How To Improve Patient Intake Efficiency
Improving the patient intake efficiency takes work from everyone in the practice. To learn what needs to be improved we first have to know what steps are taken now, then we can discuss what ways could help each step improve to make this process more efficient. The steps taken now are useful, but they could be improved to make the process easier and faster for both the patient and the practice. When a patient calls the first step is to determine if the patient is a new patient or an established patient. A new patient is one that has not been seen at the practice for more than 3 years and an established patient has been seen there in the last three years. If the patient is an established patient we then
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We live in a world where most things are done online, I think it would be a great idea to have all forms available online for patients to fill out. I know some places offer the option to go online and print them out and bring them in, but there has to be new software out there that lets a patient log in to a secure site and put their information into the computer and it be available for the practice to see. This would give patients the option to do this, and for those that do not use computers or have access to one can still go in a fill out the new forms. This would help eliminate the extra 15 minutes new patients have to wait because they have to show up early to do paper work and wait for the person at the desk to get the information in the system. According to the article I read, “There 's always new technology rolling out to help providers be more efficient, so they 're often suspicious about the return on investment,” (Kerin, 2012, para.). So although there are more options available most providers are worried about if the new technology is going to bring enough intake to cover the cost of it. I understand their concern, but as a patient, I think less time to wait and having everything entered in to system before getting to the doctor sounds that I would recommend them to friends and others when asked where to
We live in a world where most things are done online, I think it would be a great idea to have all forms available online for patients to fill out. I know some places offer the option to go online and print them out and bring them in, but there has to be new software out there that lets a patient log in to a secure site and put their information into the computer and it be available for the practice to see. This would give patients the option to do this, and for those that do not use computers or have access to one can still go in a fill out the new forms. This would help eliminate the extra 15 minutes new patients have to wait because they have to show up early to do paper work and wait for the person at the desk to get the information in the system. According to the article I read, “There 's always new technology rolling out to help providers be more efficient, so they 're often suspicious about the return on investment,” (Kerin, 2012, para.). So although there are more options available most providers are worried about if the new technology is going to bring enough intake to cover the cost of it. I understand their concern, but as a patient, I think less time to wait and having everything entered in to system before getting to the doctor sounds that I would recommend them to friends and others when asked where to