10 Waiting Room Apps That Engage Patients
Waiting room stress raising your patients' blood pressure? Use these apps to keep patients busy and your practice running smoothly.
![](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt69509c9116440be8/blt15a44557e7fabfb4/64cb583229848d61ef8db788/doctors-office-waiting-room.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Just about every aspect of healthcare is transforming -- everything but the traditional waiting room, which hasn't advanced much since the invention of television. Forward-thinking practices are changing that, introducing mobile devices and apps that make patients more productive, more educated, or entertained when they visit the doctor.
These physicians are turning their waiting room into an asset, not a liability.
According to a 2013 Software Advice survey of 5,000 patients in the US, 90% of patients are aggravated by doctors' office delays. These patients may grumble to themselves -- or post scathing comments on doctor review sites, potentially putting off future patients (or making current ones grumpy when they finally see the physician).
On average, patients sit around for 20 minutes before seeing a doctor -- and some wait as much as 45 minutes past their scheduled time. That's time healthcare providers could use to enhance their relationship with patients, rather than alienating them. It's time doctors could learn more about their patients. Eliminate wait time, and patients could stay longer at home or work, run errands, or play the latest knock-off of Flappy Birds in comfort instead of on a hard plastic chair.
If you live in Alaska or Wisconisn your average wait is about 16 minutes, doctor review site Vitals.com reported in 2013. In a hurry to see your MD? Don't come to Mississippi or Alabama, where you'll wait an average of 24 minutes, or El Paso, Texas, where you can sit around for almost half an hour.
So how can medical practices balance between serving patients well and cutting wait times, especially if people run late or run into complications?
Of the Software Advice survey respondents, 60% said free WiFi would improve the quality of their wait time. But healthcare providers can do much more than merely supplying a free Internet connection. Providing tablets equipped with specific apps creates new ways to connect with patients and share information about office services.
The pending doctor shortage and influx of newly insured patients will further fill waiting rooms, pundits predict. Not only will patients wait longer to see doctors, they'll spend less time with their physician when they finally get to an examination room. Mobile apps that gather patient data and make it part of an electronic health record can improve communication, cut costs by eliminating duplicate testing, and improve health outcomes by providing a fuller healthcare record.
Already suffering heartburn over today's waiting rooms, patients could delay routine checkups if the process becomes even more onerous. Let's make everyone feel better by emptying waiting rooms whlie keeping practices busy.
Motivated by his own wasted time at doctors' offices, InfoSlate CEO Kyle Piechucki came up with InfoSlate, a 10-inch LCD touchscreen that features health information along with targeted advertising. Offices can also add secure electronic medical forms or questionnaires. InfoSlate targets specialties including oby/gyn, allergy and asthma, orthopedic, internal medicine, pain management, and oncology.
LifeCare Health Services, a family practice that specializes in diabetic-related conditions, says Seamless Medical Systems' SNAP Practice patient check-in platform has helped the practice increase efficiency by 50%. LifeCare Health founder Dr. Elaine Montanaro said, "Everything used to be on paper, and we were running out of space to keep our charts. It slowed us down to the point that out patients were having to read and read and read."
The cloud-based system, which enables patients to enter their data on a tablet, also plans a feature that will send data from glucose meters and blood pressure cuffs to the AthenaNet EMR. Patients who sign up for a SnapForMe account can receive personalized emails, appointment reminders, and health tips. Currently available via Apple's App Store, Seamless plans to deliver a version for Android this year, followed by one for Microsoft's Surface.
Most of us know how stressful it is when a family member is undergoing testing, surgery, or other medical procedures. Cloud-based messaging system MyCareText is a secure, HIPAA-compliant system that notifies authorized friends and family members about a patient's condition and alerts specific individuals if a doctor needs to speak to them. Being immediately accessible helps loved ones feel more comfortable about leaving the waiting room or hospital grounds, and makes it easier for healthcare workers to obtain information quickly from family members, the vendor says. MyCareText supports any language, and the cost is directly proportional to the amount of surgical procedures which are performed at the participating healthcare facility, so users will never have to pay a fixed rate for product that is not used, according to the developer.
Families of patients at Boston Children's Hospital who are participating in the MyPassport pilot program can spend their time in the waiting room getting acquainted with staff members. MyPassport includes photographs and names of caregivers along with the patient's charts and lab reports. The hospital also gives families information such as release dates and post-hospital care details. The goal is to extend MyPassport throughout the hospital and to offer the app to other healthcare providers.
ZocDoc lets patients register for a single doctor or many -- the app pre-fills medical forms with participating ZocDoc physicians and also lets patients make appointments online. While ZocDoc currently serves fewer than 60 cities, the service is adding practices. It's free for users and practices, although doctors pay to be listed on the site's directory.
Dr. John Grunow and a team of Oklahoma University Children's Hospital students developed Emma, an iPad app that helps test and engage kids while they wait to see the doctor. Emma is the star of this customizable, interactive game that educates younger patients about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and helps them share their symptoms with clinicians. Youngsters take multiple-choice tests and play games to learn more about their own health condition before seeing a practitioner.
Source: Robert Free, co-developer
Axial Exchange has developed mobile apps for more than 300 enterprises, including hospitals that use the software to improve patient satisfaction. In addition to helping users check for ER wait times, Axial includes a hospital's floor plan and maps, click-to-call contact directory, Mayo Clinic health data, electronic insurance card, optional personal health records, personal health trackers, and real-time news. It's available for the iPhone, iPad, and Android.
Healthcare professionals use LoungePad to promote their services on an iPad-based kiosk. The app's developer, which also sells stands and security enclosures for the tablets, lists dental practices, spas, and retailers among its clients. The iPads can feature video, product images, Web links, custom forms, and questionnaires, and include built-in analytics tools to gauge the program's success.
InQuicker and MedWaitTime let patients know whether their doctor is running on time before they leave for their appointment. Founded by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vishal Mehta, MedWaitTime lists hospitals, general practitioners, and specialists, allowing patients to make appointments, find doctors with same-day availability, and determine wait times at hospitals and practices in their area. Free for individuals, healthcare providers pay a subscription fee to participate in the service.
InQuicker and MedWaitTime let patients know whether their doctor is running on time before they leave for their appointment. Founded by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vishal Mehta, MedWaitTime lists hospitals, general practitioners, and specialists, allowing patients to make appointments, find doctors with same-day availability, and determine wait times at hospitals and practices in their area. Free for individuals, healthcare providers pay a subscription fee to participate in the service.
-
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like