How to use modern technology has been a question that has hung over the Healthcare industry for a long time now.  

The idea of using video calling for appointments is one such answer, bringing the care of the doctor to the patient at a time and place that is convenient. However, such a process can be tricky and finding the right conferencing solution that everyone can access is an essential task for any healthcare provider. 

So while virtual appointments still need refining, workflow and communication solutions can ensure a smooth experience for both patients and doctors. By using an ubiquitous communications platform in SMS, doctors can ensure that the patients are aware of their upcoming appointments, give them any forms they may need to fill out and update patients on the status of their visit. 

Soprano Design, Product Marketing Manager, Jane White said that a lot of the efficiencies that office workers are taking advantage of can be applied to the healthcare industry, adding that the embracing of technology during lockdowns should provide a foundation to roll out workflow and communication solutions.  

“When I started, my research had a lot to do with COVID” said White, “But the theme I started finding is that there’s a digital front door that refers to anything patients can do before an appointment, such as signing waivers and filling out basic questionnaires. 

“Of course, those things are now being facilitated online or through your mobile phone on different portals and are now coming to the forefront of all healthcare interactions because of COVID.”

“We believe it’s not time to slow down and see that a lot of the processes that we’ve created in the last year to get people into an office can be applied to people who have a doctor’s appointment”

Enforcing the change

As with all technology shifts, adoption is key to success, one of the biggest barriers telehealth has had to overcome. But as White alludes to, the coronavirus pandemic has forced lots of people to adopt telehealth services as it has been the quickest and easiest way to see a GP.  

This has opened the door for more patients to adopt online healthcare solutions. One such channel of communication is SMS messaging, using the system installed on everyone’s phones to prompt patients about upcoming appointments, fill out forms in order to receive treatment and securely log into their healthcare provider’s portal. 

“If you use mobile communication in the right place, your systems are interacting with each other properly, and you’re speaking to people in a direct, highly engaging channel, you can speed up a lot of the processes in the digital front door and inject some added help or communications if any steps along the way” said White. 

“Because it’s such a reliable and direct channel and richer communication types are being adopted in these channels like buttons, forms, HTML pages and logins, doctors can facilitate a lot more complicated workflows in that channel. 

“From there, hospitals and doctors can offer check-ins to make sure people are able to log into their health portals when and where they need to, using two-factor authentication. There’s appointment reminders and follow ups, either from the doctor or the patient and other notifications such as a new message in your portal from a doctor. Getting that through a mobile message can really speed up the whole process of going to the doctors.” 

Improving relationships

Although we often see these telehealth issues through the lens of the patient, the doctors can also be found frustrated with the technology in place, as confused patients can often lead to missed appointments.  

White said that one of the pain points from a doctor’s standpoint is that they simply can not provide the care they are capable of because of a lack of adoption or understanding around what the patient needs to do.  

“In many cases, doctors feel frustrated when a patient is late or has a lot of trouble getting to the appointment or can’t even do what they need to do because they haven’t filled out the proper paperwork, as they can’t deliver the care that they know they can,” said White. 

“Then factor in the number of no shows, lateness, rescheduling, feeling like they can’t reach certain patients that are less tech-savvy. All of this can all be frustrating to doctors and affect their morale, the quality of care and retention of people in the healthcare industry which means they are all reliant on making these systems work well.” 

 

 



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