![]() For example, mention bringing your medication list, parking directions, and contact information should they have questions. ![]() Second notification, one week: Include details from the first reminder plus details such as what to bring with you to the appointment.Although high level, this information helps patients plan. First notification, one month: Include key details such as clinic location, the appointment type, date and time.Now that we have established a date and a time, the content within the reminders also plays a key role in communicating with the patient. What to say? How can you communicate expectations? For those needing to cancel, clinics still have time to fill the vacant appointment with other patients.ģ. Two business days: Helps those who live in the moment to have a final appointment reminder.Plus, it’s just a nice reminder to look at the week ahead. If a patient is no longer able to make their appointment, they can reschedule and it also helps clinics move other patients into the now vacant time slot. One week: Allows patients to make any last-minute changes.The family member may need to request time away from work as well and an early notification allows for any necessary adjustments. I think about the elderly or those needing transportation, because the one-month notification helps them have adequate time to arrange transportation with family or friends. One month: Helps patients make arrangements for time off from work, transportation needs or reschedule conflicting appointments. ![]() These dates are important as they play a key role in patient outcomes in healthcare. Within Epic, we can set up patient notifications to go out one month, one week and two days before the appointment. That’s why sending patient notifications for appointments at predictable, convenient timeframes will help patients plan ahead and arrive on time for their appointments. Part two in standardizing patient notifications is to consider when you should send notifications to patients. Ask your patients what works best for them. How does the patient want to be notified? Via email? Via text message? Personally, a SMS from Epic M圜hart (text message) will get my attention more than email. To begin the process of standardizing patient notifications, it is important for clinics to obtain key information from the patient. What works best for the patient - email or text? Although I try to put the appointment in my phone if possible, I usually have a tiny appointment card that inevitably gets lost before my next appointment.ġ. Many of us schedule annual or semi-annual appointments while we are in the office so we can (and the office can) plan accordingly for those appointments. Standardizing Patient Notifications for Semi-Annual or Annual Appointments Wouldn’t it be great if there was standardization around scheduled annual, semi-annual or follow-up appointments? Others send no reminders at all and instead I have to call the clinic in a panic to make sure the details I put in my phone are correct. One clinic may send me a reminder every day for a week in different formats - the first as a text and the next as an email. While they help you keep track of an upcoming appointment, they can also be sporadic and inconsistent. Wearing the hats of appointment gate keeper, patient, and Epic analyst, I see the benefits of patient notifications. It’s even more challenging when you are the person keeping track of family member appointments - the appointment gate keeper. Many of us struggle keeping up with our busy schedules and remembering all the important details of our daily to-dos.
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