Understanding the Patient Intake Process

Introduction

When looking at the intake process of patients, into a medical facility, it is an obvious realization that we have made progress in making the patients experience proficient and pleasant. However there is always room for improvement in any type of facility. How many times have you been to the doctor and waited long than 20 minutes? Have you ever been rescheduled because you were 20 minutes late?

This paper will provide a simplistic strategy that will help the implement to improve patient efficiency to minimize the patients wait time.

This strategy will not only help new patients, but it will provide convenience during check in for new patients. The intake process for patients can be very stressful and long especially if the patient is suffering from a chronic illness. When thinking of the check in process, there has to be a way to not only speed up this process and make the patients visit less stressful and more efficient.

The implement to improve patient efficiency to minimize the patients wait time

One way to do this is, at that time a patient schedules an appointment they would be given the option to have someone call them prior to their appointment to pre-register them so when they go to their scheduled appointment all they would have to do is review the information and sign.

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The other option the patient would have, if they did not want to wait for someone to call them, is they could be given the registration number, and call at their own convenience to pre-register.

This way it will be more convenient for them and save time sitting in the waiting room filling out new patient forms.

Once a patient is pre-registered and they have reviewed and signed all the necessary paperwork they will then be able to use to the self check in for any following appointments. By pre-registering a patient in this fashion it reduces paperwork and makes the check in process a more efficient and productive, due to the fact that it will cut down on the wait time to check in which will be beneficial to those with chronic diseases or who do not possess the physical stamina to wait to be checked in through the traditional intake process.

The new process would also allow the patient to update their own information through this system, because they would then have the ability to check themselves in and edit any information whether it is personal data changes or insurance changes. This process not only benefits the patient but it also allows the facilities to better streamline the flow of patients and information within the facility. Having all of the patient’s information in the facilities computer system will allow for the patients to receive automated appointment reminders, and to check test results.

Modern technology

This system will also provide the ability to email their physician or nurse with any health questions or concerns they may have. Modern technology has opened some many doors for both the facilities and their patients by allowing the patients to have more input and control over how they want to handle their registration. This type of patient intake saves time and produces more revenue for the facility. The more patients that are seen the more revenue coming in. This also provides the patient with a more pleasant experience.

For example, even the patients that are regulars to the facility can have unpleasant experiences, but with this strategy it will hopefully decrease any issues the patient may have, such as having to reaffirm their information. It is vital for the facility to transition all patients over to the updated medical record system so everyone has a pleasant experience. The transitions process will require a lot of time initially, however over time it will be worth the extra time which is required.

When a facility incorporates an efficient intake procedure, they will also increase their patient volume and billing efficiency, which in turn increase the facilities revenue. In conclusion anything that a facility can implement to make a patient experience as pleasant as possible is worth the effort. When a patient has to go to a medical facility for any reason it can be a very stressful experience and the better the experience the patient has in the intake process can set the tone for their overall experience, the more proficient facilities can become the happier the staff and the patients will be.

References

1. Quadra Med. (). Patient Access. Retrieved from http://www.quadramed.com/patient_access/