(Newswire.net — February 22, 2022) –In this article, we will inform you how to reduce patient wait time in a medical office, which is crucial to saving lives and maximizing customer satisfaction. The period after a patient arrives at a medical office and when services are offered is important depending on factors such as if the patient is in excruciating pain, bleeding, or life-threatening circumstances.
1. Install Touchscreen Technology
Install touchscreen technology available to the front desk to help speed up check-in time. This will reduce the patient wait time by creating a digital queue and storing patient information. This can also cut down on paperwork, affecting the estimated wait time.
2. Add More Staff
Teams of employees should be added to the back-end of your medical practice. These teams can take care of patients during their services, which may involve waiting for labs and X-rays done in other clinics or departments within your physicians’ office.
3. Run on a Schedule
Patients should go over their appointment time if there is a delay. This allows new patients to be seen at the back-end, thus reducing wait time. It is an excellent way of keeping track of patient wait times and staffing issues such as illness or emergencies.
4. Have Shorter Appointment Times
One concern that many patients have is being rushed through appointments; this can make the medical visit feel unprofessional and uncomfortable. Shorter appointment times can actually do the opposite; believe it or not, it keeps the doctor on track and allow more time to explain medical conditions and answer any questions a patient may have.
5. Use Technology to Your Advantage
Using technology in its favour is crucial in placing a patient at ease and making the visit feel personal and friendly. The doctor should walk the patient through their medical history, which will help them with any concerns they may have.
6. Implementing a Digital Check-In Queue
This is where customers schedule an appointment online and then arrive at the medical office with patience. For example, a patient for the dentist opens up their smartphone and checks in at the front desk of their physician’s office. The employee scans the QR code on their smartphone, giving them an estimated time of arrival to be seen by the doctor. This allows the customer to have a better idea of when they will be seen by their doctor and have less anxiety.
7. Patient Service Desk
This is where the patient goes after being called back by the doctor. This desk can help set up appointments and fill out paperwork that comes with this visit. This desk can also set up an emergency room for those who have life-threatening situations and need immediate medical care, thus reducing patient wait time in a medical office.
8. Communicate Effectively with Patients
The doctors and employees of the medical practice should inform their patients of their estimated wait time and even have a monitor that broadcasts real-time updates on when to expect them to be seen. This can put a customer at ease and inform customers of the wait time and prevent them from waiting for longer than expected.
Adhering to the above ways of reducing patient wait time in a medical office will make services more efficient and give assurance to patients.