Cancellations in Bad Weather? You May Need A Specialist to Help Fill Open Slots

Cancellations in bad weather? You may need a specialist to help you fill open slots. If you work in operations in a healthcare provider organization, then you know how bad it can get when the weather gets bad. Patients cancel or need to be rescheduled. Holes in the calendar have to be filled to avoid costly downtime. The phones are jammed and you might also be short-staffed.

Here’s how an actual medical practice in Baltimore is responding with technology:

We are a busy practice, and patients expect to wait at least three to four weeks for an appointment in the best of circumstances. Like any practice in our area, we get cancellations as soon as there is a hint of bad weather. But we hardly get stuck with any open slots. At least not for very long. As soon as someone cancels, the opening is posted on Everseat, and usually not more than a minute or two later an existing patient or even a new patient clicks on it to indicate they want to take that appointment. Our office is notified in real time and can determine in a matter of minutes whether it makes sense to fit them into that slot or to accommodate them in some other way. How do these patients know our available appointments are posted on Everseat? When they call us or visit the office, we tell them about it. We say that they can opt in for digital notification of available open slots. At any given time, we have dozens of people who have chosen to be pinged on their smartphone when something convenient for their specifications opens up. When they get in, they feel like they won the appointment lottery. And we are delighted because we are here to take care of our patients and there is nothing we would rather be doing.

Here are a few thoughts to consider as you cope with weather chaos or think about what you will do when it next comes your way:

When patients start canceling, you need an efficient and reliable way to replace them with the right patients in the right slots.
Using the phones to find the right patients on short notice is not easy. And it’s probably not working. At least not well enough.
If your practice is closing due to weather, re-booking all of those patients will tie up your staff and your phones for hours.
As great as your EHR or other tools are for many things, for this job you need technology, strategy and expertise
With Everseat, you can automate the entire process. You will get more done in less time; for the practice and the patients.

Everseat partners with health and wellness provider organizations of all sizes across the United States. We want to work with you. Email us at providers@everseat.com. We can have you up and ready before bad weather hits again.

Better Slot Utilization is Easier With New Technology. Do it Right. Now.

Posted by James Kanka on November 3

Tens of millions of people catch as many as a billion colds every year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. So curing the cold would be quite a breakthrough – and scientists say that day may come sooner than you think. Of course, while we are waiting, we know that millions of people will be trying to schedule appointments with their doctors, unsure whether or not the symptoms they are battling are actually something worse. And millions of doctors have unfilled appointment slots that they struggle to fill in an efficient manner. Too often, nobody wins!

So when is the big breakthrough coming in the seemingly simple task of making an appointment to see a doctor?

The good news is that the answer is right now. More and more healthcare providers are using modern methods of making convenient appointment times available to their patients who may be in the throes of “sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching” and – you get the idea.

According to a recent industry report, “by the end of 2019, 66% of US health systems will offer digital self-scheduling and 64% of patients will book appointments digitally”. The study predicted that by 2019, 100% of the 100 largest healthcare delivery systems in the U.S. would offer digital scheduling to patients.

Why are caregivers finally taking this leap forward? A few reasons.

We have the technology! The technology is available to move beyond the 1876 innovation of Alexander Graham Bell. Ring, ring! We can now harness the power of the internet to efficiently connect us all with what we need, when we need it. Simply put, it works. Patients don’t want, nor do they have time, to be on the phone. An Accenture study found that the average healthcare appointment scheduling call is over 8 minutes and a caller is likely to get transferred during the call 63% of the time. Infuriating. And no longer necessary, much of the time.

Power to the Patients! Patients have demanded this change. A recent survey found that 44 percent would choose a doctor that allows them to schedule appointments online. More patients than ever before are voting with their feet, and either switching doctors if we find it hard to make an appointment; or going to rival urgent care centers and other alternatives.

The Bottom Line is the Bottom Line! Healthcare provider organizations lose significant potential revenue when they fail to fill slots. At a conference in New England where Everseat was present, a prominent hospital executive reported that his institution sees 1500 to 2,000 appointment slots wasted every week. Imagine the lost revenue. Some say digital scheduling will mean “$3.2 billion in value and a competitive boost for health systems” and it comes from filling slots.

In one orthopedics group we work with at Everseat, when you call to schedule an appointment and find yourself on hold, you will hear something like this:

“Thank you for calling. Please know that you do not have to wait on hold to make an appointment. You can hang up right now and go straight to our website because we post many of our upcoming open appointment slots right there, powered by Everseat. With a few clicks, you will be able to select an appointment that works for you, or let us know that you want to be alerted as soon as one opens up.”

Who knew something that seems so simple as going online to point and click on a website or a mobile app would pass as a major breakthrough! But it makes things easier and could actually make us all healthier too. And again, the business case speaks for itself. With cold season coming, these are compelling reasons for change – and nothing to sniff at, if you pardon the pun. For healthcare providers, this is serious business.

Now if getting rid of the common cold were only as easy. Here’s hoping that those researchers figure it out soon.

If you are with a healthcare provider organization and would like to learn more about what Everseat can do to maximize schedule utilization for you, please see our website at www.everseat.com for videos and more information. If you are someone who just wants to make getting appointments easier – download the Everseat app and follow the directions right to your next doctor’s visit. Thank you.

Reimbursement Just Got Easier

Posted by James Kanka on September 19

For healthcare delivery to work, doctors and their colleagues in a wide variety of professions need to get paid for their work. Makes sense, right? The system of properly compensating caregivers is the source of unending consternation and real uncertainty. And patients suffer more than anyone when the payment system doesn’t work well – not an outcome that is acceptable to anyone involved.

One link in the chain that is irrefutably essential is the process of communicating to a provider the precise insurance coverage for which a patient is eligible. For more than a year, we have been asking patients and their families that seek appointments via Everseat to provide their insurance coverage information when they sign up for our free apps on mobile and web platforms.

Starting today, Everseat will give providers real time verification of patients’ eligibility for the coverage they have indicated that they have. This means if you are a provider posting appointments on Everseat, you will be told at the time the appointment is requested whether the stated coverage is in fact up-to-date and accurate; and you will be updated again 24 hours before the appointment occurs. Simply put – this means the doctor gets easier access to reimbursement for the services provided, and the patient gets easier access to care. We are proud to deliver this seamless experience through a technology partnership between PokitDok and the team here at Everseat.

If you are a patient, this is great news for you as well. Know that reliable, timely access to open appointments with the providers you need to see is now even more reliable and timely – and is still at the tip of your fingers – with Everseat.

Riding in the Fast Lane Towards Patient Satisfaction

Posted by James Kanka on July 29

The best experience I have ever had with valet parking happened to me while visiting a major healthcare system in New England last week. And it got me thinking: I wonder if the entire process of being a patient could be as well designed as the system this terrific institution has set up for parking your car.

I was visiting this particular medical center to talk with members of its leadership team about improving operating efficiency and patient satisfaction by deploying some new digital tools and strategies we have developed at Everseat.

Valet is nice – and I think most people are used to seeing this at certain restaurants and hotels. Valet parking for doctor’s appointments is thoughtful and is surely appreciated. People are generally on edge, maybe emotional and likely not 100% healthy. Wonderful idea. I have also seen valet at LifeBridge Health (an Everseat client) in Baltimore.

So – this medical center in New England has a particularly phenomenal valet parking service for cars that pull up to the front door; but what struck me about this otherwise familiar experience was the check out. When I handed the cashier my valet ticket, she scanned it with a handheld device, and this process automatically triggered a notification to the garage attendants who were a quarter-mile away. No phone call. No college kid taking my keys and sprinting across the campus. A simple ping. A signal. A digital notification that carried all of the information required to have my car brought right to me. How clever!

A bit of a devlish smile crossed my face. What if making an appointment here was just as easy as getting your car back after you were finished seeing your doctor? That is exactly the conversation we had been engaged in – and this institution clearly has both the patient experience and the use of smart technology top of mind. Everseat, I demonstrated to the leaders of a variety of service lines from primary care, urology, neurology and many others, is a software platform that helps notify nearby patients when a physician they want to see has an open appointment. A simple ping alerts patients that need to get in to see their primary care doctor, dermatologist, OBGYN, neurologist, physical therapist, or anyone else important to their health. You get the point. Could we help these thoughtful administrators create a system of patient access that was as seamless and satisfying as the way their valets go about reuniting patients with their cars? The answer is yes.

I left the meeting feeling optimistic – the leadership of this medical center saw the value in the Everseat software platform and how it would enhance their ongoing work on improving efficiency and access. When my ticket stub in the hands of the cashier triggered a digital notification to the garage crew that I needed my Ford Fusion back, I knew the odds of my success helping these healthcare leaders meet their goals were very good.

Thoughtful ideas are everywhere. This group is taking valet parking to a new level, and something tells me that their patients are very appreciative.

Patient Access Problems Get Under Her Skin—Everseat Sits Down with Boston Dermatologist Dr. Emmy Graber

Posted by James Kanka on May 25 with 2 Comments

Memorial Day weekend is here and that means more sun and more time exposing your skin to its pleasing but also potentially harmful rays. In fact, May is Melanoma Awareness Month and a good time to reflect on the challenge of getting an appointment with a dermatologist – not an easy task.

A survey of 7,499 patients who saw U.S. dermatologists from 2011-2012 found that 31% of patients reported a problem with scheduling their appointment. Of those who had an appointment problem, 47% said it took too long to get an appointment.

Cities across the United States consistently show long wait times for getting dermatology appointments. According to the Commonwealth Fund, the average wait time for a dermatology appointment in Philadelphia is 47 days; in Minneapolis the average wait time is 56 days; and in Boston, it is 72 days.

Everseat asked highly regarded Boston Dermatologist Dr. Emmy Graber for her perspective on the challenge of patient access in dermatology. The following are our questions and her answers, edited only for clarity.

Are you familiar with the phenomenon in dermatology of long waits for new patient appointments?

Oh yes! Absolutely. I frequently get complaints from patients that they have had to wait weeks and often months to see a dermatologist. Not only do I hear this from patients but also from primary care physicians who want to refer patients to a dermatologist. A primary care physician might see a rash or a lesion that he or she thinks needs attention from a dermatologist but can’t find a dermatologist that has any openings for months. It is frustrating both for patients and for primary care physicians.

What do you think is contributing to this trend?

There is an increasing demand for dermatologists. As the public becomes more educated about skin cancer, patients are looking to dermatologists for skin examinations to catch and treat any suspicious lesions. Years ago not as many people went to the dermatologist for preventative services like skin checks. Today many people have a dermatologist that they see regularly for skin cancer screenings. It is great that more people are aware of the need for preventative screenings but it also increases demand for dermatologists and thereby increases the wait for an appointment. The resulting delay can be especially problematic for those that have an acute problem such as a rash or painful growth that needs to be treated immediately.

What kinds of innovations are you seeing in the field to expand access to the care of dermatologists?

I see two main types of innovations geared towards those seeking the attention of dermatologists. First, there are scheduling innovations. These may be in the form of apps such as Everseat, that can help people find an available appointment. By using the app, a patient can easily see what office in their area has an opening without having to call each individual office. Second, teledermatology is an innovation that enables patients to get dermatologic care without visiting a dermatologist. Patients send photos of their skin to a dermatologist who can then review the images and remotely instruct the patient on the best course of action.

How are you choosing to differentiate your practice from others that patients can choose from, and how will you make sure they can get in to see you?

I strive to create a convenient, enjoyable experience for all of our patients and I want this positive experience to start even before a patient steps in the door. To that end, we aim to be as accessible as possible. I have tailored our office hours to accommodate early risers who want to come in before work or school and also have evening hours and lunchtime appointments. Patients can find us through the Everseat app to get an appointment at a moment’s notice.

For our existing patients, we have a patient portal so that they can communicate with us via email without having to call into the office with questions or concerns. In the next few months we are rolling out a telemedicine initiative so that we can advise patients who can’t physically get to our office. Many people do not think that going to a doctor’s office is a pleasant experience and I am trying to change that. The whole experience starts with booking an appointment and I want to make it a seamless, easy process.

Dr. Emmy Graber is the founder and President of the Dermatology Institute of Boston. She is a former Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine where she was Director of the BU Cosmetic and Laser at Boston Medical Center. Visit www.DermBoston.com for additional information.

To book an appointment with a dermatologist, or another type of provider, check out available appointments on app.everseat.com.

Caring for Baby Boomers in the Digital Age—What Role do Healthcare Apps Play?

Posted by James Kanka on April 29

We all know baby boomers are aging. They are getting older in a time when there are more and more simple digital tools available to their caregivers every day. You might be surprised that in U.S. households that have broadband, where 76% own a smartphone, less than 40% of caregivers use an app to assist with care-giving tasks.

A new study from Parks Associates shares this finding, and attributes the relatively low overall utilization rate to the simple fact that caregivers above a certain age don’t use apps as much as their younger counterparts. This is a present challenge to app adoption – but aging itself ought to take care of it, given that adults between the ages of 18 and 24 are currently only 28% of the caregiver population but account for half of the app users (according to Parks).

35840_Parks-Associates--Caregivers-Age-Distribution-compared-to-Usage-of-Caregiving-Apps

Parks has a very clear prescription: the makers and marketers of consumer healthcare apps need to develop outreach and training programs that will attract the largest cohort of caregivers – those between 45 and 54 years of age. Twenty-seven percent of caregivers fall in this age-range, but they make up only 16% of the app users.

Earlier this year, Becker’s compiled a list of 40 helpful apps for physicians and consumers to know. Everseat was glad to be listed for helping patients and their caregivers get the appointments they need without needing to call the doctor’s office.

Other tools useful for caregivers on the Becker’s List include Amwell for telehealth visits, Pillpack and Medisafe for ease of filling prescriptions and managing a schedule for taking medications according to doctor’s orders, and Twine for supporting chronic disease patients by integrating their wearable tech devices into a stream of data their caregivers and physicians can put to use.

In short – there are many apps available and more all the time. As for the long-term future of app usage by caregivers, Aditi Pai of Mobihealthnews reports that according to Parks Associates Senior Director of Research Harry Wang, “Consumers in the 35-44 age range are a key bracket,” he said. “Those currently at this age will bring apps with them as they take on more caregiver responsibilities for their aging parents. At the same time, younger consumers will age into this segment, and these millennials will lean heavily on mobile and connected technologies as they prepare to tackle caregiver challenges in their families.”

How Tech-Savvy Practices Reduce No Shows

Posted by James Kanka on March 2

You know that last-minute cancellations and no-shows are costly for you and terrible for patient care and satisfaction. Most practices — some still using legacy scheduling systems and attached to old processes — are just living with the frustration and revenue loss of this chronic problem, chalking it up to a “cost of doing business.” But some tech-savvy practices are mitigating or even solving the challenge.

Let’s take a look at some of the creative approaches these practices are taking.

Reminders, Reminders, Reminders
It happens — patients forget their appointments. That’s where appointment reminders come in. Practices have seen moderate success in reducing appointment no-shows by adding text, email, or phone reminders to the scheduling process. Most automated reminder systems can be customized to deliver messages via any modality that is right for your patient population.

Telemedicine and Phone Visits
Another reason patients no-show? Accessibility. Common barriers include limited transportation options and illness of a family member. One solution when patients simply cannot get to you may lie in the embrace of telemedicine.

Today, 48 states and Washington, D.C., provide some form of Medicaid reimbursement for telehealth services, and 32 (plus D.C.) have some form of private payer policy in place. Some reports indicate that seven million will use telemedicine services in 2018 (up from just 350,000 in 2013). It’s about better service quality, and getting started may not be as costly as you think.

Appointment Management and Scheduling Software
By the time 2020 rolls around, two-thirds of U.S. health systems could be offering digital self-scheduling, and almost as many patients could be booking their medical appointments online.

Self-scheduling is beneficial to patients and providers alike. Patients feel it’s easier to manage their appointments and can do it from their mobile device, and providers save time and money by fielding fewer phone calls. Plus, as the telephone ceases to be the primary tool used on smartphones, scheduling appointments by a touch of the screen is going to be the new normal, and for many, it already is.

Simply put, practices that take advantage of technology like appointment reminders, telehealth services, and self-scheduling systems offer better patient service, and are better able to reduce missed appointments.

Want to learn more about how digital tools can help you reduce costs and make scheduling more convenient for your patients? Contact us today.

Top 5 Inefficiencies in Hospital Operations

Posted by James Kanka on February 17 with 131 Comments

In the face of sweeping changes to care delivery due to the Affordable Care Act, concerns over hospital efficiency and access to services are unsurprising. Indeed, though more Americans are insured today than ever before, over 20% report that nonfinancial barriers have led to “unmet needs or delayed care,” with accessibility to hospitals cited as one of the primary reasons. That’s despite the fact that admissions are, in fact, continuing to go down.

So, what’s going on here? The answer is complicated.

Shortage of clinicians
The dearth of primary care doctors and nurses was anticipated, and solutions have been suggested and tested, including the greater use of physician assistants and nurse practitioners to handle lower-level care decisions. But by some estimates, the shortage will become even more pronounced in the next five years — upwards of 20,000 missing primary care providers by 2020, and as many as 90,000 by 2025.

With 16.4 million newly insured and sometimes chronically ill patients now covered under Obamacare, bottlenecks of quite sick people are likely to continue to occur in hospitals across the country. And a clinician shortage affects more than just efficiency. For obvious reasons, well-staffed hospital departments see lower patient mortality rates and higher care quality scores, too.

Poorly-managed patient flow
For over a decade, smooth patient flow has been recognized as one of the most critical factors in preventing overcrowding, delays in care delivery, and maintaining efficiency in hospital settings. Yet data shows that hospitals, particularly emergency departments, remain overcrowded and marked by lengthy average wait times. Part of this is certainly attributable to the ongoing provider shortage.

Lengthy hospital stays, or delayed discharges
Whether because patients aren’t being discharged as soon as they can be, hospital inpatients are sicker than ever before, or planning and coordination among specialists is poor, the length of the average hospital stay has been gradually increasing, standing in 2015 at just under five days. These longer stays aren’t just costly, running between about $1,800 and $2,300 patient per day — they also cost hospitals beds, resulting in fewer spots for inbound patients.

High readmission rates
Despite the provisions of the ACA’s Hospital Readmission Reduction Program, which implements Medicare payment reductions for hospitals with too many readmissions, the number of hospitals being penalized for 30-day readmissions were higher in 2015 than in prior years. What’s causing this “u-turn” or “revolving door” syndrome? According to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, avoidable readmissions often occur because inpatient care quality and care coordination is poor.

Poor communication
At the root of poor patient flow, lengthy stays, and high readmission rates may well be inefficient communication among care teams. A survey from the Ponemon Institute of more than 400 providers found that poor communication is costing upwards of $11 billion industry-wide. What is causing communication breakdowns? Some point to shortcomings in or total lack of technology — inadequate pagers or wireless connectivity, for instance.

Others blame cumbersome processes, like those around patient admissions and transfers. The same Ponemon survey revealed, for example, that more than half of the amount of time required for admitting one patient (51 minutes) was wasted on communication inefficiencies. And it’s not just communication between doctors, nurses, and other medical staff that’s affecting the bottom line. Poor communication between patients and providers has been shown to lead to costly readmissions.

In the face of a multifaceted problem, where do solutions lie? One option may be found in focusing on the “handful” of conditions that are the costliest in terms of time and money to treat, the top five being septicemia, osteoarthritis, complication of device implant or graft, newborn infants, and acute myocardial infarction. Scheduling optimization, including the use of better tools to help schedule outpatient procedures and manage patient flow from department to department, presents another avenue of improvement. Regardless, options would be best sought quickly given the number of newly insured patients sure to enter the market in years to come.

To learn more about models of care efficiency and tools that can help improve care delivery, contact Everseat.

3 Innovative Healthcare Models Advancing Personalization

Posted by James Kanka on January 20

Are the days of assembly-line healthcare coming to an end? Skeptics would be forgiven for doubting it, as millions of newly insured patients flood a system already burdened by access challenges.

But consider: Advances in genomics are leading to individualized treatments for cancer and other diseases; 3-D printing technology is opening new possibilities for customized medications; and the growth of a range of new healthcare-delivery models — all aimed at making the patient king (or queen) — continues unabated.

Indeed, the personalization of medicine is flourishing today more than ever before. What new models are emerging to advance it, and how can you take advantage of the trend?

Holistic Care
In the new world order of value-based reimbursements and paying providers for outcomes, treating the whole person, mind as well as body, has gained traction.

Following the patient-centric model, in which patients are active participants in their own care, the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) has emerged as a means for facilitating collaboration between patients, their doctors, and their families in order to provide better outcomes. PCMH systems include fewer patients per provider than a typical practice. They get lengthier visits, more detailed preventative recommendations, and better coordination among specialists. The model is appealing to physicians: according to one recent survey, one-third of physician respondents said they were already part of or moving toward becoming part of a PCMH model.

Also gaining interest is the concept of concierge medicine, or “retainer medicine,” in which patients pay a monthly or yearly “membership” fee to providers. In exchange, they become part of an exclusive group of patients who can expect executive-level service from their doctor: lengthy consultations, appointments whenever they need them, even house calls. Frustration over the inability to get face time with the doctor has driven patients’ willingness to pay for a concierge service. And the model seems to be catching on: A 2014 Merritt Hawkins survey of 20,000 physicians showed that 20 percent of respondents said they were either currently practicing a concierge model or planning on doing so in the future. And today there are approximately 6,000 concierge practitioners, up from just 4,400 in 2012.

Retailized Care
Many of us have done it before: turned to a retail clinic at Target or Walmart, CVS or Walgreens, when we have a minor ailment but can’t get in to see our “regular” doctor. Many more will do so in the years to come as the proliferation continues of retail clinics boasting not just a variety of acute illness services and consultations under $100 but also preventive screenings, chronic illness management, infusion services, and more.

The convenience of same-day appointments or walk-in service sometimes trumps the desire to see the same provider, and the accelerating shift of payment burdens from insurance companies to patients may reduce patient willingness to wait lengthy periods before getting an appointment — all while an ongoing shortage of primary care providers continues to exacerbate the problem of appointment availability.

All signs point to a more “retailized” approach to care continuing to grow: current U.S. retail clinical sales are valued at over $1 billion; mega-pharmacy CVS alone projects opening 1,500 clinic outlets by 2017; and annual retail clinic visits were projected to reach 10.5 million in 2015.

Cash-only Practices
“No insurance? No problem.” The idea of a cash-only practice model is not new: the first iterations sprung up in the early 1990s, and the concept stuck around largely due to provider fatigue from dealing with insurance red tape and a desire to have higher quality relationships with patients. The explosion in patient volume due to reforms under the Affordable Care Act has further shortened the amount of time that primary care doctors have to spend with patients. And though the number of physicians who don’t accept insurance today remains fairly small, it’s growing steadily: in 2013, 6 percent of doctors practiced on a cash-only basis, 2 percent more than the year prior.

And some patients seem intrigued by a model that can enable doctors to provide more in-depth appointments at predictable, flat costs.

The emergence of the modern healthcare consumer, triggered by widespread reforms to the roiling marketplace, has meant that striving for competitive, personalized approaches will remain critical for practices to stay competitive moving forward. This is especially true given that the value-over-volume model shows no signs of fading: according to Medical Economics, 40 percent of commercial in-network payments were tied to performance or “designed to cut waste.” Even hospitals that resisted letting go of fee-for-service contracts are acknowledging that value-based payment is here to stay. In the modern medical marketplace, models that emphasize convenience, accessibility, and the unique needs of the consumer will continue to succeed.

Want to learn how to make your practice more accessible to your patients and more flexible to their individual needs? Contact Everseat to discover tools to boost patient satisfaction and retention.

Fast Care Nation: Is Convenience King in Healthcare?

Posted by James Kanka on January 6

Now more than ever, patients expect and covet convenience from their healthcare providers, alongside quality of care and privacy. This is especially true among younger patients, who have become accustomed to on-demand access to all kinds of goods and services, thanks to web platforms ranging from Amazon.com to Open Table. In fact, patients under 40 are almost 50 percent more likely to not even have an ongoing relationship with a primary-care physician, relying almost exclusively on walk-in clinics and other nontraditional modes of primary-care delivery.

Is the focus on convenience good for patients? That depends on many factors. But the phenomenon is here to stay. And many hospitals and practices are coming to understand that inconvenient scheduling is increasingly a competitive challenge. Yet what many don’t realize is that it is also a factor in whether your existing patients will even show up for their scheduled appointments. Truth be told, I have no-showed at my own doctor’s office more than once. A simple phone call would have been nice, and I am not proud of being so inconsiderate. My experience and a little data tells me that I am not alone. One survey of patients who skipped their appointments at a large genetics practice, for example, found that “too busy” and “forgot” were the two most-common reasons given. And the longer patients have to wait for an appointment, the more likely they are to miss it.

Why is convenience rising in importance for patients? And what can you do to make your practice more accessible?

Walk-in clinics are becoming more common
They’re springing up everywhere: retail clinics associated inside big box stores and in freestanding pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens. And there are more to come: big retail pharmacies are investing more heavily in their retail clinic business, spurred by lessening profitability in the sale of medications, which means your competition for patients could be increasing. Indeed, CVS projects operating 1,500 clinic outlets by 2017.

Adding to the allure of visiting a retail clinic is the fact that many publish their prices for certain services outright on their websites — Target lists “convenient same-day care” by a nurse practitioner or physicians’ assistant for “treatment for minor illnesses” at between $79–$89.

And even though these clinics don’t claim to replace primary-care providers, the fact is that many patients simply find them more convenient for minor day-to-day issues, especially if they can’t get in to see you on short notice.

Americans feel more rushed than ever
With Gallup reporting that employed Americans adults work, on average, nearly six days a week, it should come as no surprise that we feel more rushed than ever before.

In fact, American moms, who make most healthcare decisions for their families, report having just 36 minutes of free time per day. With time this strapped across the board among parents and non-parents, full-time and part-time workers, it’s easy to understand why the need for convenience in all things, healthcare included, has risen in recent years.

So, knowing that patients want convenience, particularly as the out-of-pocket cost of healthcare continues to go up and people are feeling more and more rushed, what can you do to make your practice more convenient?

Put the power to book and reschedule appointments in patients’ hands. Self-scheduling is set to explode in the coming years. As many as 64 percent of patients will book appointments digitally by the end of 2019. Offering the ability to use a smartphone or tablet to jump in line to see the doctor — and to be notified immediately when an appointment is available — will help patients feel more in control, and that care is more accessible.

Keep track of repeat no-shows. These patients are inflating the wait time to see the doctor for everyone else. Track who often doesn’t show up or cancels at the last minute, and consider charging them (us!) for missed appointments or deploying a software solution like Smart Scheduling, for example.

Dedicate an hour of the schedule each day to walk-ins. By quarantining time in the regular schedule each day or week and advertising this time to patients as open for walk-ins, you let patients know that they have an option outside of visiting the ER or a retail clinic.

Now, more than ever, convenience is important to Americans in seeking health care. Coupled with accessibility of the doctor, digital services, and good communication, ease of getting an appointment is becoming more and more important to patients. Convenience may not be king all on its own but it has definitely taken a prominent seat at the table.

To learn more about putting the power to book appointments in your patients’ hands and making your practice more convenient, contact Everseat.

Category: Patient Experience