Scheduling appointments manually is a complex, resource-consuming task for healthcare facilities. Online appointment scheduling could ensure resource savings and patient satisfaction.
2. ONLINE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
Summary: Scheduling appointments manually is a
complex, resource-consuming task for healthcare
facilities. Online appointment scheduling could
ensure resource savings and patient satisfaction.
-Gives patients greater control and choice
-No navigation through paper calendars
-Automated reminder generation
-Successful newsletter campaigns
-Automated treatment and appointment Alerts
-Uniformity in the scheduling system
3. Online appointment scheduling with physicians is becoming an increasingly popular
trend among patients. According to a Wall Street Journal survey, most adults
preferred making online appointments. This study was backed up by studies
conducted by the Medical Economics journal. It appears that scheduling
appointments online gives patients greater control and choices. It is like personalized
or customized service. In an era where online diagnoses are gathering momentum
among the public, it is no surprise that online appointment scheduling is getting
popular.
No Cumbersome Navigation through Paper Calendars
One of the reasons contributing to the
increased efficiency of online scheduling
system is that it does not require the
medical staff to navigate through a paper
calendar. Checking a system-based calendar
is a lot more convenient and effective. It is
easier to search through an online
appointment schedule. In cases where
patients forget their date and time, staff can
easily get to the entered date with their
online calendar. Prior visits can also be
tracked without the laborious tasks of
searching through a paper calendar.
Online scheduling also takes away the
waiting time that would sometimes be the
case with regular scheduling. With online
calendars
and
scheduling
systems,
availability of appointments or dates is
quickly identified. Patients would not have to face disgruntled receptionists naturally
due to the absence of any human element in the appointment fixing process.
Automated Reminder Generation
There are reminders generated automatically with appointment scheduling. These
reminders are really helpful for confirming or recalling appointments. It facilitates
better communication with patients, greater rapport, and maintaining a steady
patient flow. These appointment reminders would ensure that there are lesser
scheduling conflicts. It would save much on postal expenses too for the healthcare
facility.
4. Successful Newsletter Campaigns
Online patient scheduling can also help in managing your healthcare practice better.
Email marketing newsletters can be sent to patients from the healthcare practice
every time. Newsletter campaigns can promote your practice quite efficiently. Online
scheduling websites are around that can give you the capability to send newsletters
to a people group you chose.
Automated Treatment and Appointment Alerts to Patients
Hearing impaired patients can schedule appointments without help from anyone. It
also provides better follow-up capabilities. Healthcare professionals often need to
communicate with patients about renewed treatment, particularly in cases where
periodic treatment sessions are required. The responsibility lies with the physician
and not the patient in alerting the latter to follow-up treatments. Internet
appointment scheduling systems can send automated reminders and appointment
confirmations. Such systems can also arrange an archive of communication between
the healthcare professional and the patient for future reference, even for legal
documentation.
Uniformity in the Scheduling System of the Practice
Often healthcare practices have many people who book appointments. A uniform
scheduling system, which all schedulers within the office can access, is vital for
streamlined functioning of the practice. This is possible with online appointment
scheduling. It also particularly works for large healthcare organizations and helps
them coordinate all the appointments effectively.
Scheduling appointments online is therefore quite beneficial for the patient as well as
the healthcare practice. A reliable medical billing and coding company also provides
patient appointment scheduling services to streamline your medical practice and
ensure greater efficiency and patient satisfaction.
About Outsource strategies International
Outsource Strategies International (OSI), a leading provider of medical outsourcing
solutions, offers web based patient scheduling services to enhance your patient flow
management. Online appointment scheduling service offered by OSI will streamline
the administrative process for its client facilities. Call toll free 1-800-670-2809 or
visit our website .