With the growing number of people accustomed to digital communication, imaging centers are finding an increasing need to engage with patients electronically. Almost everyone uses a computer and/or smartphone to interface with the rest of the world and store everything from books to music. Patients want to store their medical records the same way they store things on their computer, so they can easily access everything they need in one location. With health tracking applications like, Microsoft HealthVault, patients can do just that—store and track their weight, blood pressure, exercise regimen, and most importantly their medical records. Imaging centers that interface with one or more health tracking websites can significantly improve their patient engagement, and in-turn increase patient referrals; here’s how:
1. Variety is the Spice of Life
Interfacing with multiple health tracking websites offers a selection of platforms for each patient to choose from, not only providing convenience, but variety as well. This variety allows you to cater to the needs of various patients, which will likely lead to return visits. We’re all different and that’s why variety is so important. Your patients don’t necessarily use the same health tracking websites and apps, just like we all don’t use the same social media websites. If Twitter and Facebook offered health tracking and an imaging center only offered Twitter, but a patient was an ardent Facebook user, then the patient probably wouldn’t return to the Twitter center and would find a center that uses Facebook.
2. Control is Empowering to Patients
Giving patients control over their medical records is essential to increasing patient engagement. It helps them stay proactive when it comes to their health and offers the utmost convenience, especially for people who see multiple specialists and take numerous medications. Often times, patients are also caregivers and need to track their medical records along with their loved ones’ records. Enabling patients to access their medical records online makes it easier for caregivers to stay organized and lighten their workload.
3. Helping Patients Stay Organized Keeps You Organized
We all appreciate efficiency and organization, which is why centers that make patients wait 20+ minutes after their exam for a copy of their results will deter future visits. Enabling patients to access their medical records online, demonstrates efficiency and organization on your part. Not only that, but the added-convenience and simplicity of your service will produce lifelong patients.
Offering patients online access to their medical records provides the convenience, organization, and control they need to remain proactive about their healthcare. Not only that, but it also helps to optimize your workflow, maintain relevancy, and increase patient engagement within your facility, which will in-turn increase patient referrals.
