Written by Donna Binette, Product Manager, IatriConnect Solutions, iatricSystems
By now, your hospital is most likely well past the initial investment of purchasing a patient portal. But is your portal doing all it can for your hospital and your patients? There are lots of ways to maximize your current investment, and I’d like to share one significant tip that has been particularly helpful for our customers during the current health crisis.
As we all know, there are numerous new patient and current patient forms to fill out upon arrival. Yet there are flaws with this process. Many patients are nervous or in a rush and don’t fill out these questionnaires accurately, or their handwriting can be difficult to read if not using an electronic check-in device. Most providers don’t have the time to review the notes during the appointment. Add to these points that in today’s situation, providers are trying to limit the amount of time patients spend in-person at the facility.
The resolution to all of the challenges is to look to your patient portal for online forms. These forms should give patients the ability to enter them ahead of time from the comfort of their homes. As a result, your providers have earlier access to patient records before they start appointments for the day, patients take their time filling them out, and the end result will be a more complete, legible response to the questionnaire.
If your portal offers this feature, you’ll want to be sure to provide a save and return to edit option, so patients can come back if they are interrupted. You’ll want to have access to generic forms, like inpatient admissions, pre-surgery background or COVID-related surveys. Additionally, you should be able to tie more specific forms to a very specific type of visit, like cardiac rehab or physical therapy.
If your portal can’t offer online forms, speak to your portal provider. It’s a wonderful tool to have and will vastly improve how your organization handles intake.
