5 Pieces of Medical Office Technology Your Practice Needs
According to the most recent data, the U.S. is home to over 1.07 million professionally active physicians. These include primary care and specialist physicians. Of the 50 states, California tops the ranks with the most active doctors, followed by New York and Texas.
If you’re one of those active physicians, consider opening a practice you can call your own. Or, if you already have one, revamp and update it to meet all patient needs.
Either way, investing in medical office technology is one way to make your practice stand out.
To that end, we created this guide on the top medical office technologies to invest in for your practice. Read on to discover what they are, what they can do, and how they can help your clinic or facility.
1. Patient Portals
Patient portals are medical technologies in the form of online applications. They can be stand-alone websites or integrated with a healthcare provider’s existing site. Some are also easy to add to pre-existing electronic health records (EHR).
Most portals are available 24/7. This allows patients to message their healthcare providers at any time of the day. They also let patients interact with their doctors via telehealth during clinic hours.
Such online apps make it easier for patients to access their health records. For example, it lets them see their lab test results using their computers or smartphones. It also enables them to check their medical histories using their internet-connected device.
Some patient portals even come with online scheduling features. With these, patients can see which dates and times are available for appointments. They can then book the schedules they want right from the comfort of their homes.
All those benefits, in turn, can help attract more patients to your practice. After all, about 2 in 3 people in the U.S. want easy access to their health records via an EHR, a mobile app, or a patient portal. So, giving them what they desire makes them more likely to choose your practice than one that doesn’t.
2. Telehealth Software
Before the pandemic, only 5% of patients used telehealth services. In 2022, that spiked to 25%. Experts project it would increase to 50% to 70% within five years.
If you don’t offer telehealth, now’s the best time to invest in this digital health technology. With this, you can provide your healthcare services remotely through telecommunications technology. For example, you can check in on your patients without having them visit your office in person.
Patients also benefit because they don’t have to leave their houses to see you. This can be particularly helpful for those with mobility issues or who are pretty sick. They can receive virtual home treatment, therapy, counseling, or medication management.
If you decide to offer telehealth, please choose HIPAA compliant telehealth software. Such programs have undergone rigorous security risk assessments and safety procedures. Most have also undertaken compliance testing from independent third parties.
3. Patient and Staff Notification System
This medical information technology allows you to automate message reminders for patients. Most usually let you set schedules, such as 24 or 48 hours before their appointments. The software then automatically sends an email or an SMS to the patients at that time.
Such medical technology helps minimize missed appointments due to patients forgetting them. It can also offer them options to reschedule based on date and time availability.
You can also use the software to alert your practice’s staff members about work days. This can be especially helpful if your office follows monthly work and rest day cycles. The program can automatically send them their new work schedule a few days before it changes.
Another way to use such software is to inform your staff about patient appointments. That way, everyone at your medical office remains abreast of who to expect on which days. Then, your team can review records and know more about the patients before arrival.
That can help minimize lengthy wait times since your staff may have to ask fewer questions.
4. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
RPM involves medical laboratory technology deployed in a patient’s home. It uses devices connected to a healthcare provider’s network. These may include blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and heart rate monitors, to name a few.
RPM allows healthcare professionals to monitor their patients from anywhere continuously. As a result, doctors can immediately know of any changes to their patient’s conditions. So if something goes awry, they can promptly call their patient or emergency contact.
Continuous monitoring and prompt response can then improve patient outcomes. They may also help prevent a patient’s condition from worsening. Better yet, they may contribute to a patient’s quicker recovery.
That can all lead to happier, healthier, and more satisfied patients. Their high satisfaction rate may even lead to them spreading the good news about your office. Your practice will likely see an influx of new patients when that happens.
5. Practice Management System (PMS)
A practice management system automates most administrative tasks your medical office performs. This includes accounting, billing, insurance, and payroll, to name a few. Some also let you integrate them with the existing technologies discussed above.
With a PMS, your office can save time on lengthy but crucial admin chores. For instance, you no longer have to manually check insurance info or eligibility. That’s because the system can do this automatically for you.
You can also integrate an existing patient portal with a PMS. Doing so automatically populates its built-in calendars with patient appointments. It also notifies you and your staff immediately once a patient books an appointment.
A PMS also helps your practice stay on top of patient financial responsibilities. For example, it can notify you that it’s time to collect pending patient payments.
Invest in These Medical Office Technology Must-Haves
From patient portals to PMS, all these are medical office technology must-haves. Not only can they help you streamline your admin tasks. They also simplify things for patients, including booking visits and accessing records.
All that can help boost your office’s productivity and attract more patients.
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