Healthcare self-service offers patients the conveniences they've come to expect

We can track packages online, why not doctor's appointments?

In today's hurried environment, we are always looking for ways to save time and simplify our lives. Whether we're booking an airline ticket, paying bills, or tracking a FedEx package, the Internet can expedite the process with ease. If we're late for a flight and want to avoid long lines at the airport, we check in via self-service kiosks. Why can't we enjoy the same conveniences when scheduling a doctor appointment, accessing personal health information, or registering for an appointment?

Healthcare technology is now available to help patients register for services, retrieve information, navigate their way through a facility, and settle their accounts. It won't be long before patients expect the same level of self-service convenience in healthcare that they currently secure in other industries. Why not proactively meet these expectations—and reduce costs and improve staff productivity at the same time? Clinicians and patients benefit from the availability of patient information using health management tools. Technology is the catalyst to bring this information from file folders in a physician's office to kiosks and Web browsers.

Time is ripe to personalize healthcare

The Internet and kiosks are valuable tools to personalize healthcare. With access to pertinent information, patients actively participate in their own care, manage their wellness, and make better health decisions. Ultimately, this can lead to increased compliance to treatment regimes, a healthier population, and potentially lower costs for all. These advancements couldn't come at a more opportune time.

There are many factors in today's healthcare setting that prompt the need for patient self-service. Exorbitant healthcare costs have dramatically impacted consumers, providers, and health plans, leaving more Americans uninsured and more providers grappling for reimbursements from services provided. Chronic disease is one of the root causes in these rising costs, accounting for approximately ¾ of all healthcare spending ¹. With an aging population and more individuals in need of care, the system will be strained even further, especially in underserved rural communities with inadequate medical resources.

Patient self-service creates positive ripple effect

Patient self-service would have a positive impact on all entities in the healthcare system, much like the effect in the airline, financial, and shipping industries. Within the confines of a hospital or clinic, patients would spend less time waiting and enjoy more time with clinicians. From their homes, patients can register for appointments in advance and/or access medical records and other health-relevant information. Providers benefit through reduced risk of liability, increased productivity of personnel, more streamlined processes, fewer medical errors, and reduced redundancy in data entry. These benefits translate into savings in time and money, high-quality care, and satisfied patients.

In regions where medical skills are in short supply, these advantages are especially significant. Self-service resources for patients enable facilities to stretch their capabilities. A greater number of people can be served from limited-time attention by caregivers. Patients can even receive care when a clinician is not present.

The positive ripple effect of patient self-service extends to employers as well. A case in point: Employers feel the impact of chronic conditions due to lost productivity and $234 billon US spent on absenteeism each year ². Cost savings can be significant in the management of chronic diseases through personalized patient care.

Partnering with pioneers in patient self-service

According to Gartner Inc., a leading industry analyst, "Success requires that consumers are engaged enough to improve the use of healthcare resources and their own health through the delivery of credible and accurate real-time and right-time benefit, health, and wellness information via intuitive, easy-to-use tools." By partnering with two pioneers in the field, Microsoft is helping to deliver these self-service tools to both patients and clinicians by utilizing portals, the Microsoft Office InfoPath information-gathering program, and the Microsoft .NET platform.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) developed a tool for patients to communicate with their doctors from anywhere in the world and better manage their health by using an Internet portal. Using the UPMC portal, patients can securely view parts of their medical record, go online and book appointments, order prescription refills, and send health information such as blood glucose level reports. Though the portal is not meant to replace personal contact, it does help patients communicate with their doctors and better manage their diabetes. Linda Siminerio, Ph.D., executive director of the University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute and assistant professor of medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the UPMC, endorses the technology by saying, "Diabetes is at an epidemic level in the United States. Improving awareness, educating people about self-care, and providing excellent primary care for people with diabetes can have a real impact by reducing the incidence and severity of the disease."

As a healthcare organization that handles almost one million patient visits a year, Dallas-based Baylor Healthcare System needed a better way to manage patient registration and check-in. Using kiosks and tablet PCs that wirelessly connect with the imaging center registration system, Galvanon Inc., developed a patient self check-in solution for Baylor. Not only do the vendor's software and Baylor's core information systems work with the Microsoft .NET platform, but the MediKiosk e-clipboard uses Office InfoPath technology. Galvanon's MediKiosk has automated the registration process, reduced administrative costs, and enhanced the patient experience. Front desk staff have seen a 50-percent increase in the time available for assisting patients. And the center has reduced paper and printing costs by more than $18,000 US during the first 6 months of implementation. According to Bob Pickton, senior VP and CIO of Baylor Healthcare System, "MediKiosk has worked well in three aspects: Patients prefer it, our staff sees many advantages in streamlining administrative processes, and Baylor’s healthcare system has increased revenues."

Better patient and provider experiences

Web-based services and kiosks can stimulate constructive change in the healthcare industry because each one directly and vastly improves both the patient and the provider experience. Well-informed patients are satisfied patients—and providers are equally as pleased with cost savings and productivity improvements. Microsoft has technologies to jumpstart self-service solutions for health providers, including portals, Microsoft Office InfoPath, and the Microsoft .NET platform. Microsoft works with trusted partners who can tailor a self-service solution to meet specific clinician's needs.

Why wait for patients to demand better service and greater access to health information when the technology tools are available today?

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