The top trends in patient experience for 2021, according to Forbes, include improving access to healthcare for minority communities, building trust amid widespread health misinformation, and investing in technology.
A key one for your business? Tapping into the digital revolution. People enjoy easy online experiences in every area of their lives, from ordering pizza to filing taxes. They expect and deserve the same level of convenience when seeking medical care.
NexHealth can help your dental practice embrace the revolution. With its digital patient experience platform, practices can provide patients a frictionless experience for booking appointments and keeping in touch with the practice.
These are six features of the NexHealth platform that will make getting into your practice easier and more convenient for your patients.
Patients can choose from multiple locations
If you have a practice with multiple locations, NexHealth lets you consolidate all the schedules into one platform, giving your patients more choices for appointment times and the flexibility to book sooner. If a patient is coming into your practice for an urgent problem like a toothache or broken crown, they’ll likely be willing to travel further than their regular location to get the problem fixed.
Allows for scheduling outside of office hours
Giving patients the flexibility to book appointments outside normal 9-5 office hours leads to more appointments booked. NexHealth has found that nearly 3 out of 4 patients book appointments in off hours, which shows that 24/7 access to scheduling can be a critical tool for your business.
According to a Pew Research study, half of Americans report, at any given time, they are trying to do two or more things at once. People are extremely busy, and 24/7 booking caters to people who do not have time to book appointments during their workday. The option of booking an appointment, regardless of the time of day, is critical to serving patients of all backgrounds.
Autogenerates reminders for patients after booking
Reminders help make sure patients show up for their appointments. These reminders are simple, useful messages that show patients an added level of care. In a study of primary care scheduling in Europe, researchers found that text messages were just as effective as phone calls in terms of getting patients to show up to their appointments. Of the 6,000 patients who participated in the survey, three-quarters reported wanting the text reminders to be implemented at clinics.
The reminders, which can be sent via text or email, are also a benefit to providers. They take the strain off office managers and receptionists who would have to call each patient to confirm. Instead, NexHealth reminders can be customized to fit a practice’s need, including the content of the message, the distribution time, and frequency of messages. They also allow patients to reschedule their appointments online rather than contact the clinic.
Patients can message providers directly with questions
In addition to giving dental offices the ability to text patients, NexHealth also lets patients reach out to the dental practice via text. Texting, as opposed to calling, can often be a better option because patients can reach out when necessary, and practitioners or the office manager can respond as soon as they’re available, instead of playing phone tag.
What’s more is texts are a preferred method of communication, especially among younger people. In an OpenMarket survey, one in five respondents report never checking their voicemails, which highlights how ineffective phone calls can be. Texts are more convenient, less disruptive, and generally preferred by a majority of people.
Offers an automated waitlist for patients to snag earlier openings
NexHealth’s Automated ASAP List Alert is an added layer of convenience for patients. Patients who opt-in to the waitlist are sent a text notifying them an earlier slot has opened up, and they can respond if they would like to take it. The waitlist offers patients the flexibility to be seen sooner, whether they have an appointment scheduled far out or are waiting to get on the schedule.
Waitlists also help keep empty appointment slots full and your practice running at full capacity. They also save your staff time by preventing the last-minute scramble to fill an appointment slot. The average waitlist fill time is less than 10 minutes, NexHealth has found.
Eliminates hold times
More than 50% of Americans reporting spending 10-20 minutes on hold each week, according to a survey by TalkTo. This amounts to 43 days on hold over someone’s lifetime. But with NexHealth’s online appointment scheduling, hold times are eliminated.
Eliminating pain points is a key part of the patient experience. Saving them time by offering online booking could be the difference between them continuing with your practice or seeking out another one.
Ready for a better patient experience?
A seamless, convenient scheduling system is crucial to delivering a superior patient experience. Want to learn more about how you can get these convenient features for your practice? Request a demo of NexHealth here.
