In today’s fast-paced world, it may be hard keeping up with the work and still do the things you love. For you as a medical practitioner, this is especially hard because you have to manage the office while doing the core tasks of your job, diagnosing and treating patients.
Running a medical office can be challenging; however, with the right tools and the necessary assistance, it is possible. Using technology to streamline most of the processes you have to undertake yourself will allow you to have a good work-life balance.
Self-expectations are high because you plan to run the medical office profitably and efficiently. However, there are certain tasks you can optimize to receive optimum results. How can this be done?
Here are the best four ways to improve your medical office:
Digitalize your forms
Making your office paperless not only helps you in reducing costs but also supports the efforts of making the planet a better place to live in. Streamlining forms is a great way to minimize extra work because paper forms take longer to process.
The issue with maintaining patient files and using paper forms is that it leads to repetitive information. The duplication and the repetition increase the workload as you will spend a lot of time sorting and organizing them.
There are online forms that can be designed and used to onboard clients and patient paperwork. Use online resources by prompting the patients that they should fill in these forms while they are at home.
When patients comply with this recommendation by the time they come into the office, everything will be in order. The results will be shorter lines in the waiting room and a more streamlined process.
Automate continuous tasks
There are routine tasks that you need to care about regularly. These tasks can be time-consuming and that’s why they should be automated to free up some time for more important tasks. For example, prescription refills. You can automate them by creating a system that automates these refills.
You can do this by using a form that will make renew their prescription for the duration of their treatment. Configure the system by including dates that those prescriptions should be collected by. That data can be integrated and shared with other departments or other staff to delegate those tasks effectively.
Train your front-office executive to use mobile apps and online tools to schedule appointments with MR’s, patients and all other visitors. Use a good quality computer, an EPBAX system and headsetplus for high-quality office communication.
Free up space
You don’t need to have large cabinets of client forms for safekeeping. Not only does that waste time, but there is also space wastage in the office, which you can better utilize as free space. As mentioned earlier, try to make medical forms digital to simplify the workload and medical office.
The large free space in the office adds a grand feeling to the patients who walk in. You can plan to decorate it with art and painting, if you want to be more experimental.
Put things like an aquarium or planters only if you have enough space in the waiting area. Install chairs and sofas after knowing the exact seating requirement. The reception can also be designed smartly so that it takes up minimum space.
Connect with the existing clients
You should not forget the old patients when you get new ones. Existing patients can be serviced better by sending reminder emails whenever it’s time for another appointment or annual physical exam.
Don’t forget to remind those with chronic conditions about lifestyle habits they should get used to. Send meaningful newsletters to them and those who haven’t called for a while, remind them to come in for preventative checkups.