By Christi Negrete
This article is a part of the November/December 2023, Volume 35, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.
Using technology for technology’s sake is not the answer. The best place to start is by asking questions such as the following: What technology will make my patient’s experience even better? Would patients appreciate online scheduling or appointment confirmations by text? Would they like the option of telehealth to assess a hearing concern? Should new patient paperwork be available online so they can complete and submit the forms at their convenience? All of these may be welcomed by patients and save your team time.
One easy place to start is with your practice management software. It may have functionality that you have not yet tapped into. There may be online training courses you can access or have a company representative train your team. A quick call may interrupt your busy day but may be rewarding in the long term. For example, your software may have financing partners, such as CareCredit or Allegro Credit, integrated into the system that prepopulates financing application information and transactions that post back to the ledger.
Technology in health care is not meant to replace human relationships; it is meant to be leveraged to simplify, automate, and save the team time—time they can invest in developing deep patient connections and relationships.
