You have a lot to keep track of. So do your patients. That’s why timely communication is a must, and patient follow ups play a crucial role in care management. But this process can be riddled with issues, including:
- Patient non-compliance
- EHR system limitations
Previously, these problems were managed using conventional manual techniques, which prove to be labor intensive and error prone.
If your practice wants to boost efficiency and quicken processes, automated communication tools may be just what you need.
Join us as we explore the importance of clinical communication in follow ups, common challenges healthcare providers face, and how automated systems can transform post-treatment patient care.
The Importance of Effective Clinical Communication
Clear and efficient clinical communication is the backbone of effective patient care. Examples of this approach include:
- Sharing test results
- Virtual care sessions (telemedicine)
- Delivering crucial post-treatment guidelines
When clinical communication is done right, patients remain informed and engaged in their care.
On the other hand, when communication breaks down, the impacts are significant—not just for patient outcomes but also for practice operations. Poor communication can result in:
- Patients misunderstanding follow-up instructions, leading to complications
- Missed appointments and follow ups, causing gaps in care
- Bottlenecks in workflows and increases in workload as staff tries to remedy miscommunications
The importance of patient follow-up care cannot be overstated. Effective clinical communication creates trust, ensures care plan compliance, and reduces readmissions and no-shows.
RELATED ARTICLE: Communication in Healthcare: Why It Matters and How to Master It
Key Challenges in Managing Patient Follow Up
Patient follow-up procedures are not always as smooth as practices would like them to be. This is partly due to highly manual processes and outdated methods. Here are some of the most common problems faced by providers:
High No-Show Rates
An MGMA Stat poll found that more than one-third (37%) of medical group leaders had seen increased patient no-shows. No-shows are particularly common when patients forget about their scheduled visits or don’t fully understand the importance of follow-up care.
Missed appointments contribute to fragmented care and compromise patient outcomes. Financially, each missed appointment also means less money for your practice.
According to one report, missed appointments can cost a physician $100 or more. This loss forces some practices to charge “no-show fees” to recoup what they lost.
Resource-Intensive Manual Processes
Traditionally, follow-up management relies on medical staff calling patients to confirm appointments, remind them of upcoming visits, or reschedule missed ones. These manual tasks are time consuming and redirect attention from more important responsibilities.
Limited Effectiveness of Traditional Methods
One study reveals outcomes for practices using online scheduling versus traditional methods and their effects on no-show rates.
- For three dermatology clinics, the research found a lower no-show rate with online scheduling than with traditional scheduling.
- An audiology clinic had a significantly lower no-show rate with online scheduling than the traditional system.
Why do these traditional methods lack effectiveness in reducing no-show rates? Mail reminders and cold calls can feel impersonal and lack urgency. And patients may not prioritize or notice these communication forms, leading to missed appointments and ineffective follow-up care.
How Automated Communication Transforms Follow Ups
Another study reveals how patients prefer to connect with their physician and common barriers to patient/provider communications, including:
- Patients want to interact with providers using preferred methods like email or text. When this is not an option, they tend to not communicate.
- Patients like the option to send photographs of their injuries or wound healing progress if they have concerns or questions.
- Patients reported that their preferred communication method is situationally dependent; for example, they prefer to speak via telephone about a more urgent matter but prefer email for a non-urgent question.
The overall picture here is clear: patients want personalization and options regarding communication. Providers can accommodate these needs through automated communication tools.
This solution brings efficiency and precision to patient management and follow-up care. By leveraging this technology, providers can also ensure timely, customized, and HIPAA-compliant communication.
Benefits of automated communication for patients and providers include:
- Efficiency: Lowers administrative time spent on manual communications. This method is also key in reducing no-shows in patient follow ups.
- Patient agency: Ensures patients stay informed and involved in their care. Engaged patients have more successful outcomes and better provider relationships.
- Lower costs: Minimizes expenses related to no-shows and inefficient processes.
- Healthier patient outcomes: Providers can improve patient outcomes and their daily workflows with follow ups. This process keeps patients on track with care plans, reducing complications and hospital readmissions. For example, according to the CDC, follow-up protocols for chronic care patients, such as those with diabetes, can help them sustain healthy behaviors like monitoring blood glucose and taking medication as prescribed.
