Outsource Patient Appointment Scheduling – Increase Patient Satisfaction and Practice Revenue

Outsource Patient Appointment Scheduling – Increase Patient Satisfaction and Practice Revenue

Outsourcing patient appointment scheduling increases clinical and administrative efficiency as well as patient satisfaction

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OUTSOURCE STRATEGIES INTERNATIONAL 8596 E. 101st Street, Suite H Tulsa, OK 74133 Phone : 1-800-670-2809 [Type text]

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A proper patient appointment scheduling system is a key element in physician practice management. However, many caregivers do not have the skills to create schedules that keep track of patient flow, improve service, and cater to patient needs. The result is inefficiency, chaos, and missed appointments, all of which affect practice workflow and revenue. Fortunately, many providers are finding that the problem can be addressed with professional online patient appointment scheduling services.

A recent report in RevCycle Intelligence showed the graveness of the problem. According to the report which is based on a study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), patient scheduling is a major issue in Veteran Affairs (VA) medical settings. It says that many veterans experience extremely long wait times or do not even get the chance to see a doctor. This prevents them from getting access to primary care and as a result, specialist care when they need it.

The reason for this sorry state of affairs, according to the report, is that Veteran Heath Administration’s scheduling policy was not up to federal standards. Problems include failure to send timely reminders and lack of follow-up appointment scheduling. The report concludes, “As more veterans need access to healthcare, more pressure will most likely be placed on the VHA healthcare system to improve its patient scheduling practices and wait times”.

Key Advantages of Online Patient Scheduling 

Reduces pressure on office staff: Companies that provide these services offer the convenience of 24/7 online scheduling. This allows practices to increase their number of overall appointments without putting any added strain on their office staff. Their staff can focus on other important tasks.

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Reduces no-shows and missed appointments: Online scheduling has an edge over phone-call scheduling. Studies indicate that up to 10-25 percent of patients who are contacted by phone fail to show up for an appointment and that waiting rooms are fuller when the practice relies on online patient appointment scheduling.

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Avoids need to make phone calls: Making phone calls to remind patients about keeping appointments is expensive and time-consuming for the practice. This can also be inconvenient for patients who are busy. The software sends out electronic

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appointment reminders via email or SMS to remind patients about their appointments. 

Easier to schedule new appointments: Practices that provide online appointment scheduling can attract more new patients.

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Gain a competitive edge: Efficient appointment scheduling process give the physician’s practice a competitive edge. Increased patient satisfaction leads to a positive return on investment.

Outsource Patient Scheduling to the Right Service Provider Physicians can enjoy all these benefits of online patient appointment scheduling by outsourcing the task to a reliable and experienced service provider. A professional company will work with physicians to ease the administrative hassles of practice staff and ensure a convenient experience for patients. Using software that ensures ease of use, functionality and reliability, a reliable company will simplify the task of patient scheduling and provide patients with a convenient way to schedule visits. They will manage the procedure so that physicians can easily view and navigate scheduled appointments, leading to greater operational and clinical efficiencies, while increasing practice revenue.

www.outsourcestrategies.com

1-800-670-2809