Having an efficient patient workflow is critical to medical practices, and one of the best ways to get one is through digital patient check-in. This software has the ability to help any size or specialty office, but oftentimes, misconceptions hold physicians back from investing in it. Unfortunately, by doing this, what physicians actually end up doing is holding back the practice!
Here are some common myths physicians have about digital patient check-in software and the truth behind them.
“My Elderly Patients Won’t Adapt to This Technology”
Many practices have a large elderly demographic, so they perceive any technology as a lost cause among them. However, according to a recent study, 73% of senior citizens use digital technology, and that number is only growing. The key here is finding the right technology to help them feel comfortable.
Digital check-in software with a simple interface, minimal clicks, and clear instructions has a tremendous success rate with the elderly. Still nervous about making the tech leap? Keep a tablet at your office so that elderly patients unable to complete check-in beforehand have an option to complete it at your practice. This way, staff have the ability to guide them along, helping them feel more comfortable with the process next time.
“Training and Integration Will Take Too Long”
When physicians think about the process of onboarding staff for new software, they think about time out of busy schedules, resulting in dollars lost because of this. Here’s the reality of the situation: the companies that offer the best patient engagement platforms on the market are like well-oiled machines, able to seamlessly integrate their software into the practice’s current workflow without interruption. They also understand that office staff and doctors are busy, so they make training quick and painless. In fact, some companies are so efficient that they train in under an hour and provide training videos to help fill in any gaps. While it’s natural to fret about wasting time, professional software companies know how to prevent this.
“We Already Have a Patient Portal, So We Don’t Need Digital Check-in”
Practices often think that because they have a patient portal, they already have all the technology they need. This couldn’t be further from the truth! One survey showed that despite 90% of patients signing up for patient portals, only 30% actually use them. A major reason for this is that they require passwords and have poorly designed navigation. Through digital check-in software that requires no password or app download, the pre-visit adoption rate skyrockets to over 80%. This proves that a patient portal is by no means a substitute for a good patient engagement platform. If only a few patients at your practice use your portal, then it’s not an effective solution for you!
“We Have Very Few Patients, So Investing in Tech Doesn’t Make Sense for Our Practice”
Providers have the misconception that because they have a small practice, digital patient check-in won’t make an impact. The key here is that an investment in technology is an investment in the future. If a practice aims to grow patient volume, then the best way to achieve this is to target demographics who are still in the market to find their “go-to” physicians. Younger generations are more likely to actively seek out a medical practice that seems tech-savvy. If they have to fill out a stack of papers, they’ll see your practice as old-fashioned and inferior to those with more tech.
Furthermore, by finding a patient engagement platform that offers a reputation management solution, you will receive more positive online reviews, which also grows patient volume. A recent study showed that 47% of patients seeking a new doctor claim online reviews are “very important.” The bottom line here is this: a practice seeking growth must invest in technology to compete, regardless of their current patient volume.
Defy the Misconceptions with DocResponse
DocResponse has the power to fight back against these digital check-in myths in one fell swoop. How does it accomplish this? By providing the following:
- The interface is easy to understand and navigate, making elderly patient adoption a breeze
- Training for the software takes less than an hour, with only two weeks to seamlessly integrate the software into your practice
- Their comprehensive digital check-in solution has a higher rate of completion than patient portals requiring log-ins or app downloads
- The technology has a sound return on investment to grow patient volume, complete with a reputation management feature to encourage online reviews
While some misunderstandings continue to persist about digital patient check-in solutions, DocResponse is dedicated to busting those myths through stellar customer service and innovative software designed with the patient in mind.
Still have questions about how DocResponse will improve your practice? Schedule a demo today!