Common Automated Communication Tools
Appointment reminders: Automated follow-up reminders sent via SMS or email help significantly reduce no-shows.
Test result notifications: Patients quickly receive updates, fostering trust and reducing anxiety as they wait for results.
Post-treatment care instructions: Automated tools deliver clear and timely follow-up care instructions to ensure compliance and improve recovery outcomes.
For example, Updox’s communication platforms can easily integrate with electronic health records (EHR) and offers automated follow-up reminders, secure video chat, and other convenient communication tools to help build patient trust and increase engagement. Some features include:
- Patient portal: Helps staff spend less time answering phones, scheduling appointments, and relaying provider questions. Patients can easily access medical records and clinical summaries, pay bills, or reach out with concerns.
- HIPAA-compliant appointment reminder system: Boosts patient engagement and minimizes no-shows by delivering timely reminders through text, email, and phone calls.
- Telehealth software: Provides secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual visits, enhancing patient access and provider collaboration in healthcare.
RELATED ARTICLE: Patient Engagement & Its Importance in Healthcare
Best Practices for Patient Follow Up with Automated Communication
To maximize the effectiveness of automated systems, healthcare providers can follow these best practices:
Make Sure Patients Feel Heard
As mentioned earlier, not all patients want to receive communication in the same way. Some prefer texts, while others (especially older populations) might respond better to emails or voice calls. Tailor communication to match patients’ needs.
Make it Personal
Automated communication doesn’t have to feel impersonal. Use the patient’s name and context-relevant information (e.g., referencing a specific test or procedure) to maintain a human touch.
HIPAA Compliance Is a Must
Patients demand privacy and security, so all communication must comply with HIPAA regulations. Use HIPAA-compliant follow-up processes and platforms that prioritize data security and encryption.
For example, see if the communication tool has a secure HIPAA-compliant texting feature allowing providers to communicate with patients without compromising their privacy or protected health information (PHI).
Monitor and Analyze Metrics
Track data like open rates for reminder emails, patient response times, and no-show reductions. Use this data to fine tune your automated communication strategy.
Regularly Update Messaging Templates
Ensure the content of your automated messages is accurate, clear, and concise. Updating templates for seasonal COVID-19 or flu shots, new treatment protocols, or special reminders can keep your communication relevant and inviting.
For example, Updox has a Broadcast Messaging feature that quickly reaches patients and keeps them up to date on the latest practice news and services. You can send messages to all your patients at once or segment groups based on demographics or diagnoses.
Getting Started with Automated Patient Follow Up
If your practice is ready to implement automated communication, follow these five steps to ensure a smooth transition:
Step 1. Assess your current follow-up process
Evaluate how your practice currently manages patient follow ups. Identify inefficiencies that automation can address.
Step 2. Choose the right tools
Research and select automation tools that are user friendly, HIPAA compliant, and integrate well with your existing systems. Consider platforms that specialize in healthcare-specific communication.
For example, the Updox Telehealth platform is customized for medical practices. Some features include:
- State-of-the-art HIPAA-compliant video and audio calls
- A virtual waiting room with enhanced flexibility that allows for triage workflows that mimic an in-person visit
- Interpreter services that increase accessibility and optimize the patient experience
Step 3. Train your staff
Introduce your staff to the new system and provide detailed training to ensure they understand how to use it and its benefits.
Step 4. Start with a pilot program
Before rolling out automated follow-up systems practice wide, test them on a smaller group of patients. Use this pilot phase to identify potential issues and gather feedback.
Step 5. Scale and optimize
Once the pilot phase is successful, expand the automated system across the practice. Continue monitoring its effectiveness and adjust as needed.
Ready to Improve Patient Follow Up?
Automated communication tools combine accuracy, patient-centric messaging, and ease of use, allowing providers to achieve better results for both their patients and their practice.
So, don’t wait for patient contact issues to pile up. Start optimizing your practice processes with follow-up communication solutions that work for you and your patients.
Contact Updox today and get on the path to effortless, effective, and patient-centric communication.
