4 Benefits of Scheduling Your Doctor Appointments Online
Brand loyalty in the healthcare industry is on the decline because modern patients expect more from their providers. This means that patients who were previously loyal to one healthcare provider or organisation will be switching to give themselves with the experience they desire.
In fact, over a third of patients had switched healthcare providers in the previous two years, and many of them mentioned difficulties gaining timely access to care as a major factor in their decision. To what extent can non-hospital healthcare providers combat employee turnover? Patients are more likely to be satisfied with a medical practise that goes above and beyond to make themselves more convenient.
Both of these benefits are provided by online scheduling software like ekshef.com. Make sure your website and social media pages advertise online scheduling if your clinic doesn’t already. This simple digital option can bring immediate benefits to patients.
1. Patients Choose Practices that Offer Online Scheduling:
Due to the high value placed on time savings by today’s healthcare consumers, practises that offer online appointment scheduling stand out from the competition and attract new patients.
Patients report that, next to insurance, convenience is the most important consideration in determining where they go for medical care. Patients’ first experience with a healthcare provider is typically during the scheduling process, so it’s important to make a good impression from the start.
When patients have the opportunity to arrange appointments online, they may do so at their convenience, rather than having to call during business hours, or play phone tag, with your front desk or scheduler. Whether your office line is busy or you’re closed, online scheduling can help you turn website traffic into new patients.
2. All Appointments are Made with Convenience:
Due to the growing popularity of healthcare browsing online, conventional “office hours” are becoming increasingly irrelevant. Chatbots and continuous help for customers are now commonplace in most businesses. Contrarily, healthcare providers are typically only available between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm. Because of their daytime schedules, patients often cannot get the care they need.
A full 42% of patients report that waiting on hold is the most frustrating part of making an appointment. When your office is closed and your phones are busy, online scheduling can save the day. But, it is also useful for those who would rather schedule appointments at their own leisure online.
3. Appointment Gaps can be Filled More Efficiently Using Online Patient Scheduling:
Independent medical practises that are successful at maintaining full schedules do so by booking as many appointments as possible. Appointments are wasted when patients don’t show up or cancel at the last minute, which can have a negative impact on the bottom line and the development of a business.
Patients in need of an immediate appointment would appreciate your online scheduling system if it displays real-time availability information and allows them to choose from open times that could otherwise be wasted due to no-shows or cancellations.
Appointment confirmations and reminders may be set up automatically through most online scheduling services, which is another way to cut down on no-shows and last-minute cancellations.
4. Staff can Better Serve Patients Thanks to Online Scheduling:
Online scheduling increases patient satisfaction even before the first appointment. As much as 59% of patients report feeling annoyed by the length of time they have to wait on hold and the inconvenient office hours associated with making appointments over the phone, according to studies.
If you let patients plan their own appointments through your website, they won’t have to try to coordinate their schedules with yours. Furthermore, they won’t need to wait on hold while your front desk agents deal with other incoming calls or do other administrative tasks.