3e21 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/patients/list/Patients.test.tsx
+++ b/src/__tests__/patients/list/Patients.test.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import '../../../__mocks__/matchMediaMock'
 import React from 'react'
 import { mount } from 'enzyme'
-import { TextInput, Button, Spinner } from '@hospitalrun/components'
+import { TextInput, Spinner } from '@hospitalrun/components'
 import { MemoryRouter } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { Provider } from 'react-redux'
 import thunk from 'redux-thunk'
@@ -58,15 +58,6 @@ describe('Patients', () => {
       jest.restoreAllMocks()
     })
 
-    it('should render a search input with button', () => {
-      const wrapper = setup()
-      const searchInput = wrapper.find(TextInput)
-      const searchButton = wrapper.find(Button)
-      expect(searchInput).toHaveLength(1)
-      expect(searchInput.prop('placeholder')).toEqual('actions.search')
-      expect(searchButton.text().trim()).toEqual('actions.search')
-    })
-
     it('should render a loading bar if it is loading', () => {
       const wrapper = setup(true)
 
@@ -111,10 +102,15 @@ describe('Patients', () => {
   })
 
   describe('search functionality', () => {
-    it('should call the searchPatients() action with the correct data', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => jest.useFakeTimers())
+
+    afterEach(() => jest.useRealTimers())
+
+    it('should search for patients after the search text has not changed for 500 milliseconds', () => {
       const searchPatientsSpy = jest.spyOn(patientSlice, 'searchPatients')
-      const expectedSearchText = 'search text'
       const wrapper = setup()
+      searchPatientsSpy.mockClear()
+      const expectedSearchText = 'search text'
 
       act(() => {
         ;(wrapper.find(TextInput).prop('onChange') as any)({
@@ -127,14 +123,8 @@ describe('Patients', () => {
         } as React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>)
       })
 
-      wrapper.update()
-
       act(() => {
-        ;(wrapper.find(Button).prop('onClick') as any)({
-          preventDefault(): void {
-            // noop
-          },
-        } as React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement>)
+        jest.advanceTimersByTime(500)
       })
 
       wrapper.update()
diff --git a/src/hooks/debounce.ts b/src/hooks/debounce.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d80517c0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/debounce.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
+
+export default function <T>(value: T, delayInMilliseconds: number): T {
+  const [debouncedValue, setDebouncedValue] = useState(value)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const debounceHandler = setTimeout(() => setDebouncedValue(value), delayInMilliseconds)
+
+    return () => clearTimeout(debounceHandler)
+  }, [value, delayInMilliseconds])
+
+  return debouncedValue
+}
diff --git a/src/patients/list/Patients.tsx b/src/patients/list/Patients.tsx
index 9cdef6b619..a56f374321 100644
--- a/src/patients/list/Patients.tsx
+++ b/src/patients/list/Patients.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { RootState } from '../../store'
 import { fetchPatients, searchPatients } from '../patients-slice'
 import useTitle from '../../page-header/useTitle'
 import useAddBreadcrumbs from '../../breadcrumbs/useAddBreadcrumbs'
+import useDebounce from '../../hooks/debounce'
 
 const breadcrumbs = [{ i18nKey: 'patients.label', location: '/patients' }]
 
@@ -35,6 +36,12 @@ const Patients = () => {
 
   const [searchText, setSearchText] = useState<string>('')
 
+  const debouncedSearchText = useDebounce(searchText, 500)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    dispatch(searchPatients(debouncedSearchText))
+  }, [dispatch, debouncedSearchText])
+
   useEffect(() => {
     dispatch(fetchPatients())
 
@@ -43,9 +50,21 @@ const Patients = () => {
     }
   }, [dispatch, setButtonToolBar])
 
-  if (isLoading) {
-    return <Spinner color="blue" loading size={[10, 25]} type="ScaleLoader" />
-  }
+  const loadingIndicator = <Spinner color="blue" loading size={[10, 25]} type="ScaleLoader" />
+
+  const listBody = (
+    <tbody>
+      {patients.map((p) => (
+        <tr key={p.id} onClick={() => history.push(`/patients/${p.id}`)}>
+          <td>{p.code}</td>
+          <td>{p.givenName}</td>
+          <td>{p.familyName}</td>
+          <td>{p.sex}</td>
+          <td>{p.dateOfBirth ? format(new Date(p.dateOfBirth), 'yyyy-MM-dd') : ''}</td>
+        </tr>
+      ))}
+    </tbody>
+  )
 
   const list = (
     <table className="table table-hover">
@@ -58,17 +77,7 @@ const Patients = () => {
           <th>{t('patient.dateOfBirth')}</th>
         </tr>
       </thead>
-      <tbody>
-        {patients.map((p) => (
-          <tr key={p.id} onClick={() => history.push(`/patients/${p.id}`)}>
-            <td>{p.code}</td>
-            <td>{p.givenName}</td>
-            <td>{p.familyName}</td>
-            <td>{p.sex}</td>
-            <td>{p.dateOfBirth ? format(new Date(p.dateOfBirth), 'yyyy-MM-dd') : ''}</td>
-          </tr>
-        ))}
-      </tbody>
+      {isLoading ? loadingIndicator : listBody}
     </table>
   )
 
@@ -76,31 +85,19 @@ const Patients = () => {
     setSearchText(event.target.value)
   }
 
-  const onSearchFormSubmit = (event: React.FormEvent | React.MouseEvent) => {
-    event.preventDefault()
-    dispatch(searchPatients(searchText))
-  }
-
   return (
     <Container>
-      <form className="form" onSubmit={onSearchFormSubmit}>
-        <Row>
-          <Column md={10}>
-            <TextInput
-              size="lg"
-              type="text"
-              onChange={onSearchBoxChange}
-              value={searchText}
-              placeholder={t('actions.search')}
-            />
-          </Column>
-          <Column md={2}>
-            <Button size="large" onClick={onSearchFormSubmit}>
-              {t('actions.search')}
-            </Button>
-          </Column>
-        </Row>
-      </form>
+      <Row>
+        <Column md={12}>
+          <TextInput
+            size="lg"
+            type="text"
+            onChange={onSearchBoxChange}
+            value={searchText}
+            placeholder={t('actions.search')}
+          />
+        </Column>
+      </Row>
 
       <Row>{list}</Row>
     </Container>