| Technology is a wonderful thing; it can help | | | | no-show appointments can cost a practice a |
| us to improve efficiency and productivity in | | | | significant amount of money, each and every |
| nearly every aspect of our daily lives. Not | | | | month. The losses are so real that many |
| only has technology afforded us as | | | | medical practices have an entire system |
| individuals to become more efficient and | | | | designed to counteract the no-show |
| productive, such as with the invention of the | | | | appointment revenue loss, by requiring their |
| cell phone and answering machines; it has | | | | front-desk receptionist to call and even mail |
| given professionals a way to outsource | | | | out letters to remind patients of their |
| monotonous and time-consuming tasks so that | | | | appointments. Something that many doctors are |
| they can concentrate on things that need | | | | not aware of, however, is that there are |
| their personal and undivided attention. In | | | | automated appointment reminder services on |
| the medical field, advancements in technology | | | | the market; those which not only help the |
| have given doctors the tools necessary to | | | | front-desk receptionist to be more productive |
| improve the care that they give to their | | | | by relieving him or her of the mundane, yet |
| patients, and even ways to help organize and | | | | necessary, tasks of calling patients to |
| maintain large databases of patient | | | | remind them of their appointments, but can |
| information and records electronically; | | | | also help to improve the financial bottom |
| meaning that patient scheduling and health | | | | line of the practice by reducing the number |
| histories can be obtained with the click of a | | | | of patients that fail to show up for their |
| button, whereas not too long ago, doctors or | | | | scheduled appointments. Increased |
| their medical receptionists had to sift | | | | productivity, decreased revenue loss with |
| through thousands of hard-copy paper | | | | online appointment schedulers While there are |
| documents and filing systems to obtain | | | | many different medical answering services |
| patient information. A concept that is | | | | available today, few provide the benefits of |
| unfamiliar to many doctors, unfortunately, is | | | | using an online system, one that is |
| certain aspects of technology that can help | | | | maintenance free for medical office, |
| them to lower their financial overhead as | | | | automated and runs 24/7 to help improve the |
| well as increase patient satisfaction by | | | | efficiency of a medical practice. Not only |
| catering to their patients 24 hours a day, 7 | | | | cost-effective, these online systems |
| days a week. The concept to which we're | | | | outperform their human competitors day in and |
| referring to is online patient scheduling | | | | day out; dollar for dollar, you cannot beat |
| with automated appointment reminders. Online | | | | an online scheduler with automated |
| patient appointment scheduling Regardless of | | | | appointment reminders anywhere. When |
| the skills of a doctors' medical | | | | acquiring the services of a medical answering |
| receptionist, he or she is limited to | | | | service, you are not much better off than |
| performing one task at a time, no matter how | | | | hiring another in-house employee. There are |
| skilled they are at multi-tasking. Moreover, | | | | savings with this solution, but the bottom |
| a medical receptionist is only available a | | | | line is - you are still paying for human |
| certain number of hours throughout the day, | | | | effort, not an automated system. To date, |
| meaning that any established patients that | | | | there are not many of these all-encompassing |
| attempt to call outside of office hours will | | | | systems that offer an online scheduler with |
| not be able to do something as simple as | | | | an automated appointment reminder, but there |
| schedule an appointment; a service that can | | | | are a few that you can choose from. If you |
| be offered by doctors that utilize the | | | | think that your practice would improve by |
| services of an automated appointment | | | | being available 24/7 for your exiting |
| scheduler. An online appointment scheduler | | | | patients and would benefit from cutting your |
| affords medical practices the luxury of being | | | | appointment no-show revenue down |
| available 24/7 for their patients; truly seen | | | | significantly, you owe it to yourself, and |
| as a "self service" solution for patient | | | | your patients, to find out the options |
| appointment scheduling, doctors have the | | | | available for your medical practice. Chances |
| ability to cater to their existing patients | | | | are, you will see the benefits right away, |
| by offering appointment scheduling even when | | | | and end up with more time, and money, to |
| it's outside of the practices set office | | | | cater to your patients in the long run. |
| hours. The sad truth is, though, that many | | | | |
| doctors are unaware that these types of | | | | This article is number seven in a series By |
| services exist; services that could help to | | | | Andy Press about Medical Receptionist, |
| increase their practices productivity and | | | | Answing Service and Online Scheduling. |
| increase their patients overall satisfaction. | | | | Additional resources and articles written by |
| Doctors and patients benefit from automated | | | | Andy Press related to Medical Practices |
| appointment reminder services Seen as a major | | | | Efficiency are accessible on line. |
| loss financially for most medical practices, | | | | |