A communications platform with HIPAA-compliant texting can create efficiencies within the practice in numerous ways besides appointment reminders, allowing staff to have one-to-many asynchronous conversations rather than one-on-one phone interactions. Staff members and providers in the practice or in practices within the same ecosystem can also have secure, asynchronous text conversations by simply @mentioning individuals or team, with those conversations becoming part of the patient record.
Practices can use smart routing to direct incoming messages to the correct clinical, billing or front-office department to ensure no patient slips through the cracks.
How often do practices receive calls about directions, parking or practice policies? Templated responses answered by text rather than phone free up staff time and increase the percentage of on-time patient arrivals. One physician using a HIPAA-compliant, text-based communications platform reports that his practice has never had a patient miss an appointment or arrive late.
Onboarding and front-end practices also can be accomplished by text. Having patients complete and send pre-appointment forms ahead of time can make the visit go more smoothly. Practices want a platform that can track communications, so that only those who haven’t filled out pre-appointment paperwork, for example, receive reminders.