It can be difficult to separate patient care from making a living, but self-employed physicians are asked to tackle this difficult task. Patients deserve the ultimate care, but assessing each patient individually would take hours — if not days — to give them the most precise form of care. ReactDx, cardiac event monitor experts, has gathered information to help clinics run more effectively and efficiently in a few easy steps.
Managing Traffic Flow
Set your baseline by tracking:
- When patients check in
- The amount of time before they are escorted to an examination room
- How long a technician visits with them taking vitals and information
- The time between the technician’s visit and your examination
- The time you spend with the patient
- The amount of time it takes for the patient to check out
- The number of new patients, and how many patients are in the waiting room and examination rooms at any given time
All of this data will allow you to recognize where any snags may be present. Determining the length of time currently allocated to each patient will help reach your goal of aligning that number with the number of patients you wish to see in a day.
Streamlining Services
Streamline the efficiency of your clinic with these practices:
Use Technology
Most offices now rely heavily on computers to schedule patient visits and remind patients via text or email of an upcoming appointment. Take this technology to a new level by posting necessary patient forms online, which allows patients to complete forms before their visit. Technology is great for taking notes, vital signs, and patient assessments as well. When computers are linked, the notes provided by a nurse only 15 minutes ago are easily viewed by anyone caring for that patient, and patients are no longer asked repetitive questions.
Website Design
Give patients the ability to quickly peruse their records, ask questions, order prescriptions, and pay bills online. Patients are more likely to receive better care if they can ask questions online; this becomes part of their patient record and gives their physician a chance to review their query. Doctors often feel rushed during appointments, which patients notice. In return, patients feel flustered and forget to ask the questions they truly wanted answered.
Align Your Services
If you wear many hats, schedule accordingly. Allow 1-2 days for seeing recurring patients, 1 day for new patients, and 2 days for surgery or emergency care. Preliminary appointments allow you or a technician to meet with the patient, review records, and plan care.
Group Meetings
Before the beginning of each day, spend a few minutes briefing your team on the day’s patient load. Every patient requires different care, and assessing patient needs beforehand will help align your team to provide better care.
With a little planning, your office can run smoothly. These ideas have been utilized across the country, and clinics are noting a tremendous response from patients. For more information on helping your business, rely on the cardiac event monitor experts at ReactDx. Contact us online or call us at 800-23-HEART.