Checking In: Improving the Patient Experience

Phone apps today prompt customers to check in for flights or confirm restaurant reservations. Self-checkout touchscreens make exiting the grocery store easier than ever. And now appointment confirmations regularly arrive via text from everyone from your vet to your workout studio. Businesses of all kinds are focused on adding convenience to elevate the customer experience. 

Northern Nevada’s healthcare industry is thriving with a variety of businesses from research centers to treatment centers and educational institutions. According to Nevada’s Governor's Office of Economic Development, Governor Brian Sandoval has promised to distribute $10 million over four years “to create 304 new Graduate Medical Education (GME) positions across Nevada which will help ensure more of Nevada’s medical students will remain in the Silver State to practice medicine.”

With increased opportunity in healthcare in the region also comes increased competition, and business owners in the industry see the benefits of upgrading office technology and comfort-driven amenities to improve the patient experience.

Waiting room décor used to be an exotic aquarium – now it’s an interactive tablet. 

Here are a few examples of app-driven amenities and more:

• Electronic check-in systems allow children to check themselves in with a visual, easy-to-use touchscreen at the orthodontist’s office. 

• Medical practices of all kinds are inviting waiting patients to use iPads to learn about their health, make appointments or even play games.

• An app helps patients handle paperwork in a different language, reducing the impact on the front desk and making the experience much more welcoming.  

• After they’re done checking in, patients can even enjoy large screens with cable programming, free Wi-Fi, breakfast bars or other healthy snacks, complimentary bottled water, truly comfortable, ample seating and more. 

Overall, an inviting, tech-forward waiting room can reduce stress for patients before their appointments, makes gathering patient information easier, provides diversions while they’re waiting to be called – and increases the chance they will want to visit your facility again.

Technology also promotes patient education and can spark conversations between patients and their medical practitioners. Screens in exam rooms serve as a way to keep your patients engaged while they wait, but can also be a resource for information about diseases, treatments and questions to ask their doctor.  New apps are designed to engage patients with easier information-gathering, and reduce the need to re-key medical data into your office’s electronic files.

Consider a guidance line of credit

Your practice might already be using equipment financing and equipment leasing options to supply your facility with state-of-the-art medical equipment, but covering the costs of other upgrades could come from a different source – a guidance line of credit. 

A guidance line of credit is similar to a typical line of credit in that your healthcare organization can spend in increments as needed, but instead of completing repayment within 12 months, the amount can be rolled into a loan that is amortized over three to five  years – generally a good option for financing equipment or technology upgrades.

Working with a guidance line of credit can give your medical practice added financial flexibility, allowing you to spend only what you need. You’ll be able to upgrade your patients’ customer experience, as well as make other improvements to keep your practice modern and healthy.  

You know that patient care starts before your patients even walk through your doors, and first impressions really do matter. Make sure you speak with an expert banker who works with healthcare practices to identify the best financing options for you as your office takes the patient experience to the next level.

Healthcare professionals looking to give their Northern Nevada offices a much-needed upgrade can turn to First Independent Bank for a comprehensive review of lending needs and a wide range of flexible solutions.