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Administrator’s Guide Improving Patient Communication
Reducing No-Shows.............................................................1
Improving Collections..........................................................8
Marketing Your Practice...................................................12
Taking Your Practice Online..............................................23
Contacting Patients on the Go...........................................30
Streamling Lab Results Delivery.......................................36
Copyright © TeleVox Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in wholeor in part without written permission is prohibited. TeleVox, HouseCalls,
T.LINK, WebPlus and Vox On-Hold are trademarks of TeleVox.
1
Reducing No-Shows
2 3 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
A common practice challengeIt’s impossible to overestimate the impact of missed appointments on a
practice’s revenue. With the increasing focus on cost-cutting measures in the
healthcare industry, it is in any practice’s best interest to make sure that every
patient makes it to his or her scheduled appointment.
The June 1998 issue of Pediatrics noted a particularly high no-show rate
in adolescents. The O’Brien and Lazebnik study showed an average failed
appointment rate of 31 percent, with this ranging as high as 80 percent in
certain circumstances. Forgetfulness is often cited as the chief concern for
these missed appointments.
The lost revenue quickly adds up. If a practice averages 10 no-shows per day
and each visit generates an average of $65 in revenue, a practice is missing
$650 per day. Over the course of a year 10 no-shows per day results in over
$170,000 in lost revenue!
Not only do no-shows decrease the volume of services your practice performs,
but they also prevent other patients from getting in to see the doctor. No-shows
then have to be contacted to reschedule their appointments, creating extra
work for an already busy staff.
Many practices send appointment reminder postcards to their patients, but
studies have shown mailed appointment reminders to have little effect. When
you factor in the printing and postage costs, postcard reminders are
actually inefficient.
Redu
cing
No-
Show
s Some practices have staff members personally call each patient prior to their
scheduled appointment. But, despite the best intentions, manual reminder
calls are not always done consistently. If staff members need to devote their
time to more high-value tasks in the office, the reminder calls might not be
delivered. Even if a practice has a staff member dedicated to make the calls,
this task can take an hour or more daily. And since the calls are made during
the day, many of them turn into messages left on answering machines or
voicemail. The practice has no way of knowing if the patient received
the reminder.
An easy solutionSo then what is the most efficient, effective method for reducing no-shows?
The answer has come in the form of automated appointment reminders. In a
University of Rochester study measuring the effect of telephone reminders
on practice no-show rates, the results supported the appointment reminder
process. In a sample of 903 patients, no-show percentages for those who were
reminded with a phone call and those who did not receive a phone call greatly
differ. The group who received the reminder call missed 19% of appointments,
while 26% of patients who were not reminded failed to make the visit.
A comparison of these two sample no-show rates displays an improvement of
27% when reminder calls are delivered.
The Rochester study also highlights the fact that the reminder calls
resulted in a greater number of pre-appointment cancellations. These
times were opened to other patients looking to schedule an appointment,
allowing the practice to maintain incoming revenue without experiencing
the no-show.
Redu
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No-
Show
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4 5 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
TeleVox has paved the way for telephone appointment reminders with
minimal staff involvement. Our HouseCalls™ technology integrates with your
existing practice management system to send patients seamless automated
appointment reminders. Staff members are able to fully automate the reminder
process from preparation of a calling list to delivery of the message to the
patient. Each personalized message is recorded by a familiar voice from
your practice or our professional voice talent. The calls can include patient
name, date, time, location or specific instructions. Patients have the option
of confirming their appointment over the phone, giving your practice more
security that the appointment will not be missed. Entire appointment lists can
be contacted quickly and easily, eliminating the staff time needed to make the
calls manually.
HouseCalls messages can be delivered
when patients are likely to be home,
and they provide essential two-way
communication with the practice.
HouseCalls takes just minutes to set up,
but frees hours of valuable staff time.
Real resultsRekow & Stull Orthodontics in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, can attest to the power
of HouseCalls for reducing no-shows and saving staff time. The practice did not
employ any sort of reminder strategy and handling the appointment no-shows
was taking too much time from staff members. One staff member devoted her
time to no-shows, including writing and sending no-show postcards as well as
time spent rescheduling. The practice also had to consider the costs
Redu
cing
No-
Show
s associated with printing and mailing these postcards, not to mention the lost
revenue from continually booking appointment slots that were not filled.
The practice began updating technologically by purchasing Orthotrac
practice management software and soon thereafter decided to implement the
HouseCalls system. Using a custom bridge, HouseCalls integrates seamlessly
with the Orthotrac system to automatically deliver personalized appointment
reminders to patients.
