Medical patient scheduling is one of several front office duties associated with a medical practice. It offers several benefits to the healthcare industry and to patients. Apart from providing quality care to both inpatients and outpatients, hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities need to ensure a steady flow of patients. If the steady traffic is not maintained, these entities might face substantial financial losses. Proper, organized patient scheduling can help a lot in this respect. It would ensure the satisfaction and compliance of current, new, and prospective patients.
Streamlined Scheduling for Maximum Benefit
Here are just some of the benefits that can be gained from streamlined medical patient scheduling:
- Minimizes missed appointments and vacant time slots.
- 24/7 accessibility enables reaching out to a greater number of patients.
- Speed and accuracy.
- Appointment reminders (phone or web-based) reduce no-shows.
- Existing patients can easily be sorted using initial/last name, date of birth, and/or patient ID.
- Makes possible double and triple booking.
- Organized callbacks.
- Makes easy appointment cancellation and rescheduling.
- Evens out workflow.
- Almost completely does away with the piling up of patients in waiting rooms.
- Coordinates professional health solutions and timely access to these solutions.
- Reduces financial overhead.
Alternatives to In-House Paper Based Scheduling
Owing to the challenges, errors and revenue losses that come with paper-based scheduling, a number of companies have opted to upgrade to web-based scheduling. Some companies approach outsourcing companies to take the heavy weight of medical patient scheduling off their shoulders. This gives healthcare facilities and professionals more time to devote to medical obligations of greater importance.
If the medical establishment is armed with the right methodology, it wouldn’t be difficult to tap into the various benefits of medical patient scheduling.
Rajeev Rajagopal, the President of OSI, has a wealth of experience as a healthcare business consultant in the United States. He has a keen understanding of current medical billing and coding standards.