Digital Health to Manage

T he global no-show rate for doctor’s appointment is at a staggering 20%. A single no-show a day can easily cost a healthcare practice anywhere between $40,000 and $1,00,000 annually per provider. With over 80% of consumers preferring text reminders for doctor’s appointments, it’s needless to say that appointment reminder applications are the right fit for the growing concerns of hospital no-shows. But how is it relevant in today’s COVID-19 scenario when most of doctor’s appointments are scheduled over telemedicine platforms?

With increased level of convenience and flexibility, consumers are more open to telehealth services. However,telehealth no-shows are still at an all-time high topping 30% — twice as much as in-person visits. This highlights a combination of variables that contribute to patient no-shows. Experts evaluate various aspects that account for no-shows in telemedicine.

Appointment Reminders and Telehealth No-shows

• Technology glitches - Patients especially the non tech-savvy users face challenges with using interactive technologies that they are more likely to miss out on health appointments. Baby boomers and Gen X consumers are reported to abandon appointments while attempting to download a patient engagement application or log in to patient portals. Failing to adopt user experience and personalization strategies, this could even lead to patient frustration or negative brand experience.
• Negligence – Lack of personal or face-to-face interaction affects the commitment level towards the doctor’s appointment. The no-show rate is even higher with patients scheduled for a doc other than their primary care physician. This may be more prevalent in enterprise health organizations that schedule patient appointments with physicians other than their primary care providers.
• No repercussions – Patients don’t face the real consequences of not showing up for a doctor’s appointment. Unlike in-person visits, there’s no billing and long wait times before they could reschedule an appointment. This could be tackled by enacting policies that charge a straight fee or alternative strategies to prevent negligence.
• Forgetfulness – Forgetfulness – Forgetting appointment reminders account for over 20% of appointment no-shows. Digital amnesia could be another variant that leads to deferred care. When patients schedule for online appointments, they are more likely to forget appointments — all the more reason why they need Appointment Reminders.

Engaging appointment reminder platforms enable seamless interaction with patients while creating long-lasting experiences. A strategically timed reminder message helps hospitals and practices reduce late appointments, no-shows and cancellations. Automated Appointment Reminders also enable practice and hospital staff to focus on patient care, while driving down costs.

The Way Forward

The global healthcare ecosystem is going through a tremendous transformation in the face of COVID-19. The Trump administration has announced a set of sweeping changes and regulatory waivers on 30th April — to foster flexible and expanded care to patients. Healthcare technology companies are innovating new solutions to stay on top of the COVID-19 impact. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have enacted historic expansion of telemedicine services to facilitate secure and accelerated care. To meet the ongoing challenges — tech enablers are stepping up to provide flexible and scalable patient management solutions that drive value.

SolvEdge partners with some of the leading hospitals and practices to deliver comprehensive patient monitoring solutions. Our holistic approach to patient engagement backed by profound experience in healthcare enable us to support continuous care coordination. Our automated appointment reminder systems are designed to ensure seamless engagement and quality service that patients deserve.

To learn more about out patient management solutions, talk to our team
+1-(833) 33-Solve / business@solvedge.com

Get in touch