Since the installation of HouseCalls, Rekow & Stull has experienced an
impressive reduction in its no-show rate. The practice’s no-shows decreased
by more than 61% within the first month of use. In the first full year of the
system’s use, the practice saw an average no-show decrease of 50%. The
practice now averages no-show rates that are 61% less than they were prior
to utilizing HouseCalls.
No Show Rate 2001
No Show Rate 2002
No Show Rate 2005
Appointments Gained
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
13%
5%
4%
73
12%
3%
5%
54
11%
6%
3%
86
13%
7%
5%
68
17%
6%
3%
130
13%
5%
5%
81
12%
6%
5%
69
12%
7%
6%
65
12%
5%
6%
45
14%
5%
4%
93
13%
9%
5%
76
8%
8%
5%
27
Before HouseCalls
After HouseCalls
Redu
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No-
Show
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6 7 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
Multiple message notification plansAn even better way to ensure that patients keep their scheduled appointments
is to send multiple reminders at key intervals. With more and more people
on the go, cell phones and e-mail are becoming more indispensable
communication tools. In many cases, households are no longer using the
home phone as the primary contact method. That’s why it’s important for your
practice to have the ability to contact patients while they are on the go to
remind them of appointments. And it’s also important to remind them more
than once. The more reminders a patient receives, the more likely they are to
remember the appointment.
HouseCalls is the only automated
messaging solution that offers
three channels of message delivery.
The system makes it easy for your
practice to design and execute the
comprehensive courtesy notification
strategy the best fits you and your
patients. With HouseCalls, you can
reach patients via telephone, e-mail
and text messaging. You choose the
contact methods, order and time
intervals and TeleVox takes care of
the rest. Following are some of the
most common successful action
plans we have implemented for our
customers.
Redu
cing
No-
Show
s TeleVox messaging solutions work together to help you employ comprehensivecourtesy notification plans for your patients.
1 month prior to the appointment, patient receives an e-mail.
2 days prior to the appointment, patient receives a phone call.
3 hours prior to the appointment, patient receives a text message.
E-mail Phone Text
Pick from the action plans below or create your own!
3 days prior to the appointment, patient receives an e-mail.
2 days prior to the appointment, patient receives a phone call.
1 day prior to the appointment, patient receives a text message.
2 days prior to the appointment, patient receives an e-mail.
1 day prior to the appointment, patient receives a phone call.
3 hours prior to the appointment, patient receives a text message.
EXAMPLE ACTION PLANS
Redu
cing
No-
Show
s
8
Improving Collections
9 10 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
No one likes to ask for money. However, if your practice provides superior
patient service and first-class care, it’s only fair that you receive
prompt payment.
There is a fine line between persistently conducting collection efforts and
driving patients away from future use of your practice. As always, patients must
be handled with care and treated with the utmost respect. They are a large part
of your practice’s success.
It is also important to remember that not every patient accrues delinquent
payments for the same reason. In fact, many patients simply need to be
reminded that payment is due.
Collections can be an expensive undertaking. Many times staff members contact
accounts manually, taking time away from other equally important tasks in the
operation of the practice. For practices that send delinquent notices and other
deliverables through the mail, costs of postage and envelopes quickly add up.
Depending upon a recipient’s distance from the practice, mail can take several
days to arrive in the responsible party’s mailbox.
An easy, effective approach to collectionsTeleVox’s automated messaging technology has provided a new voice in
healthcare collections. Our HouseCalls system is a cost-effective method for
reminding patients about past-due accounts in a timely manner.
Impr
ovin
g Co
llect
ions HouseCalls can virtually extend
your office hours, calling patients
in the evenings when they are
most likely to be at home.
Options within each message
work to ensure personalization
and security of sensitive account
information. When integrated
with your practice management system, messages can include names, dates,
amounts due, etc. Calls can feature right-party verification, requiring call
recipients to confirm that they are responsible for the account before hearing
the bill information.
The cash flow created by improving collections in your practice will result in
greater realized revenue. By employing automated calls in collection efforts,
your staff will operate more efficiently and develop a greater focus on your top
priority: the patient.
Real results with a simple solutionPhysicians Care of Virginia (PCV), a private multi-specialty practice with 27
physicians and nine mid-level physicians in nine locations, was plagued by
several collections-related problems. The practice had more than $709,000
in accounts receivable. Although it was vital to keep working the collections
system, high employee turnover in the collections department made it nearly
impossible to decrease the practice’s bad debt, and many of the doctors
objected to bringing in an outside collections agency.
Impr
ovin
g Co
llect
ions
11
Upon a recommendation from its practice management system provider,
IDX, PCV installed the HouseCalls system. Using a custom bridge, HouseCalls
integrates seamlessly with PCV’s IDX Groupcast software to automatically
deliver account collection calls to patients.
Since the installation of the HouseCalls system, PCV has experienced a
marked decrease in its delinquent accounts. During the six-month period
from August 2004 to March 2005, averaging 2,000 calls each month, PCV
experienced a 43% decrease in delinquent accounts and a half-million dollar
increase in collections.
PCV saw a 10% reduction in accounts receivable days and a 30% increase
in the percentage of delinquent accounts committed to payment plans.
Additionally, the practice realized a 12% increase in the average dollar
collected per account.
Impr
ovin
g Co
llect
ions
12
MarketingYour Practice
13 14 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
Effective communicationHave you ever felt unsure about promoting your practice? You might be
surprised by the number of options available to market and brand your practice
outside of traditional advertising. Marketing is a means of making current
and prospective patients aware of who you are and what you do. Branding is a
consistent marketing image and message that evokes feelings about you and
the services you offer. If you consider all the ways you communicate with your
patients – from the sign at the office door to your business cards – there are
myriad opportunities to market and brand your practice through
effective communication.
If you are looking for an innovative, inexpensive, yet effective way to market
and brand your practice, consider a resource you already have at your disposal:
the telephone. Think about it: communicating with patients in a professional,
caring manner is an essential element of marketing your practice. What better
way to accomplish that than with the telephone? From the first time patients
come in contact with your practice and staff, they should be treated with care,
respect and professionalism. Each time you speak with them thereafter is an
opportunity to reinforce the professional image that you’ve created.
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ice Here are some tips to ensure that the first contact potential patients have with
your practice makes them want to become a patient. Katherine Eitel, founder
of Katherine Eitel & Associates, shares telephone tips to make new patient
calls successful.
1. Have them at Hello! Being professional doesn’t mean you have to sound cold. Actually, quite the
opposite! Make sure your initial telephone greeting sounds upbeat, friendly,
and professional… and always identify the practice and yourself.
2. Make a connection right away.Get the patient’s name at the beginning of the call and look for a way to make
a personal connection, build rapport, and let them know you “see” them as a
person, not just a set of teeth or a dollar bill.
3. Know where you’re going.Determine, in advance, the solutions you have to offer a prospective new
patient. For example: a comprehensive exam, emergency exam, and a
complimentary “meet and greet” consultation. Be sure you know which
solution is best to offer in different situations.
4. Grab control quick.Asking questions puts you in the driver’s seat of the call. No matter what they
ask for at the beginning of the call, say something like: “I’d love to help you
with that, Mrs. Campbell. I want to be sure I give you the right information so
would you mind if I asked you a few questions first?” Now you can begin to
determine the real needs and the appropriate solutions to offer.
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5. Don’t let the computer be your guide.What you want to know and what the computer screen wants to know are
two different things! Who cares what the social security number is if they
don’t have insurance and they don’t make an appointment! Save these detail
questions for the end of the call.
6. Ask intelligent questions.Your initial questions should focus on determining what’s driving their call.
Ask about any discomfort, cosmetic concerns, time constraints, and anything
else that helps you create a sense of urgency and determine the appropriate
solution to offer the patient.
7. It’s not the patients’ job to sell themselves on you.You have to sell them on you. Make sure you know what is exceptional about
your practice, team, facility, technology, expertise, or specialty. Then, select
the attributes which directly relate to the needs you have discovered from the
patient and SELL those to them. Show them, based on what they want and what
you have to offer, why you are a perfect match!
8. Be ready with two appointment offerings.Know, at all times, the next two new patient appointment opportunities. Never
ask, “So, would you like to go ahead and schedule that?” Always roll right
into, “…and actually, Dr. Martin could see you for that appointment either
Wednesday at 11:00 or Thursday at 2:00. Which of those might work best for
your schedule?”
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ice 9. Give great directions.
Help your patient get to the appointment on time! Type up great directions,
including exact mileage from freeways and easy-to-spot landmarks, and tape
them by your phone. Include a great map in your welcome package and on
your website.
10. Let me hear you smile.The patient can’t see you, but you are creating a “snapshot photo” in their mind
that becomes more and more vivid with every word you speak. Make sure, with
your enthusiasm, energy, helpfulness, confidence, and attitude of service, that
you help them paint the most brilliant picture of all!
Courtesy of Katherine Eitel & Associateswww.katherineeitel.com
800-595-7060
Can you hold please?Another great way to utilize the telephone for marketing and branding is
on-hold messaging. Research shows this as the ideal forum to “advertise”
to patients and potential patients, since they are captive and ready to listen
to your message. It’s a great time to promote your services and highlight the
credentials of your staff. For a less heavy-handed approach, use this time to
educate callers about relevant health topics.
Are you currently taking advantage of this marketing opportunity in your own
practice? The question is, when your callers are on hold, what are they listening
to? Is it music, the radio or silence? Imagine your on-hold callers listening to
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ice the radio, only to hear a commercial for a competing practice! If any of this
sounds familiar to you, it’s time to re-evaluate how you handle incoming calls
to the practice.
It’s inevitable. Despite the best intentions of a busy practice, some callers
will have to be placed on-hold. Though it is an inconvenience, it is possible for
patients to have a positive experience while waiting to speak with your office.
Just think about how on-hold time can be leveraged to benefit your practice.
For one thing, it is a great opportunity to display your patient service skills.
On-hold time is also another way to educate patients about your practice and
the services you offer. But for all of its potential, one small error can create
a major obstacle to meeting a patient’s needs. To help you satisfy patients
and make the most of on-hold time, here are some common mistakes that
practices should work to avoid.
1. Not asking permission 4. Turning on the radio
2. Lengthy on-hold times 5. Relying on music alone
3. Absolute silence
Not asking permissionPlacing a caller on hold without first asking their permission is one of the most
costly errors in customer service. And it’s such an easy thing to do. Obtaining
patient permission before putting them on hold is a simple, yet effective way to
show that patient service is your primary concern. Patients will appreciate the
courtesy and find themselves more likely to continue visiting the practice.
Lengthy on-hold timesAlthough this may seem like an obvious mistake to avoid, lengthy on-hold
times are still a significant barrier to patient communication. In a CNN survey,
it was noted that the average person spends 60 hours per year on hold. Not
only do long periods of on-hold time test the patience of callers, but they can
also make your office appear to be unknowledgeable and disorganized. If it is
necessary to keep a patient waiting, it is always a good idea to check in with
the caller frequently if possible.
Absolute silenceOn-hold silence only makes the wait seem
longer than it actually is. CNN found that
without music or messages, 70% of callers on
hold will hang up, and 35% will not call back.
The North American Telecommunications
Association reported that callers with silence
on hold often abandon their calls in less
than one minute, and 90% hang up within 40
seconds. Callers listening to information while on hold will remain on the line
for up to three minutes longer.
Turning on the radioWhile having callers listen to the radio may seem like a simple solution for
on-hold entertainment, it makes your practice susceptible to a number of
uncontrollable outside factors. Although radio is heavily regulated, on-air
personalities, programs and music may feature inappropriate language
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that could be offensive to an on-hold patient. Another (and possibly more
dangerous) threat exists when patients hear the radio while on-hold: your
competition. If a competing practice runs an advertisement on your on-hold
station, the advantages of on-hold marketing will work against you. Though
it is a quick and easy form of entertainment, radio is something a practice
should not risk.
Relying on music aloneConsider this: Having callers listen to music alone may free your practice
from the risk of radio and its competing messages, but it still results in a
missed opportunity. On-hold callers are one of the most captive audiences
your practice will ever have. On-hold time is the perfect forum to deliver
important information. Patients will enjoy hearing about the types of services
you offer, holiday greetings and doctor biographies. This information can still
feature background music, but with the addition of practice-specific content,
on-hold time is now both entertaining and educational.
Choosing the right systemThere’s no doubt that utilizing messages on-hold is an ideal way to provide
“soft-touch” marketing for your practice. If you’ve realized that it’s time to
improve the way your practice handles on-hold time, consider purchasing
an on-hold messaging system to make the process a seamless one for your
patients and staff. As the need for on-hold marketing has grown, numerous
systems have been developed to meet this demand. But make no mistake- all
messaging systems are not created equal. On-hold messaging providers vary
greatly in the quality and features their systems offer. Here are some things
to consider:
Mar
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ice How many times will you be placing a caller on-hold? Whether it’s only
once or many times, providing fresh content for patients to listen to is crucial
to captivating their interest and keeping them on the line. Short, repetitive
messages can quickly become annoying, and they often inspire callers to hang
up the phone and call back at another time. Your on-hold message should
provide enough diverse information to entertain even the most frequent callers.
Who will compose your on-hold messages? Creating scripts for your on-
hold messaging can be frustrating and time-consuming. Your best bet is to look
for a system that provides a library of content you can easily customize
to fit your practice.
Will the messages sound professional? Impressive information loses a
lot of its luster if it’s poorly recorded. For this reason, it’s important to look
for several essentials when it comes to message quality. First, find out what
the options are for the message voice. For the best representation of your
practice, messages should be recorded by professional voice-over talent. You
can then be sure that the voice callers hear best reflects the personality of your
practice. Second, think about enhancing your message content with music.
When played in the background of the message, the right music can really add
an extra air of professionalism to your message, making it even more likely to
resonate with callers. Third, investigate the quality of the messaging system
itself. Many providers claim to offer the latest in messaging technology, when
in fact their “system” consists of an analog tape. These days, a digital system
offers the utmost in audio quality and ease of use.
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How can you keep your messages current? One of the key contributors
to a successful on-hold messaging system is the ability to keep the message
content as fresh and updated as possible. Outdated information can
mislead callers and create a negative calling experience if they are given
contradicting information by office staff. Many on-hold messaging vendors
charge additional service fees for message content changes, and these
expenses can add up quickly. When choosing an on-hold system, think about
how the needs of your practice will change and grow over time. Surely you will
want the flexibility of being able to change your marketing messages to reflect
that. Make sure the provider you choose allows you to keep your system as
up-to-date as your practice image demands – without any hidden costs.
TeleVox’s Vox On-Hold™ system
is considered the premier on-
hold messaging system on the
market. The system features
an incredible 16 minutes of
continuous playtime, virtually
assuring that callers will never
hear the same portion of your
message twice. Additionally,
our vast experience in on-hold
messaging has enabled the
development of large message
libraries that cover a wide
range of healthcare
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ice professions and specialties. These messages give in-depth information about
topics within a specialty, and they’re the perfect solution for busy practices
looking to provide effective, informative, on-hold messaging without spending
a lot of time on production. Practices that choose the Vox On-Hold system
also have the benefit of professional broadcast voice talent recording their
messages in our state-of-the-art recording studio. These features, combined
with unlimited message changes and advanced digital audio technology, make
Vox On-Hold the clear choice for practices looking to make the most of their
on-hold time.
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23
Taking YourPractice Online
24 25 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
Why should you do it?There’s no doubt that a professional, up-to-date website can play a
significant role in the growth and success of a practice. A Pew Internet
and American Life Project study released in May 2005 found that 95 million
American adults use the Internet to find healthcare information. Research
compiled by Yale-New Haven Hospital shows just how far the industry has
come in the online arena over the last several years; their monthly number
of website users skyrocketed from 4,930 in 1999 to 87,667 in 2004. Among
many demographics, even those
less inclined to be Internet-savvy,
the Internet has surpassed many
traditional media in search popularity.
The Kaiser Family Foundation provided
an example of this, indicating that 24%
of Americans ages 50-64 go online for
health information, versus 21% each
for books and TV.
One of the immediate benefits of a well-executed website is 24/7 visibility.
Patients can “visit” your practice whenever they want, and it makes
researching your services much easier. The Internet is the perfect place
for a practice to post any news that patients wouldn’t otherwise receive
without a visit to your office. And if your practice is like many others,
referrals from current patients play an important role in generating new
patients. If your patients are essentially marketing your practice, you need
to make sure they are as informed as possible.
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Onlin
e What makes a great website?The best websites combine professional design, a well-executed perpetuation
of the practice image, useful and entertaining content and superior
functionality. A site that contains all of these elements will go a long way
toward giving your practice the competitive edge when it comes to the
practice’s main goal: driving patient traffic.
The design aesthetics of a site are the visual and audio traits that make
patients want to continue visiting it. Graphic and interactive elements help
with site visitor retention – animated diagrams of procedures, before-and-
after photos and even patient games all serve to help patients and potential
patients become more involved with a practice online. It’s important when
choosing a website design vendor to evaluate samples of their work. Ask
to view a website portfolio and peruse it to get a sense of how well the
vendor is able to create unique sites for each client. Do all of the websites
in the portfolio look the same? If so, it’s likely that the vendor uses site
design templates and simply “customizes” them for each new client. Truly
professional website designers will be able to translate the vision of any
practice, no matter how unique, into an eye-catching yet functional website
that accurately reflects the practice image. The content of a website is just as
important as its visual design. Website content should complement the design
of the site and enhance the experience that visitors have when interacting
with your site. It’s important to determine who your target website audience
is and then develop the plan for website content based on their anticipated
informational needs and wants.
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A basic framework for website content might include:
• Background information on doctors and staff
• Office policies and procedures
• Answers to frequently asked questions
• Services and treatments offered
• Information on common procedures
• Before and after treatment photos
• Links to healthcare reference information
• What to expect on a first visit
• Insurance information
• Registration forms
• Practice news and updates
• Online payment processing
A beautiful and informative site can quickly lose its effectiveness if its
functionality is inferior. A site that loads very slowly or contains outdated
information gives the impression that your practice is outdated or worse yet,
unprofessional. That’s why website hosting and maintenance is so important.
It’s not likely that your practice has the time or manpower to maintain a
website at the level that it needs. It’s best to choose a professional website
hosting provider. A hosting provider can take care of issues such as ongoing
maintenance, changes and updates to the information on your site, search
engine optimization and more.
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Onlin
e How do you pull it all together?WebPlus™, TeleVox’s award-winning service, leads practices to the cutting edge
in website design and hosting while providing a number of exclusive features
and benefits. Each of TeleVox’s custom-built websites is created completely
from scratch to match the unique personality of each practice. Practices are
guided through each step of the site creation process by a team consisting of
an account manager, copywriter and web designer, whose support ensures a
stress-free experience.
As part of the WebPlus hosting service, a practice can request unlimited
changes and updates to their site, and they also benefit from e-mail for the
entire staff, domain name registration and search engine optimization. In
fact, TeleVox sites perform consistently high when it comes to keeping clients
visible in search engines. A recent independent study conducted by Porter
Research (www.porterresearch.com) concluded that, time and again, TeleVox-
hosted websites surpass competitive vendor sites in search engine ranking and
visibility. The study found that TeleVox sites: represented the highest percentage
of all search results; have the highest incidence and percentage of 1st position
rankings; enjoyed both the best average position and average physical position;
and outperform key competitors head-to-head for overall website visibility.
How do you get your patients to use it?Even if your website is full of useful information for patients and potential
patients, how can you make sure they actually use it? You need to think of your
website not only as a marketing tool, but as a workhorse for your practice.
A website can be a tremendous asset in helping you better serve your patients,
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which in turn cuts down on extra work for staff. But you have to give patients
a reason to visit your website. Patients who interact with your site because it
meets their needs are more likely to spend time browsing the information and
learning more about you and your practice. And as we’ve discussed before, the
more informed patients are, the better they will be at referring new
patients to you.
If you’re wondering how your website could possibly be turned into an
interactive tool, ask yourself these questions:
• Do your patients call your office asking about their next appointment,
account balance or insurance balance?
• Would you like to have a simpler, more streamlined process for
handling referrals?
• Would you like a centralized medium for staff communication?
• Would you like to be able to deliver appointment reminders and
other messages to patients automatically via e-mail?
• Do you think patients would benefit from regular, professional
newsletter communications from your practice?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. More than
1,200 practices have turned their websites into patient service tools with
the help of T.LINK , the most comprehensive online communications system
available. Adding T.LINK to a website allows patients, doctors and referring
professionals to efficiently and effectively share information online, saving
staff time and providing convenience for patients.
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• Secure online payment processing via bank draft or credit card
• Personalized e-mail appointment reminders and animated greetings
• Online practice newsletters
The practice team will experience a number of advantages, including:• Automatic delivery of e-mail appointment reminders, recalls, no-show
notices or any other messages to patients
• Access to appointment schedules by day, doctor or location,
in-office or remotely
• Customized practice newsletters with more than 30 pre-written
articles to choose from
• Online training videos for the various features of T.LINK
Doctors can use T.LINK to:• Send and receive online referrals
• Utilize a message board format to confer on cases, including images
• Receive voice e-mail messages through after-hours call management
and paging
• Take advantage of free valuable advice from leading consultants
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Contacting Patientson the Go
31 32 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
There’s no denying the advances that technology has made to the way we
communicate. In our increasingly hectic lives, being able to stay connected
while on the go is important, and the cell phone is an indispensable
communication tool. The newest way to communicate using a cell phone is
text messaging. In 2004, more than 30 million text messages were sent in the
United States alone, and more people adopt this new technology every day.
The potential to use text messaging to communicate with your patients is
great, as 90% of all U.S. cell phones are text capable.
A recent study examined the effectiveness of text messages as appointment
reminders and their impact on patient no-show rates. The study consisted
of nearly 4,500 subjects visiting five outpatient clinics within a two-month
period. The first group included 2,151 patients (1,382 with mobile contact
telephone numbers). These patients were sent text message appointment
reminders three days prior to their appointment. The no-show rate for this
group was 14.2%. In the second group consisting of 2,276 patients, 1,484
provided mobile contact numbers. These patients were not reminded with
text messages, and this group’s no-show rate was 23.4%. In this particular
study, delivery of SMS appointment reminders to patients eliminated 39.3%
of the no-shows that would have resulted without the text messages.
Another advantage of text messaging is its relatively low cost when
compared to manual phone calls or mailed communication. Manual
telephone contact with patients requires many hours of expensive staff
time, and only a limited number of calls can be completed within a given
timeframe. Letters and postcards involve high levels of postage and printing
costs, and personnel are often involved in the coordination of these mailings.
The delays associated with mail delivery make time an issue as well.
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Go Text message patient communication solves both time and expense problems
for practices. That’s why TeleVox products now include the new SmartText™
feature. SmartText provides another convenient and innovative way for
you to contact your patients. With SmartText, you can deliver appointment
reminder text messages directly to your patients’ cell phones, allowing
them to receive and confirm reminders on the move. SmartText can deliver
a reminder text message up to two hours before a scheduled appointment,
creating a last-minute reminder that patients appreciate and giving you even
more assurance that the appointment will not be missed.
As with HouseCalls and T.LINK
appointment reminders, SmartText
messages can be personalized with
appointment-specific data including
name, date, time, doctor and location.
Each message displays opt-in/opt-out
capabilities and multiple response
options, creating non-intrusive
two-way communication with your
patients.
SmartText works with all major wireless service providers and is approved by
the Mobile Marketing Association, ensuring your patients’ privacy.
Text Messaging Advantages
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33 34 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
• Pinpoint message delivery
• Opt-in and opt-out standards
• Mobile number verification
• Data merge
• Receipt and detailed reporting
• Number portability
• Two-way communication
As patients receive text appointment reminders, they’ll undoubtedly view
your practice as technologically advanced and experience an unprecedented
level of patient care. In fact, SmartText text messages make a great addition
to an existing appointment reminder plan. Why not use text messaging in
combination with an automated telephone reminder or e-mail message?
Practices that don’t recongnize the value and potential of portable
communication like the cell phone run the risk of being left behind in the
next wave of communication technology. Linda Miles, a pioneer practice
consultant, weighs in on what the future holds for practice-patient
communications.
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Text Messaging AdvantagesExcerpt from message post by Linda Miles, CMCDentaltown.com online message boards, June 2006
“One of my favorite topics came via e-mail and caught my eye. There
have been many excellent points made by several people in regards to how
to confirm and ultimately how to reduce open time on the schedule by
doing so… How we confirm has changed and will continue to evolve as we go
into the next two years when most of our correspondence with patients will get
away from the old home phone (land lines) and get with the 21st
century technology.
Many people today do not even remove messages from their land lines, as
anyone who knows them calls their cell phone or text messages them. Many
people tell me they rarely retrieve messages from their land lines as most are
solicitors, not friends and family who have their cell number. If your office has
not been collecting cell phone numbers AND e-mail addresses in the past six
months…as it will take about two years to gather them all, I highly recommend
doing so starting Monday morning… By 2008, 90% of all practice to patient
communication will be done electronically. If your office waits two years to
start gathering this data you will be two years behind!
Now in confirmations, I preach the 1-2-3 method as a bridge until we get to
where technology is taking us. Before anyone starts groaning that this might
mean three calls, please know that the 3 confirmations are not done by a staff
person, but by technology. Each office designs the plan of confirmation they
want. Examples might be an e-mail or courtesy call (message) a month in
advance (hygiene)…two days before another message (call) and three hours
before, a text message.
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Another example plan might be: 3 days prior the patient receives an e-mail,
two days before they receive the call and three hours prior a text message.
Some of you are thinking, ‘won’t all this annoy patients?’ The answer is:
depends on what the message says and the tone of voice used. We don’t
use the words ‘calling to remind.’ We don’t say ‘calling to confirm.’ And
we don’t say ‘call us back to confirm the confirmation.’ The e-mail, call or
text message simply states: ‘This is your courtesy call (message) to let you
know….’we are looking forward to seeing you Thursday, June _ at 10 a.m.’
We don’t say ‘if you can’t make it let us know,’ as this gives the patient an
easy out. They are smart enough to know if they can’t keep it. They will call
to reschedule or text message the office that they need to reschedule…The
courtesy calls or courtesy messages by e-mail or text are just that: a
courtesy. This 1-2-3 method will be necessary until the majority of your
patients exclusively use e-mails and text on their cell phones. Many dentists
think it is about 10-30% now. Trust me, it is huge in the 12-50 age groups.
If you wish to contact TeleVox, their site is www.televox.com. They are high
tech with the human touch, just what these confirmations need. DISCLAIMER:
I do not work for TeleVox…they are however one of my Speaking Consulting
Network sponsors. And the ONLY companies that have that privilege are
companies I recommend and endorse because they are good companies with
excellent products that help practices and their staff better serve
their patients.”
Linda Miles and Associates800-928-0866www.dentalmanagement.com
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Streamlining LabResults Delivery
37 38 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
Delivery of lab results to patients can often be a complex undertaking.
When patients call in to learn about their exams, those inquiries can create
office interruptions, inefficiencies and patient dissatisfaction.
When one’s health is at stake,
urgent and efficient reporting
of lab results can make a great
difference and generate peace
of mind. Patients who are
satisfied with the delivery of
their important information are
far more likely to continue to
visit your practice.
To help simplify the process,
TeleVox has developed LabCalls.
The LabCalls system increases
practice efficiency in four main
areas: staff time, expense,
patient satisfaction and
documentation.
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Throughout its 20 clinic locations in the Houston area, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic
stood to gain a lot from a new approach to lab results delivery. Lab letters
were previously used to notify patients, requiring large expenditures for both
printing and postage. Many staff hours were then spent fielding questions
from patients, resulting in large numbers of both inbound and outbound
phone calls. With Kelsey-Seybold’s personnel and financial resources being
drained in results delivery, use of an automated delivery system seemed like
a worthwhile decision.
Documentation has become increasingly important to the healthcare
industry, and it was another issue that challenged Kelsey-Seybold.
A standard delivery system could improve patient service, giving the clinic
extra assurance that each patient was contacted.
LabCalls has provided Kelsey-Seybold with a user-friendly process to assign
lab results to their patients. Each time a new set of results is ready for pick-
up, the clinic sends TeleVox a data file of recipients and the corresponding
message they should receive. As part of the LabCalls system, TeleVox hosts
a message library to cover a wide variety of examinations. TeleVox cross-
references new results with the message library and adds new examination
messages where applicable. Kelsey-Seybold staff members can choose
messages for each patient and assign the results.
By using the LabCalls system, Kelsey-Seybold is able to provide patients
with 24/7 secure access to their results. During each visit in which a test is
ordered, patients are given a wallet-sized card that includes the access
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39 40 800.644.4266 www.televox.com
information and directions. Patients will either call a toll-free number or
visit a website to obtain their lab results using the unique PIN on their card,
ensuring confidentiality and HIPAA compliance.
Staff timeOperations within the Kelsey-Seybold clinics have become significantly
more efficient. Personnel spend less time on the phone, making fewer calls
and avoiding “phone tag” with patients to deliver results. In turn, nurses
report having more time available to focus on other tasks within the clinics.
ExpenseKelsey-Seybold estimates that their clinics
complete about 1,000,000 patient visits per
year, and of those patients, approximately
50% have an examination that requires
lab analysis. Prior to using LabCalls, each
patient was sent a letter to let them know
results were ready, resulting in 500,000
mailings for lab results delivery. The cost
of each piece included postage, forms
and printing costs. Industry averages for
these mailing cots are about 39.2 cents per
piece, making the bill for Kelsey-Seybold’s
mailed notifications about $191,000. Hours
of nurses’ time were also dedicated to
these mailings, generating an even greater
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contacts are made for a fraction of these costs.
Patient satisfactionKelsey-Seybold has received great reports from patients regarding
satisfaction with the LabCalls system. Mailed notifications previously
took anywhere from five to ten days to reach patients. Now, lab results
are delivered more quickly, relieving much of the anxiety associated with
exams.
“Our patients really like the LabCalls system,” said Cecilia Fowler, Director
of Ambulatory Care Operations for Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. “We are able
to provide secure, convenient access to results and prevent much of the
stress our patients experience when having labs done.”
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Stre
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Another area of improvement has been in documenting notification of lab
results pickup. LabCalls’ thorough reporting capabilities allow Kelsey-Seybold
to note when each patient is contacted to retrieve lab results. These reports
help provide an elevated level of patient care, as the clinic can ensure that
each patient has been notified and no record is passed over.
