The world of technology is ever-changing. We have seen huge advances in technology over the last 20 years. More and more people have cell phones, tablets, and other devices that allow them to communicate with their friends and family, no matter where they are.
Patient Check-in Programs
Patients no longer need to check-in with the receptionist, they can now use a tablet to let your team know they’ve arrived. Upon entering the clinic, the patient can select their desired language, the year of their birth, for example, and perhaps the first letter of their surname. Using these or similar combinations can ensure that the patient checks themselves in, ensuring the doctor knows they are waiting.
One of the good things about this type of program is many of them tell the patient how long they need to wait. Others tell the patient how many people are seeing the doctor before they do. This makes the waiting time a little less frustrating.
Appointment Reminders
It doesn’t matter if you hand someone an appointment reminder card, they might still forget about their appointment. However, this is where appointment reminder calls can make a difference. A quick call on the same day or the night before can help people to remember. This means they will get the care they need and your doctor’s office are more likely to have a 100% check-in rate.
While no appointment reminder promises to eliminate no-shows, they can remind people or encourage them to cancel the appointment.
Monitors in the Waiting Area
Monitors in the waiting area that display health information are often appreciated. Patients can learn about symptoms and watch short videos about how they can look after themselves. The monitors can also display appointment information, how long the wait is, and even a few facts about the team.
Monitors can also keep young patients entertained while they wait. This can make the waiting process so much easier for them and their parents or carers.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine used to be a thing of science fiction, but it has well and truly arrived. Telemedicine can ensure the doctor reaches their patients, including those who live somewhere remote. Alternatively, this form of patient communication can also be used for those appointments that would be over quickly, and, therefore, not worth the patient’s time traveling to the doctor’s office.
More and more people are now using video call technology to communicate with others. It’s unlikely to be very long before doctors and their team use them daily. They maintain contact with the patient while saving time and money rather than bringing them into the doctor’s office.
As you can see, bringing more technology into the doctor’s office can be advantageous. It can ensure fewer appointments are missed, patients spend less time checking in, and health information is sent out to those in the waiting room. Add Telemedicine on top, and it’s clear that technology has a huge part to play in the future of doctor’s offices everywhere.
