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The patient check-in process is often tedious for both front-office staff and patients. The good news is that, as with most medical practice concerns, there’s a solution for these woes. In this case, the solution is patient check-in kiosks, simple-to-use devices that even new medical practices can implement easily. These devices are versatile and have many benefits. Learn all about them below.
A patient check-in kiosk is a device located in the waiting room that patients can use to digitally check in for their appointments. Patient check-in kiosks often have touch-screen displays, though some models use a keyboard, mouse and monitor while keeping the computer out of view. Touch-screen models typically come with a desktop or floor stand to keep the device stationary and at a height that’s accessible to most patients.
Patient check-in kiosks can be excellent for streamlining your practice’s front-office operations. However, as with any type of medical practice technology, they’re not perfect. Read a summary of their pros and cons below.
Patient check-in kiosks don’t just make registration and intake easier. They make both processes shorter, thus reducing patients’ wait times. [Read related article: How to Choose Medical Software]
To use a check-in kiosk, a patient walks up to the device and types in their name. The kiosk adds walk-in patients to your waiting queue, and your front-office staff can tend to your walk-ins in the order they arrive. If the patient is arriving for a scheduled appointment, they enter their identifying information, and the kiosk’s software places the patient in the arrival queue.
Some patient check-in kiosks connect to your office computers, and others function as stand-alone devices. As you search for the right patient check-in kiosk for your practice, speak with the kiosk providers to determine which setup mode their devices use. Providers will often supply all necessary software and hardware other than office computers, which you presumably already have. [Read related article: How to Implement an Electronic Health Records System]
Patient check-in kiosks can handle the following front-office needs:
To get the best results when you’re using a patient check-in kiosk to expedite patient intake and registration, integrate your device with your PMS and EMR system. Read our reviews of the best practice management and EMR software for your practice.
Patient check-in kiosks can function as facility maps, not just as registration and intake devices. Read our review of CareCloud medical solutions if you’re looking to implement patient kiosks for your practice.
Patient kiosks can not only improve the patient experience but also keep things moving efficiently so you can see as many patients as possible. They are a great addition for healthcare organizations of all sizes, provided that you can effectively manage the maintenance needs and upfront investment. The cost of a patient kiosk is worth the loyalty that comes from the improved experience at your practice.