New possibilities of technology integration within healthcare emerge every day. Here are 5 ways mobile apps can help streamline patient-doctor communication.
21st century technology has paved a new road for mobile apps in healthcare. Apps can greatly increase patient empowerment and practice efficiency. According to Michael Nusbaum, MD, one of the most beneficial aspects of mobile applications could very well be better communications between doctor and patient.
New possibilities of technology integration within healthcare emerge everyday. Here are 5 ways mobile apps can help streamline patient-doctor communication.
Secure Messaging
HIPAA compliance communications between doctors and patients can be met with certain mobile apps. With an app like RingRx doctors can make and take calls pertaining to business on their mobile devices. This method of communication frees the doctor from legacy desk phone systems, allowing doctors and patients to contact each other more freely. It is also a valuable way for doctors to have the information they need about patients when they need it most.
Appointment Requests
According to research, 85% of patients would like to be able to request or schedule an appointment directly from a smartphone app. A whole system that is fully HIPAA compliant makes it so no sensitive patient information is directly stored on the phone. Certain apps should have a fully encrypted database making it so the only way to access appointment requests is for the patient to give permission to the doctor.
Web-Based Faxing
An efficient app should allow a doctor to securely send faxes and information to other labs and patients. Important lab information and faxes should all be ready to review and send via the app so a doctor, technician, or patient does not have to be in the office to see results. Having access to web-based faxing via a secure app makes communication between all involved parties easier and more efficient. Instead of relying on legacy fax machines and having to be in-office to receive or send results, doctors can easily review results and send them to a patient with follow up guidelines.
Documentation of Health Information
The idea here is to leverage data to help reduce healthcare mistakes and paperwork redundancy. Certain apps allow patients to scan health insurance information, drivers license, and other formulaic paperwork so each time you go into the office redundancy is eliminated. A patient and doctor should also have secure access to all notes, lab results, and charts related to a specific patient so the best course of action treatments and progression can be easily mapped and documented.
Voice Communication
It’s no longer a fallacy that the world is becoming increasingly more mobile. For the first time ever there are more mobile devices in the world than people. If doctor offices and healthcare practices take advantage of this shift by offering new ways of communication patient retention and better healthcare are sure to come out of it. The RingRx app allows practitioners to make and receive calls via their mobile phone without caller ID block. Your direct office line can be tied directly to the app. Voicemails can be transcribed and callbacks can be handled directly from your mobile phone instead of a desk line.
Are you ready to open up new lines of communication with your patients and increase practice efficiency? Click here to start your free 30 day trial of RingRx. We provide a signed BAA upon the start of service.
