As new technology continues to enter the GI space, practices, and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) need to be constantly considering how improvements can improve efficency, patient reach, patient experiences, and profitability. Below are 10 ways your practice or center can incorporate new digital and technological initiatives.
1. Maximize Your Reach via Social Media
Social media has become a premier way for centers and practices to connect with patients. These platforms also offer reputation management and the ability to review and respond to reviews.
2. Use Chatbots to Improve Efficiency
Chatbots offer patients “on-demand” service, allowing your employees to focus on other tasks. The feature also meets an increased demand for technologically advanced service from healthcare providers.
3. Organize Your Data to Provide Higher-Quality Care
Taking a look at how you organize your practice’s data can pay dividends. With a more organized system and files, both physical and electronic, physicians and leadership can see a much clearer path to making decisions on staffing, medication distribution, and care plans.
4. Be Open to Artificial Intelligence (AI)
New AI tools, such as surgical robots and AI software, provide improved patient outcomes through more precise, detailed procedures, such as colonoscopies. Leaders should be open minded to researching AI tech and making it a part of their practice or center operations.
5. Update and Maintain Your Patient Portal
A reliable and user-friendly patient portal will improve efficency and patient satisfaction. Your patient portal should be revisited constantly to provide updates or improvements.
6. Continued Use of Telehealth
Telehealth usage declined as the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, but its impact remains a valuable tool to maintain efficency when seeing patients, both new and returning.
7. Showcase Your Membership in GI Organizations
Showing your location as recognized members of various GI organizations can increase patient trust in your staff, along with improving your practice or center’s reputation, and online identity.
8. Curate Blog and Video Content on Your Website
Hosting a blog on your website is simple and can provide a reliable source of information for patients. Content can be created by employees or curated from other sites with proper citations, such as the SCA Health Insights Tab, or Becker’s. Learn more about video content for your practice by clicking here.
9. Allow for Digital Navigation (DN) via Cellphones
Digital Navigation not only provides an improved user-experience for patients but can also decrease the rate of no-show appointments. Staff can also send important visit reminders via text message, email, or calendar reminders.
10. Allow Patients to Provide Feedback
Allow patients the opportunity to provide feedback following their visit. This can be done via an email or text message and can provide valuable insight on where your practice or center excels and where it can improve further. Feedback can also provide recognition to staff members who provide a high-quality experience
This story was originally published in the July 2023 issue of the PE GI Journal by PE GI Solutions. PE GI Solutions is now a part of SCA Health. To read more from this and past issues of the journal, click here.
Resources
Becker’s: https://www.beckersasc.com/
Purple Healthcare: https://www.purple.healthcare/What-is-Digital-Care-Navigation#:~:text=Digital%20Care%20Navigation%20provides%20patients,Enabling%20people%20to%20help%20themselves.
Diligent: https://www.diligent.com/insights/healthcare/data-governance/
