Hot topic: Get ready for self-service

DALLAS - The trend of self-service, a norm in acute care, is already here and on your side, says Medtrade speaker Jaimi Panini. 

HME News spoke to Panini, Brightree’s vice president of product and digital experience, about how to decide which tasks to offload and how to make it a success. 

HME News: What tasks can health care providers transfer to patients? 

Jaimi Panini: The top one is scheduling. Providers reach out over the phone, sometimes five or six times without getting a call back, just to schedule an appointment when that can be done on the patient’s own time. Then there’s aspects of intake. Some of the documentation you have to complete can be completed by the patient. 

HME: Where should providers start? 

Panini: The technology is out there. What providers need to be conscientious of is mapping out those touch points. When you’re on the phone with a patient, ask yourself: Am I literally just a conduit? It's coming in my ear and going directly into a system. Do I need to be the one that does that or can the patient handle this themselves? 

HME: What does that outreach look like on the patient's side? 

Panini: Texting is a great avenue. We know that consumers in general respond much better to text vs. email nowadays, but both channels are optimal for outreach, especially if patients are expecting it. Capturing phone numbers and email upfront is hypercritical. 

HME: Are patients ready for this kind of activity? 

Panini: The good news is health care hasn't had to train patients on self-service capabilities. Other industries have already taken the reins on a lot of these apps. Just because (you’ve run) a traditional business, it doesn’t mean your patients aren’t ready for it, it just means you may not be ready.