insights
{Clinical updates}
Electronic engagement
By Brandon Daniell
Communication with patients is directly linked to However, these options are time-consuming, expensive top-line revenue growth at GI practices and surgery and often ineffective. Time spent making multiple centers. Consider how an answer of “no” to any of the calls, leaving a voicemail or printing and mailing a following questions would impact revenue: Did the letter is time staff could have spent doing something patient show up for a scheduled appointelse. Letters, in particular, are sent with ment or procedure? Did the patient notify the hope that patients receive and then about their intent to cancel far enough in actually open, read and respond to them. advance to permit scheduling of another While some organizations have turned to patient? If the patient showed up for an email to help with engagement, it also has appointment as scheduled, did they comply its shortcomings. One study shows that with prep instructions? Now, consider how the average U.S. worker’s inbox has nearly revenue would be increasingly impacted as 200 unread or unopened emails at any more patients come up short concerning given time.1 THE AVERAGE U.S. these questions. WORKER’S INBOX For decades, phone calls and letters Making the Case for Two-Way Texting HAS NEARLY have served as the major form of Fortunately, as a growing number of communication in the GI space. If patient providers are discovering, there is a means engagement levels were less than desired, of communication that addresses many OR UNOPENED EMAILS AT the solution has typically been to make of the shortcomings associated with more ANY GIVEN TIME. more phone calls and send more letters. traditional forms. Texting—and more
200 UNREAD
18 endoeconomics MARCH 2020
Image: iStock.com/Iamstocker, masterzphotois
GI centers should leverage technology to improve patient recall.
