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The demand for online appointment scheduling is on the rise. According to the Accenture report, 68 percent of patients reported that they prefer the providers who offer an online appointment scheduling system. Hence, it’s mandatory to offer online appointment booking if your practice doesn’t offer still.
Here are the top 5 reasons why you should incorporate this module into your practice:
1. High preference rate by patients
If people opt for phone calling to schedule an appointment, your staff only provides limited dates for direct visits. Hence, more than one-quarter of patients opt for online appointment scheduling as it’s very convenient.
As your competitors are also offering this feature, it’s high time that you should consider this online appointment feature to grow your practice and get a competitive advantage by offering your patients what they prefer.
2. Reduces call volume
Due to the lack of online appointment scheduling, people have to book appointments by phone. In that case, the staff has to spend more time on the phone. This creates prolonged hold times for patients in need. Furthermore, it burdens your staff with administrative work. As time is money, you should make sure to implement online appointment scheduling so that your front office staff can focus on serving patients.
3. Meet the needs of patients
If patients are busy, they don’t have time to contact your office for an appointment. According to the GetApp research, 36 percent of patients were put on hold causing a huge waste of time. Nearly, 19 percent of people are getting annoyed while booking phone appointments during office hours.
Having an online appointment scheduling feature helps patients to book at their own convenience. There is no need for waiting on hold and they can easily fit their doctor consultation into their hectic lives.
4. Provide analytic insights
Automation of appointment scheduling helps in tracking appointments efficiently that might otherwise go by the wayside. It can provide insights into your availability so that patients can easily book their appointments. Even you can adjust your office hours if your patients prefer night appointments or early morning appointments.
Having online appointment scheduling brings more patients to your practice and ensures their retention rate.
5. Reduce no-shows
Booking appointments by phone can lead to confusion as to when the appointment is finally booked. As a result, patients may even forget about it. Having an online scheduling system not only allows your patients to schedule appointments virtually but also sends reminder alerts. This reminder service ensures that there is no no-show.
According to the Accenture report, more than 37 percent of millennials and 28 percent of Generation Z opt for providers who offer appointment reminders via text message or email.
Final Thoughts
Virtual booking is the future of appointment scheduling. It’s time to automate your appointment scheduling system and make life easier for your staff and patients.
So, make sure to integrate this feature and provide a much-needed upgrade to this scheduling process. Improve your patient experience by investing in a virtual appointment scheduling solution right away.