This new program makes new patient registration a breeze! Patients can log on anytime during the day or night and fill out all of their paperwork online. Not only does this save time in the office, it saves the environment because everything is done electronically!

Patients simply fill in all of their personal information including name, address and Insurance Company and submit it via the 24/7 online patient registration system. What’s more: patients can also send a personal note to the doctor, and the doctor can send a personal note back. Not only does all of the patient’s information come across in a clear and concise way, the system also allows patients to schedule appointments online right then and there! This way, all of the patients information is stored electronically including all insurance information, medications the patient is taking, etc.

And, at a glance, patients can see what appointment times are available, and doctors can see what the day looks like. Another important part of this system is that once a patient registers, all involved parties are emailed. The patient receives an email reminding them of their appointment time, and includes a map and directions about how to get to the office! The office staff gets emailed a reminder that all of the paperwork is ready to be processed.

One important part of this 24/7 new patient registration system is that it improves communication between the patient and the doctor’s office. If a patient has a specific request for the appointment (for example- I need blood work!) then they can type that directly into the system and the doctor and his or her staff will see that. In addition the doctor can send a note that says, “don’t forget to fast for the blood test!” This is a great way to keep up good communication between doctor and patient.

Finally, all of this information can be synched with the office computer system and handheld devices if need be. This way, a doctor can see exactly who is coming in when. And, don’t worry – in this age of medical privacy, only the highest-level security programs are employed to keep everyone’s information safe.

Self service patient registration is now being offered by some tech savvy physician’s offices since the new patient sign up process takes up the time of regular staff when they could be performing more useful inner office functions.

The new patient sign up system is ideal for those physicians who are trying to increase the size of their practice. Utilizing your patient list, family and friends of your current patients can be notified via a link that you are accepting new patients and that they can connect directly to your patient sign up system. They would then simply enter the requested information and when the system determines they are a match to your list of health care insurance providers, they will be able to choose an appropriate appointment time.

One advantage of this self-serve system, specifically for matching insurance carriers, can be useful for avoiding awkward in-office rejections for those without proper coverage failing to match up with your list of qualified insurers.

Your staff will avoid time-consuming information gathering from potential patients. The information will already be entered into your database for easy retrieval when the patient attends their appointment. Your staff will be ready and waiting for their arrival and be able to welcome them appropriately, minus the initial interview process and saving valuable time.

New patients who qualify will be automatically logged into the appointment scheduling system that is also self-serve, saving them time. With access to your virtual office receptionist and the automated appointment scheduler, patients can change, cancel or page medical personnel for an emergency if required, all through the 24/7 medical front desk receptionist. Your newly qualified patients will feel reasonably comfortable attending their first doctor’s appointment knowing the paperwork is completed.

As the administrator of your automated new patient sign up system, you will have the option to accept or turn down any new patients who have been received through the initial filtering of the new patient sign up application. As the physician, you will receive a notification concerning all new patient sign ups and can determine in advance if you wish to take a particular sign up on as a new patient. If you choose to decline a would-be patient submission, they will be notified of your decision via email if you and or your staff prefer to remain at arm’s length when refusing an individual for whatever reason.

Once again, the new patient sign up system can take the delicate personal contact out of the new patient registration equation. The patient will be able to save not only time but also perhaps some self-respect, allowing them to maintain their decorum if they are refused an appointment. Medical visits can be emotional and sometimes locating a doctor can be difficult. Medical practices using the automated new patient sign up will not only be utilizing cutting edge technology, but may also be doing themselves and potential patients a good turn for a number of reasons.

Best of all online appointments is having a speech-recognition capable virtual receptionist enable patient self-service appointment by phone. This modern service will help you reduce patient now-shows and generally reduce your operating costs. That said it is vital for me to point out also that not all remote receptionist services are good. So, how do you make sure that you get value for your money?

The Internet is awash with many types of virtual medical office receptionist service providers. However, not all are good or are suitable for your medical practice. It can be tricky for a potential buyer to choose the right service but the following tips should increase your chances of getting a good return for your investment.

Know what you need first

A virtual receptionist can do many things but you may not need all them. It is therefore important to have list of what you are looking for in a front desk receptionist service before committing to buy. What you need depends on the nature of your practice. If you have a problem with patient no-shows for instance, then you need a service that offers ‘call backs’ to remind patients of their forthcoming appointments.

Initial investment

Just like any other businessperson a medical practitioner should be savvy enough to know that tying huge sums of money by paying for services that will be used in the future is not a very good idea. The future is very uncertain and you don’t want a situation whereby the company offering you the service goes under with your one year’s service subscription! Whenever possible, pay in small amounts e.g. for a month’s service. If within that one month you’re not satisfied with what you are getting then you have the liberty of shopping elsewhere.

Operating costs

One of the biggest reasons why many doctors invest in a remote receptionist service is to increase their bottom line. If the service you are buying does not help you to reduce costs and therefore bolster profits especially during these challenging economic times then it makes no economic sense at all to invest in it. Don’t go for a service that requires installation of software or hardware. There are very good receptionist services that are solely based on the web. Go for those ones as you need not call a technician to fix them in your office because they are not working.

Benefits

The main goal of most businesses is to maximize profits. So, ask yourself what you stand to gain by investing in a given type of remote receptionist service. Other than the ability to provide ‘call back’ services, a good receptionist service should also act as a back up receptionist. This will enable your practice to handle pressure especially when there is an upsurge of patients with each needing attention. In addition, if the human receptionist is out for one reason or another the backup receptionist can ‘take over’. This would in turn prevent unnecessary losses in revenue due to customer dissatisfaction.

Thus, as you plan to give your practice a boost make sure you bear these few points in mind. You will end up with a better service at a lower cost and ultimately more returns.