The biggest part of our digital transformation is changing the way we experience things.
The healthcare industry is generally known for its immense amount of paperwork. Medical staff and patients fill out forms in huge amounts. They include so much, right from patient registration to health records, test & their results to receipts. Needless to mention, all other non-medical supporting documents.
However, we breathe in the air of digital transformation. Most industries now are shifting paperwork into digitised forms. Some healthcare institutions and professionals too, are investing in replacing paper forms with electronic documents, but just some! Here is what you need to know if you have not joined this wave.
Understand the inconvenience first
Handing patients a stack of paper forms when they walk into your clinic/hospital is just an accident waiting to happen. It also creates a room for errors. Wondering how? Well,
Firstly, seeing so many fields to enter might overwhelm the patient and he might get confused while filling them. Chances are he might fill in some wrong details or not at all.
Then the person responsible for manually entering data into your EHR can easily misinterpret what the patient wrote—after all, doctors aren’t the only people out there with messy handwriting!
Then at the third stage where you as a professional would look at it to assess, you won't get the accurate data if the first 2 stages keep repeating.
Ultimately, it will increase your task, create an unpleasant patient experience, and overall a ruckus in the place of your practice. Manual process is far from ideal. Here is why-
Invites Repetition– Most patients have filled out similar forms on countless occasions.
Easily prone to human error – Information is not always accurate.
Sensitive to handle – The information provided is often sensitive, so these need to be stored securely and in compliance with strict healthcare regulations.
Electronic form solutions are built to remedy this entire problem in one go! Healthcare organisations can turn paper-based forms into encrypted and HIPAA compliant electronic documents and manual processes into automated ones – from improving the patient experience to ensuring ongoing compliance with healthcare regulations.
Impact on Patient Experience
Well, clearly manual forms bring in several kinds of discomfort to different people. For eg. language barrier, heistance to share openly, etc. Moreover, when a patient is already going through pain due to ailment, form filling activity might create tremendous inconvenience. More the convenience, positive will be the patient experience & greater the patient satisfaction levels; vice-a-versa.
How does an electronic form aid this concern & facilitate patient experience?
Here is a list-
It gives a scope to make online appointments, add their information and confirm from the comfort of their home.
Filling details before arriving at the clinic brings convenience & facilitates quick care at arrival to the clinic since all formalities are taken care of.
It reduces the chances of patients becoming agitated in a busy waiting room.
Helps patients fill in exact details as customisation becomes possible online.
Creates a sense of trust and hope as it portrays a professional who cares for his patients.
Patients are more likely to answer online, specially anonymously rather than writing on a paper. Leveraging digital healthcare solutions from Nth Sense, you can integrate digital patient surveys, measure patient satisfaction and amend wherever needed.
Above all,
Digitising forms facilitates an uncomplicated yet secured way of hosting as much required data for healthcare organisations. Infact, digital patient form is a game-changer in making the overall healthcare experience (for both the sides) seamless & accurate as possible. It is also highly encouraged by governments, insurance companies and other prominent medical institutions.
Takeaway
4 more benefits of Digital Patient Form
1. Cuts down unnecessary expenses
2. Improves data accuracy
3. Secures patient information
4. Saves time and reduces workflow
Digital patient intake technology was proposed to tackle clinician workflow challenges, but its impact on patient experience served as an important byproduct!
Remember- If you make their experience exceptional, your patients will thank you.
Nth Sense builds patient engagement, trust and revenue
Get a free 30-min consultation to know how you can leverage the digital healthcare solutions that Nth Sense offers.
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