While the healthcare industry stays hesitant to automated tools, there is one area where digital tools have already proven their value – Patient Intake Software. In fact, a recent Patient Access Survey revealed that 90% of the patients prefer digital patient registration, check-in, and more focusing convenience and efficiency as key benefits.
Staff frustration due to a lot of paperwork and repetitive manual tasks further highlights an urgent need for digital intake. Altogether, these factors are directly affecting your healthcare facility’s overall efficiency and revenue.
So, let’s explore the essential reasons why switching from traditional methods to patient intake software can make a significant impact on your healthcare facility.
How Patient Intake Software Enhances Patient Experience and Satisfaction?
Most practices are wondering why there should be a digitization of patient intake process? With manual, paper-based intake, your practices may face front-desk task hassles leading to inaccuracies.
Here are the 5 reasons why you need a patient intake software:
Revamp patient experience and boost patient satisfaction
Problem: When your patient’s needs are not met, they switch providers seeking better care and experience. In 2021, nearly 80% of patients switched providers due to experiencing poor care from providers. How do you manage such a situation and retain your patients?
Solution: Streamline intake by digitizing each step for a seamless patient journey. Here’s how patient intake software reduces negative experiences:
- Digital Scheduling – Patients can book appointments at any time, reducing scheduling friction and minimizing call volume.
- Online Form Filling– Patients fill out forms from home, eliminating paperwork and allowing for quicker in-office visits.
- Pre-Appointment Communication – Automated reminders and updates ensure clear, timely communication, reducing confusion about next steps.
- Instant Check-In Options – With kiosk or mobile check-in, patients spend less time waiting and more time on their actual care.
- Post-Visit Surveys – Digital surveys allow patients to provide real-time feedback, giving you actionable insights to measure the patient satisfaction levels.
Additionally, solve your organizational problems in real time using surveys and measure your patient satisfaction levels. With real-time surveys, almost 1 in 5 patients readily provide feedback, giving practices valuable insights for improving patient experience. This not only improves patient experiences, but also drives team efficiency by keeping focus on actionable improvements.
Save Staff Time and Avoid Burnout
Problem: The average hospital lost nearly $4.82 million due to unexpected staff turnover costs. The average cost of turnover for a registered nurse was $56,277. High manual workloads lead to burnout and, ultimately, staff turnover.
Solution: Automating patient check-in and data entry through digital tools, such as kiosks or tablets, can help reduce these burdens:
- Save Time: Practices save over 5 minutes per patient using digital check-in, allowing staff to manage time more efficiently.
- Reduce Repetitive Work: By automating data entry, staff spend less time on routine tasks, enabling a stronger focus on patient care (50% of staff report burnout due to repetitive tasks).
- Lower Burnout Rates: Digital check-in reduces staff burnout and turnover rates, potentially saving around $60,000 per staff replacement.
- Boost Efficiency: Admin time is minimized by 20%, enabling teams to see more patients and operate with higher efficiency.
This strategic shift enhances staff satisfaction, retention, and enhances overall operational efficiency, allowing practices to dedicate more resources to what truly matters: patient care.
Elevate Patient Satisfaction, Enhance Financial Health
Problem: Almost 79% of patients were looking for a unified platform to pay their medical bills. But relying on staff to handle billing manually may create complexities and consume much time, leading to inefficiencies.
Solution: Patient intake software eases the payments for both staff and patients through automation and digital payment options. Additionally, practices can provide a transparency over what patients owe and flexible ways to pay like:
- Payment plans
- Methods like FSA, HSA, ACH transfers
- Mobile wallets like Apple Pay/Google Pay
- Text-to-pay
When you simplify the payment process, you can easily boost patient collections. With patient intake software, patients can easily pay their co-pays at the time of service and even complete paying their outstanding dues.
Get your Healthcare Compliance
Problem: Over 133 million healthcare records were exposed in data breaches last year. Data breaches in healthcare can be catastrophic, with millions at stake in both financial and reputational losses. Beyond financial penalties and legal battles, these breaches devastate patient trust and disrupt practice operations. Can your organization afford this risk?
Solution: Incorporating patient intake software like CERTIFY Health, you stay ahead by ensuring these compliances:
- HIPAA
- HITRUST
- GDPR
- SOC 2 Type II
This commitment to compliance not only protects sensitive patient information but also plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall patient experience. Here’s how:
- Building Patient Trust: Compliance with healthcare regulations ensures patient data is handled securely, fostering strong relationships.
- Boosting Patient Satisfaction: Secure data privacy leads to higher patient satisfaction, resulting in positive feedback and referrals.
- Enhancing Patient Retention: A strong commitment to data protection reduces the likelihood of patients switching providers, helping practices retain patients.
- Mitigating Risks of Data Breaches: Minimize the risk of data breaches, protecting practices from financial penalties and reputational damage.
Ultimately, Patient intake software enables your practice to protect sensitive patient information while ensuring compliance with HIPAA laws. Thus, you can offer patients peace of mind by avoiding the chances of losing confidential data. To know more about healthcare compliance, read our blog.
Mitigation of Medical Errors
Problem: A study shows that 61% of claim denials often stem from basic demographic and technical issues, and often due to manual data entry errors. Illegible handwriting or typos often led to inaccuracies in patient data.
Solution: Patient intake software like CERTIFY Health significantly reduces the risk of data entry errors associated with manual administrative tasks. By digitizing these paper forms, practices can enhance accuracy and maintain accurate patient databases. This reduction in errors directly impacts patient outcomes by ensuring that healthcare providers have reliable information for effective diagnosis and treatment.
Better data accuracy allows practices to eliminate safety concerns related to patient care, especially when inaccurate health information is recorded in patient records.
Your Digital Solution for faster, smarter, and more streamlined Patient Intake
As manual intake challenges continue to grow, adopting patient intake software is a proven strategy to streamline patient care and enhance cash flow. With a digital intake solution, your staff can focus on tasks that drive revenue, while patients enjoy a more convenient and compassionate healthcare experience.
Invest in patient intake software like CERTIFY Health to help your practice stay efficient, accurate, and financially strong.
FAQs
Why is Patient Intake Software Important?
What is the purpose of a patient intake form?
A patient intake form collects essential health information before an appointment, allowing providers to deliver personalized care and streamlining the check-in process for a smoother patient experience.
Can patient intake software improve financial health for healthcare practices?
Yes, digital intake software can streamline billing with options like mobile payments, text-to-pay, and various payment methods and plans. This ease of payment helps increase collections, reduce unpaid balances, and ultimately improve the practice’s revenue.
What are the top benefits of using digital patient intake forms?
Digital patient intake forms improve efficiency and accuracy by reducing manual data entry, while enhancing patient satisfaction with a faster, more convenient check-in process. They also help ensure data security and regulatory compliance.
