Why your patient management needs to go digital

What is a digital waitlist?

A digital waitlist is a modern alternative to the conventional paper-based management of appointments, check-ins and wait times. The creation of a virtual queue of patients negates the need for sign-in sheets and the manual tracking of patient flow by front-office staff. It streamlines professional responsibilities, in turn creating a convenient and efficient patient experience.

With a digital waitlist, there is no need to pick up the phone to schedule a visit to the dentist. Instead, available appointments could be viewed and selected by patients through an online portal, accessible from their phone or computer anywhere in the world. This could save time for patients and staff. Without organising appointments over the phone, front-office staff see their workloads reduced and patients can view available times at their leisure, choosing whatever suits them best. It also alleviates pressure from anxious patients who may not feel comfortable calling their practice.

The waiting room

Once patient’s have their appointment booked, there is still room to improve their experience before they reach the dental chair. With regards to check-in, the conventional waiting room experience may seem insignificant, but 74% of patients say it diminishes their overall time in the practice–and 80% say that they would prefer a digital alternative. A virtual waiting room gives patients more freedom over their day, enabling them to enter the practice at their allotted appointment time; improving how patients view their experience.

By implementing a digital process, patients can fill out any necessary forms when it suits them. Rather than sitting in a waiting room and sifting through medical histories, or COVID screening and NHS forms, they can be completed even before arrival. The virtual waiting room lets them fill these out in their own time, and also helps the office staff’s organisation of information by negating inefficient paper workflows.

Avoiding disruptions to the patient flow requires an on-time arrival. Last minute cancellations, no-shows, and late patients can be extremely frustrating. Automated reminders, such as pre-scheduled texts and traffic alerts, may help improve attendance rates without any extra work for staff.

What to look for in a digital solution

Conventional patient management has long been a manual, time-consuming process, but it can be flawed and prone to human error. Paper-based workflows can reduce productivity and efficiency, and can only be managed by front-office staff that aren’t occupied by patient phone calls. By employing a management software that combines the organisational benefits of a digital waitlist, with the patient freedom of the digital waiting room, the patient experience from appointment to treatment is not just more efficient and enjoyable for your visitors, but office staff and clinicians, too.

If you understand the unique demands of your practice, you’ll be able to find the right digital management and waitlist solution to match. Importantly, the software should have a user-friendly interface that can be easily implemented into your workflows. You could also choose to prioritise data according to your business’ needs and objectives.

A cloud-based solution could provide professionals with secure 24/7 access from anywhere, at any time for flexible working – all whilst keeping protected data under lock and key.

Your practice could reap the benefits of digital processes instantly with Patient Bridge, the cloud-based patient engagement platform from Sensei. Patient Bridge works seamlessly with Carestream Dental’s Sensei Cloud practice management solution to automate patient communication and improve engagement, as well as provide a virtual waiting room to better the patient experience. Patient Bridge is soon to see another upgrade with Patient Portal, providing game-changing features such as 24/7 online appointment booking that puts control in the hands of your patients.

By implementing digital solutions for your practice, you can stay ahead of the competition and offer services that make patient interactions simple and comfortable. As their experiences improve, so too will your practice.

For more information on Sensei Cloud visit https://gosensei.co.uk/