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Technology is having a major impact on the medical industry, both in terms of how services are provided and the way in which these services are accessed by consumers. The greatest complaint among nearly all hospital patients is the amount of time that must be spent in waiting rooms. This is especially true in emergency […]
Technology is having a major impact on the medical industry, both in terms of how services are provided and the way in which these services are accessed by consumers. The greatest complaint among nearly all hospital patients is the amount of time that must be spent in waiting rooms. This is especially true in emergency rooms and in urgent care facilities, where workloads can spike at any moment due to walk-ins and patients arriving by ambulance. Fortunately, there are web-based platforms that are helping to ease the demands that ER professionals face, while simultaneously reducing patient wait times in a very dramatic way.
Why More Hospitals Are Turning To Online Check-In Services
Many hospitals are opting to use online check-in services to better manage their patient loads in ER facilities. These are web-based platforms operated by third-parties that allow consumers to receive advance appointments before leaving their homes. Rather than arriving unannounced, these individuals can receive same day appointments according to the severity of their conditions and the availability of providers. This limits their exposure by reducing the amount of time spent with other sick people and it also helps to make their visits far more time-efficient and pleasant.
How These Systems Are Helping Medical Providers
ER professionals gain a number of benefits through the use of these platforms as well. When patient information is supplied in advance of visits, doctors, nurses and all other providers have an opportunity to prepare for the unexpected. This helps in minimizing waste by ensuring efficiency in staffing and it also makes it possible for these entities to prepare for the forthcoming workload. Moreover, if any of the symptoms that are detailed by prospective patients suggest the likelihood of communicable illness, they can ensure that people with compromised immune functioning do not suffer undue exposure. These systems can be extraordinarily helpful during the normal flu and cold season.
Preparing For Specialized Needs
There are even instances in which patients may require special testing or other specialty services as part of the diagnostic and treatment processes. When this is the case, information that has been gathered by online reservation systems can be used to secure these resources ahead of patient arrival. This also helps to expedite care and further enhances the way in which manpower is used. Many hospitals have access to specialty providers on a purely contractual basis or they may need to call these individuals from other hospital departments. Making these arrangements in advance helps to save time on all ends.
Building Better Reputations
The best thing that an emergency room can be known for is fast, efficient service. The majority of patients who visit these environments are already in various stages of discomfort. Extended wait times and increased exposure only further exasperate these individuals. Moreover, exposure to secondary illnesses in emergency room environments can also lead to lower success rates for treatments, by further overwhelming human immune systems that are already taxed. Thus, by relying on an online reservation system, it is possible for an Austin emergency room to recognize dramatic improvements in numerous areas, most importantly, in its reputation and in its success rates for treatment.
Article written by Carl Seaton.
