Between online classes and meetings, telehealth and text messages – technology has definitely impacted our 2021. It’s been a way to stay connected – to our families, social circles, coworkers and patients. For as frustrating as technology can sometimes be, it proved itself to be a true lifeline over the past 18 months.
But, what else can the right technology do for you? How can you maximize its value and use it in ways that add to your patients’ care experience with your practice – not detract from it?
We’ve got three ways technology can help you focus on what matters most – your patients:
1 – Get More Time Back
Efficient tech solutions can actually add hours back into your day. One study showed for every hour physicians provide direct clinical face time to patients, they’re spending nearly two additional hours on EHR and desk work within their workday and then another 1-2 hours of personal time each night doing additional computer and other clerical work.
Ensuring a healthy work-life balance is the same for medical professionals as it is for anyone else. It’s also an essential factor of reducing burnout – a condition that is plaguing healthcare. Medscape’s 2021 Physician Burnout Report says 42 percent of physicians reported feeling burned out last year.
Inefficiency and redundancy are common threads in driving physician burnout. Using technology to automate processes, save time and reduce steps increases satisfaction across the practice – including physicians, staff and patients.
2 – Thrive Financially
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients avoided care by putting off routine visits, resulting in 80 percent of physicians reporting their 2020 revenues were lower than pre-pandemic levels. As the pandemic continues, physicians are still feeling the financial impact on their businesses.
Updox offers great tools to make practices run more efficiently – from paperless fax to digitized forms to reducing manual tasks. The right technology can add hours back to your day and save you from giving up your personal time for office needs.
Offering telehealth services was one way practices were able to retain revenue and continue patient care. Other virtual care solutions also provide opportunities to recoup income into the practice. Now is the time for practices to rethink care delivery models to expand clinical services and improve business efficiency.
Additional solutions such as charge capture or electronic patient payments allow practices to ensure they are getting paid for care in a more timely, efficient manner. As an example, with traditional paper billing, it may take 5-7 weeks for a payment to be processed but just two weeks is the average turnaround time for an electronic patient payment to be received.
Our “One Size Doesn’t Fit All” ebook offers additional ways practices can use technology to increase revenue. And, kudos to our Creative Team – it’s just a fun read. We dare you to not read it and have a song or two running through your head.
3 – Connect With Patients and Providers
As patients start to re-engage with in-person physician visits, they are expecting the same conveniences they get from other businesses, including easier access to providers, shorter wait times and visits that fit their schedule. In fact, more than half of patients report that convenience is the most important factor in choosing care.
Solutions like Electronic Forms, Broadcast Messaging, Video Chat or Secure Text allow you to simplify workflows on the administrative end while providing time-saving services to your patients.
Secure Text, Electronic Fax and Direct Secure Messaging support quick, HIPAA-compliant connections between providers to maintain patient care.
The digital transformation is upon us and we’re here to support your practice. To learn more about how our solutions get more time back, help you connect with providers & patients, and thrive financially so you can get back to what matters most, download our eBook.
