How is Online Appointment Scheduling Software Beneficial to a Medical Practice?

When it comes to running a medical practice, there’s a lot to keep track of, especially where appointment scheduling is concerned. You and your staff rely on accurate appointment scheduling to efficiently run your business. However, traditional forms of scheduling can often use up valuable resources and cause confusion, so what’s the solution?

As one of the leading medical appointment scheduling software firms out there, My Client Schedule has helped a variety of clients in the medical sector streamline their booking processes. Here they’ve collected some of the leading benefits of investing in online appointment scheduling software.

Whether you’re a hospital, clinic, therapeutic group, or another type of medical practitioner, the right scheduling software can handle bookings, cancellations, reminders, payments, and more. So, let’s dive into the details below.

Why Use an Online Appointment Scheduling System?

Did you know that this year, an expected 4.3 billion people will be using mobile phones? This means that a lot of those users will also be doing more than simply making calls on their cellular devices. Increasing connectivity has enabled consumers to do everything from order a pizza while on the go to booking their annual checkups.

This means to compete in today’s ever-connected business landscape, medical practitioners need to take advantage of online scheduling.

Convenience & User-Friendly Software

The great thing about online appointment scheduling software is that nearly anyone can use it from anywhere. In fact, nowadays, most clients will expect you to have it if you run a medical facility. This is because it’s much simpler to book online than playing phone tag with a receptionist. In some cases, clients might also find having to call and speak to someone a little frustrating and outdated.

Another benefit of implementing online appointment scheduling software for your practice is that it’s user-friendly and customers can pull up their profile and schedule an appointment from anywhere. This makes clients feel much more in control of their time as well.

Keeping a Full Schedule & Reducing No-Shows

Having slow days or clients that never show for their appointments can certainly put a dent in your bottom line. It can also be frustrating when you book a client and they pull a no-call, no-show. But online appointment scheduling software can help you fill your empty slots and minimize no-shows. It does so by automatically reminding patients of scheduled appointments, as well as when it’s time for a checkup or when they need to schedule a follow-up appointment.

Gone are the days when you need a staff member to call and contact patients to remind or confirm appointments. Appointment scheduling software automates all these processes with a simple text, email, or automated phone message.

Round-the-Clock Booking

Another great advantage of implementing online medical appointment scheduling software is that it provides a chance for clients to book 24/7. This means that clients can view your schedule and book their appointment outside of office hours at a time that suits them, meaning more customers and less hassle. In fact, recent studies show that more than 50 percent of online appointment bookings are made after business hours, so that’s a big segment of business you could be missing out on.

Data Storage & Information Management

One of the biggest components of online scheduling software is the data management solutions it offers medical practitioners. Many software providers offer patient management solutions as part of their overall package, allowing users to store all the necessary information needed, like name, birthday, health history, treatment notes, etc. all in one place. This information can also include things like previous appointments, test results, and other medical data reducing the need for paper files during the appointment process.

There are other more advanced functionalities that are often included in such software. For example, clinics that utilize x-rays and other types of lab testing, either in-house or at a different location, can easily upload any of the patient’s scans from that day or another appointment. This reduces the need for carrying around results and minimizes the chance that they’ll be misplaced by the patient or a staff member.

All these features ensure that important data is stored in one place and eliminates patient waiting and miscommunication.

E-Marketing Opportunities

Investing in online appointment scheduling software can also provide you with email marketing opportunities. Since you’ll have all your clients’ contact info and treatment history, you can connect with them to let them know about promotional healthcare packages or special deals for returning customers. For example, you can drum up more business by offering clients a discount when they refer new customers to you.

When you implement new processes or begin offering new services, let your clients know by sending them an update via email, text, or an automated voicemail message. Not only will it help advertise some of your business’ new offerings, but it will also show customers that keeping them informed is important to you, further strengthening your relationship with clients.

Online Payment Solutions

With an online software platform for booking appointments, the payment process becomes much easier, reducing lines and wait times, in addition to easily tracking client payment information. It will also enable you to publicize any fees for missed appointments, making clients more likely to stick with the time that they book, or encourage them to cancel well ahead of time to avoid extra charges.

Online booking also provides an additional safeguard for your customers’ important information, minimizing the chance that their financial data is ever lost or misplaced. Additionally, appointment scheduling software can also make it easy to offer discounts on consultation fees and other services.

Saving Resources

Last but certainly not least, online appointment scheduling enables your medical business to save enormous resources, eliminating the need for paper filing and other outdated ways of keeping information. It also reduces the need to have staff members calling clients and tracking them down after missed appointments or manning the phone lines throughout the day.

Let My Client Schedule improve your medical booking process!

Do you want to increase efficiency, reduce no-shows and make certain you maintain the very best relationship with your clients? If so, My Client Schedule would be delighted to hear from you today. Contact us online to learn more about our medical appointment scheduling software or call 1-877-385-0928.