5 Tips for Reducing Patient Wait Times

As a busy private practice owner, do you ever feel like your patients are always waiting? It's a common pain point, especially during this busy time of year, but there are some simple things you can do to reduce wait times and improve the patient experience.

Here are five tips to reduce wait times and increase patient satisfaction:

1. Collect patient information before their appointment.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's important to have all the necessary information about your patient before they arrive. This includes their insurance information, medical history, and reason for visit. You can collect this information online, through your EHR system, or over the phone. In addition, you can send an email or text requesting patients fill out the information in an online portal or patient intake form to collect patient information before their appointment. 

2. Use a mobile queue solution.

A mobile queue solution allows patients to check in for their appointments remotely. This can reduce wait times at the front desk and get patients into the exam room faster. There are many mobile queue solutions available, both free and paid. Some popular options include QLess, Waitwhile, and Lobbipad. These solutions allow patients to check in remotely, receive text or email updates on their wait time, and view their place in the queue.

3. Divide front-desk duties.

If you have a busy front desk, consider dividing duties among your staff. This could involve having one person check in patients, another person answer the phone, and another person handle financial transactions. You can use a task management app to help you divide front-desk duties among your staff. This will help you to track what tasks need to be done and who is responsible for each task.

4. Schedule appointments strategically

When scheduling appointments, try to group similar appointments. This will help your providers to be more efficient and reduce wait times for patients. An appointment scheduling software can help you schedule appointments strategically. This software will allow you to group similar appointments, block out time for breaks and meetings, and set reminders for upcoming appointments.

5. Communicate with patients regularly

Keep patients updated on their wait time and let them know if there are any delays. This will help to set expectations and reduce frustration. Consider using an email or text messaging service to communicate with patients regularly about their appointments. You can also use a patient portal to allow patients to view their appointment schedule, request appointments, and send messages to their providers.

Bonus tip: Use a live healthcare virtual assistant.

By freeing up your time and staff, a live healthcare virtual assistant can help you to reduce wait times and improve the patient experience. Here are a few specific examples of how Doc Assist Me live healthcare virtual assistants can help you reduce patient wait times:

👍Answering patient questions

👍Scheduling appointments 

👍Confirming appointments

👍Handling administrative tasks like preauthorizations

👍Scribing to allow you to get to patients more quickly

Conclusion

Reducing patient wait times is important for both the patient and the practice. By following the tips above, you can improve the patient experience and make your practice more efficient.

If you're looking for a way to reduce patient wait times and free up your time and staff, consider using a live healthcare virtual assistant from Doc Assist Me. At only $11/hour and no long-term commitment, we offer a variety of services that can help you to improve the patient experience and grow your practice.