4 Tips to Optimize Your Patient Intake Process

​​How efficient is your patient intake process? Does it work like a well-oiled machine?

Or is there always a queue of patients with clipboards lined up in your reception area?

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4 Tips to Optimize Your Patient Intake Process

​How to Streamline Patient Intake
for Optimal Efficiency

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​How efficient is your patient intake process? Does it work like a well-oiled machine? Or is there always a queue of patients with clipboards lined up in your reception area?
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If your practice is closer to the latter than the former, here are four strategies you can begin employing right away to provide a smoother intake experience for both patients and staff.

Tip #1: Offer Pre-Appointment Paperwork

Before your patients even set foot in your office, offer them the opportunity to complete and submit all of their registration and insurance paperwork online prior to their appointment. By simply sending them a link to the required paperwork, they’ll be able to provide the necessary information at their leisure, and reduce time spent in your waiting room.

​When sending them this link, be sure to include the name of your practice in both the email address and subject line. This will increase the likelihood that patients will open the email and complete the registration in a timely manner.

By using online forms, not only will your staff receive the necessary information faster, but you’ll also prevent misunderstandings due to poor handwriting or boxes that “might” have been checked.

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Tip #2: Optimize Your Intake Forms

Patient intake forms provide a wealth of fairly standard but critical information: Name, date of birth, age, sex, contact info, employer, insurance info, medical history, allergies, reason for visit and symptoms.

To be most effective, these forms must capture all relevant patient data, but not request more information than necessary. Electronic forms do this beautifully, because they can be personalized to each patient.

Let’s Get Personal

For instance, follow-up questions can be customized according to the patient’s response to the previous question. (There’s no reason to ask “How much alcohol do you drink?” if they previously answered that they don’t drink alcohol.)

This is called “conditional logic,” when questions are linked to the previous answers. Subsequent questions are displayed or hidden, depending on how another question was answered.

This is much more efficient than a “Does not apply” option, which still forces the patient to answer an irrelevant question. Customization streamlines the process.

Be sure that your intake form captures insurance information, too. Electronic forms allow you to run the patient’s insurance information prior to the office visit. So if there are any problems, you can resolve it beforehand. (Your form should also remind patients to bring their insurance card with them to the appointment.)

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The last question on your intake form should be open-ended. For example, “Is there anything else we should know about your visit today?” Most patients will probably leave this blank, but others will provide valuable information.

Finally, you want your forms to be designed so that the patient must complete all required information before the form can be finalized and submitted. This will keep you from receiving partially completed paperwork.

Tip #3: Disclaimer and E-Signature

It’s a good idea to add a disclaimer above the signature line at the bottom of the form. Such as:

“The above information is accurate to the best of my knowledge. I authorize ABC Hospital to bill my insurance provider. I understand that I am responsible for any remaining balance.”
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When it comes to the signature line, opt for e-signatures. They’re both legally binding and HIPAA compliant. Patients can e-sign by typing or drawing their name, depending on the software platform you’re using.

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​Tip #4: Return Visit Forms

Patients who are returning for follow-up visits need not complete the initial intake form again. (Most would find that particularly irritating.) Instead, send them a revisit form.

As a supplementary form for current patients, the revisit form only asks about the medical condition being treated. For example, “Has your condition responded to the doctor’s prescribed treatment?” The revisit form updates the healthcare provider without requiring much of the patient’s time.
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You could also include conditional logic that allows the patient to alter information you already have. Such as, “Has your billing information changed?” If they answer “Yes,” then new fields would appear to enter the change.

An efficient patient intake process is critical to a well-functioning office and positive patient experience. By designing smart intake forms, you can improve patient flow and – ultimately – provide better health care.

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Sources:
Featured Image: Adobe, License Granted
Advantage Healthcare Consulting
IntakeQ
Techlicious
Aila Technologies