Homebound patients have limited access to quality primary care. In some cases, healthcare providers travel to them. For some primary caregivers, travel time and other logistics mean that they can only see about six patients per day. Telehealth for homebound patients is an incredible opportunity to increase access and decrease overhead.
For some people, waiting is the worst part of going to the doctor’s office. In fact, 97% of patients are frustrated with wait times. There are many things that you can do to make your waiting room less stressful. Surveys indicate that some key elements to offset this stress and anxiety is giving patients estimated wait times, amenities like free WIFI and even personal apologies for extended waiting. These solutions benefit patients and staff.
Surgery is an unknown that generates fear in many patients. Even routine procedures, such as wisdom teeth or appendix removals, can elicit anxiety. This is why it is so important for surgeons to establish trust and openly communicate with their patients. Surgeons are responsible for clear communication with patients. The onus is often on them to convey details on the procedure and recovery process. It is also important for surgeons to be an advocate for their patients. There are apps and other technology that can help with all of these tasks.
Communication is one of the most important aspects of healthcare. When doctors, patients and staff members do not communicate effectively, there can be major consequences. These communication errors could be in the form of scheduling, inaccurate medical history or treatment instructions. Miscommunication can have consequences as small as a patient being late or as large as a patient not taking doctor advice for follow-up or care. Improving healthcare communication is beneficial for staff and patients. Communicating efficiently saves time for staff and makes patients feel secure. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to help you and other staff communicate better with patients. Some of these include: training, apps and asking for patient feedback.
No doctor’s office is perfect. This is why patient feedback is so important: it provides a practice with the opportunity to improve. Patients will not only mention things that need to be improved, but they will also mention things that are already great. Win-win!
Surgeons in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers are facing numerous challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been numerous federal and state regulations concerning elective surgeries. Some of these regulations have slowed practices considerably, reducing patient load and creating economic challenges.
Healthcare is not only about diagnosing and treating patients, it is also about engaging with them. Building better relationships with patients is one of the biggest priorities for healthcare professionals. Doing this increases quality of care, patient returns and productivity. Sequence Health reports that medical staff use 1.5 to 2 hours a day speaking to patients on the phone. This time could be used for other important tasks if medical offices implemented technology that could make patient-office communication more productive. Time management issues like these are common in doctor’s offices. Fortunately, there are many types of technology that can assist medical professionals in having better patient engagement. These programs include apps for patients, office management software and data analysis.
Go Here to get a FREE Guide and FREE COVID-19 Medical Practice Checklist to help you take all of the steps you need to invite your patients back to their regular appointments.
Most of us enjoy the convenience of wearables that tell us about our sleep or heart rates. But for some people, medical technology isn’t a luxury: it’s about survival. A new Florida law seeks to improve patient understanding of medically essential electrical service programs. The goal is to encourage medically dependent people to take advantage of medically essential technology. As of February 20, 2020, the bill is currently in the House of Representatives and does not yet have a Senate version.
If you live in or around Tampa, Florida, there is some good news. Medical centers in your area are using a wait time app that offers a variety of digital resources. Patients can now access a huge network of medical facilities in Tampa using DocClocker. This app was developed with several key features. Practices and hospitals in Tampa that use this app include: