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.

Is a Swiss Army Knife the Best Solution?

Posted by James Kanka on October 6

Is a Swiss Army knife the best tool to have in the tool kit? Is it in fact the tool kit? I recently had a debate with someone about this question and I could see how one might think that the venerable brand is the one…the only. Indeed, when I think about my first Swiss Army knife – I remember day-dreaming about how I’d use all of the tools that come included. A “complete package” for anything I might encounter – from fixing a picnic table to tunneling out of Alcatraz, and maybe even opening a bottle of wine as well.

There is no doubt that this ultimate utility tool has captured the imagination of generations; but where does the utility end? Is the all-in-one really the way to go even for the ultimate outdoor enthusiast?

It occurs to me that some companies in the robust and varied healthcare software industry are the software analog to the Swiss Army knife. I’ve seen digital advertisements for systems that seem to claim they solve every problem under the sun. It would be great if they did with the daunting challenges we are all working on in healthcare. Watching the insurance climate as well as the changing landscape of patient expectations, I wake up every morning thankful that I am involved in an incredibly dynamic sector. I also wake up increasingly skeptical that anyone can build an all-in-one tool like a Swiss Army knife that will really perform as advertised.

My focus – and the focus of our amazing team at Everseat – continues to be matching up supply and demand – which is a fancy way of saying “we do scheduling.” Specialization does not mean a narrowing focus. On the contrary – we provide custom applications and processes for every single provider we encounter because the genius of digital solutions is that they are adaptable to meet the needs and the goals of the user. Some of our customers use Everseat to share information about late cancellations; and others use it to increase access to every-day appointments via their website. We relish the opportunity to get inside the chess game each customer is playing about how to expand access and increase efficiency at the same time. We are experts at making it easier for patients to get the appointments they need, and helping the practice to maximize the use of a very busy schedule.

I loved my Swiss Army knife. In fact, I still take it with me on trips with my boys where anything is possible and you never know which tool you may need. But in healthcare technology, I am grateful that provider organizations and practice management platforms continue to turn to specialists like Everseat seeking innovative partnerships. I admire ambition but I am skeptical of any company out there claiming that their system does it all. We do what we do best. We see that it makes an immediate and a lasting difference for patients and providers alike.

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.

How to Determine ROI for Health IT Investments

Posted by James Kanka on February 3

It’s an encounter that nearly every independent physician has had by now at least once: the sales pitch for a tech solution that will improve the way the practice runs. The promises are big — simplicity, efficiency, “painless” billing, seamless appointment-booking — and as the medical technology industry continues to grow, it seems likely that the capabilities of these products will, too. It’s certainly growing: EvaluateMedTech’s World Preview 2015 forecasts that worldwide sales will reach over $477 billion by 2020.

Another familiar moment for doctors? The sticker shock when glimpsing the price tag on a shiny new EHR, patient portal, or online scheduling tool. For example, HealthIT.gov quotes the cost of purchasing and installing an EHR at as high as $70,000. But by some estimates, implementing an EHR could cost over $163,000 for a single doctor. And that’s before factoring in software licensing, training, and maintenance fees, not to mention unforeseen costs. Patient portals, too, are expensive to initiate, yet can ultimately encourage your patients to be more engaged with their care.

With all this money — and time, for training, onboarding, and testing — the inevitable question arises: Is this new technology I’m about to invest in worth it? Or, to put it another way, how can I determine the return on my investment? Though every software product and service out there is a little different, it is possible to calculate the ROI of your tech investment by considering the following framework.

Identify cost centers the technology is meant to alleviate — and calculate how much those pain points are costing you today.
What functions of your practice are the most time-consuming — and ultimately the costliest? Is it fielding patient phone calls on your scheduling line? Or are bottlenecks in your recordkeeping process disrupting the flow of patient paperwork? If you’re already keenly aware of where operational inefficiencies lie in your practice, then begin to investigate just how much these inefficiencies are costing you on a monthly and yearly basis. Knowing where a new solution is needed and knowing how much a given process is costing you now gives you a measuring stick against which to compare any costs associated with a new technology.

Make a reasonable estimate of what costs will be post-implementation.
Of course, vendors selling you EHR technology and other software will promise the moon, including low costs for getting up and running, then maintaining the system they tout. You’ve heard it before: “cut your collection time in half,” or “reduce average hold times to less than 30 seconds per caller.” Remember, companies want your money and your signature on the dotted line, and if their reps think that quoting phenomenal results will put the pen in your hand, they won’t hesitate to tell you about the absolute best performance scenarios they’ve got. So remember to apply a healthy dose of skepticism to whatever sample numbers you’re being given. That said, those numbers aren’t a bad place to start when you sit down to make your evaluation of how a given piece of software will affect your monthly and yearly costs.

Don’t forget to factor in time.
Many doctors on the other side of a tech adoption process don’t take into account how much time it takes to prepare for, implement, and train staff on its use. During the ramp-up phase, you might be less productive than you were before you added the technology. Additionally, in the case of a new EHR implementation, depending on the size of the practice and technology used for converting existing patient records into digital files, it can take months (and staff overtime or outside help) to successfully scan and properly store every record. And remember — just because your patients’ data is saved in electronic form doesn’t mean that their paper files can be destroyed immediately. Depending on the state and the capability of your EHR to provide full copies of a patient record, you may still be required to retain paper records for up to five years.

Be realistic about the degree to which the technology will be used.
One of the longstanding concerns associated with technology in the healthcare sphere is that patients and providers will shy away from use — for doctors because of fears that it may hinder their efficiency and communication with patients more than it helps, for patients because they don’t see the benefit, and for both because the technology may feel too difficult to learn. Indeed, Deloitte reports that while nine out of 10 doctors say they are interested in mobile health technology, only about 24 percent are actually using such tools. And the majority of Americans say they aren’t yet using a patient portal. So it’s important to be mindful of how quickly adoption will follow implementation.

Despite the cost and effort associated with a successful implementation, health IT tools are undeniably the wave of the future, especially as patients get more plugged in and their expectations begin to change. And there are major payoffs to using tools that work well — 79 percent of providers said that an EHR improved their practice efficiency. It’s critical to use the framework above to guide your decision-making about any new technology to make sure that the product is realistic to your practice and its unique expenses. There are also lots of good ROI templates and forecasting calculators out there these days that can help you navigate. If you’d like to talk more about low-cost ways to improve efficiency and patient satisfaction, we’re here to help, so reach out today.

Patients Outpace Doctors in the Use of Digital Technology

Posted by James Kanka on October 30

Chances are, you see patients immersed in smartphones all the time in your waiting and exam rooms. It likely comes as no surprise, then, that patients are plugged in more than ever before — and turning to digital technologies not only to connect with friends but also to manage and improve health. Consider, for instance, these findings from Makovsky Health’s 2015 “Pulse of Online Health” survey:

91 percent of patients in the United States look online for health and medical information.
88 percent would share personal information digitally to improve care and treatment options.
66 percent would use a mobile app to manage their health. (Millennials all the more so.)

Yet as patients’ use of digital grows, studies show that doctors and healthcare organizations are slower to adopt these same technologies — whether because they question the ability of popular technologies to solve health problems, or they’re simply stretched thin and don’t have time to learn a new tool. If you run or operate a medical practice, hospital, or health system, turning your back on digital can come with hefty consequences, from failing to meet the needs of patients to disgruntled staff members, inefficient work processes, and even a loss of revenue.

If you’re struggling to keep pace with patients’ use of technology, what can you do to catch up? For starters, know and understand the three key ways patients use (or want to use) digital technologies to live healthier, less stressful, and more active lifestyles.

1. To boost knowledge and learn
Friendly, easy-to-use tools like Dr. Google, WebMD, and various web-based “symptom checkers” tout the ability to diagnose patients in seconds. Of course, the convenience of a speedy “diagnosis” is alluring, given the increasing amount of time patients have to wait to see doctors across a range of specialties. And the information patients can glean is growing more credible, with platforms like Dr. Google utilizing top-notch physicians (including those from the Mayo Clinic) to validate and fact-check information.

Many doctors, on the other hand, use the Internet far less often to research medical information, relying instead on traditional channels like print-based medical journals, a recent article from Physician’s Weekly explains. Plenty, in fact, have been quite vocal about the dangers of so-called “DIY diagnosis.”

But whether you prefer print or digital resources to stay abreast of your field is, ultimately, your own business. The fact of the matter is that your patients most certainly look for health information online. So instead of scoffing at their use of the web, work with them to suggest websites, forums, and other sources that align with your approach and meet your approval.

2. To track and monitor health
Digital technology provides more than information. Today’s patients use digital tools to track and stay on top of their health. From mobile apps that count calories and track nutrition, cholesterol, and exercise, patients are leveraging technology to acquire their own health data — and use it to gain insights and make sound health-related decisions. In 2014 alone, FitBit, Inc. had 6.7 million subscribers and sold a staggering 10.9 million of the wristwatch-like devices that track physical activity, sleep, and other health-related data. To date, however, clinicians have shown little interest in data collected by wearable devices.

Where physicians have shown more interest is in areas that blur the line between medical devices and consumer health products. Just this last year, Dexcom created a way to transmit real-time blood sugar readings to smartphones and smart watches — a move with real potential to improve life for people with type 1 diabetes. Plenty of other medical device companies are following suit, finding ways to use mobile to make data accessible not only to patients but also to doctors. Patient portals facilitate the sharing of data and information between doctors and patients — and are improving care.

3. To make healthcare more convenient
Skyrocketing healthcare prices, hectic schedules, and long appointment wait times likely contribute to the fact that people in the U.S. actually go to the doctor less than those in other countries — as few as four times a year, compared with, for example, Japan’s 13 times. But studies show that patients in the U.S. place a high value on convenience when it comes to healthcare, and this is where digital technologies can help. How, exactly?

For one, remote monitoring systems communicate symptoms, vital signs, and even pain levels for chronically ill patients to their doctors via a safe and secure server. And electronic medical records (EMRs) potentially eliminate the need for patients to coordinate their own care across physicians and health systems.

Likewise, mobile and web-based appointment booking apps like Everseat empower patients to schedule doctor appointments on demand, without having to pick up the phone and endure long hold times, only to be told they need to schedule weeks (or even months) in advance.

The reality? You can no longer dismiss digital technologies as a passing trend. To stay afloat and compete in the modern healthcare market, you have to embrace the same technology your patients use day in and day out to manage all aspects of life, from finance and parenting to entertainment, education, philanthropy, and social networking.

Want to learn how digital technologies can help you streamline operations and get ahead in today’s competitive marketplace? Get in touch to find out how Everseat’s revolutionary mobile and web-based app can streamline your operations, grow your bottom line, and increase patient access to timely care.

Category: Technology