Want to provide this convenient service to your patients?
Appointuit has an optional feature which allows your patient's to submit a request for a repeat script and/or repeat referral online. There are few things you need to know first - then if you believe this feature will be of benefit to your patients and practice - we can turn this on for you in an instant!
If approved by the Doctor, the patient can be sent an SMS to notify them. If the Doctor would prefer to see the patient, an SMS can be sent that has the ability for the patient to easily book that appointment. This is automated as part of our system.
Currently this feature is only available on the desktop version of the patient portal (widget 2) via your practice website. This will help to reduce errors in typing onto small mobile phone screens.
Unlike some other systems where patients can order medications and referrals online from doctors who may have never seen the patient, the Appointuit system promotes the continuity of care and the ongoing relationship between the patient and their regular doctor. This obviously is also better for the patient and will minimise the risk of incorrect orders, adverse drug reactions and over prescription.
This feature also helps free up reception time on the phone, avoids awkward and sometimes aggressive conversations in relation to to what the patient thinks is their right to these documents, minimises transcription errors, and helps free up appointment times in the practice for more significant issues, whilst maintaining continuity of care.
Here are some key features of the system:
- The terms and conditions by which you offer these services to your patients is completely up to you and is fully customisable by your practice - including the option to charge a nominal fee for this service to compensate doctors for their time, and the options for pick up / relaying to the pharmacy. The patient is made aware of these terms and conditions and has to agree to them prior to submitting their request.
- We assist you with advertising this feature to your patients by providing a configured template in Appointuit Engage!
- The patient submits a request form online via their secure, password protected user portal and the request gets emailed to the practice. This is then entered automatically onto the actions list for your reception staff to clearly see and monitor progress of the request.
- A copy of the request (in pdf format) is easily put onto the patients file
- After review by the Doctor, reception staff are informed of the outcome and patients are sent an SMS to advise of the outcome and to organise payment. If the response is no, patients are easily able to book a face-to-face appointment from the SMS.
Security
How do I get this feature and what do I need to do at the Practice?
- To get this feature in your practice you will need the latest version of our patient booking portal (web widget) on your website and latest version of our connector. Our team will be able to advise you of your current status, and facilitate an update for you if required.
- You will need to ensure you have a valid mobile number for your patients (this is easily addressed when you send out the initial Engage! campaign to notify your patients that you have this service). You can do this in the first instance via the Engage! or Engage! SMS communication. When the patient submits the request we gather this information from them- so this provides an opportunity for reception staff to collect and/or update this information.
- You will need to purchase SMS credits in order to notify the patient of the outcome of the request. You can do this online via 'Settings > Payments'
- Write your own practice policy and procedures for your staff to follow when they receive the requests
- Edit the terms and conditions to suit your practice preferences - Settings > scripts / referrals. Edit the SMS message you will send to the patients - to confirm or deny the request.
- Use Appointuit Engage! to inform your patients of this new service- if you require the new widget update you should include this information in the campaign - otherwise remove this information. A template has been designed in Appointuit Engage! to assist you with this process. This can be edited as required to suit your practice's preferences.
- Patients will select the option on the booking portal- they will be required to enter credit card details via our secure payment portal Eway. The money will not be debited from the patients account until the request is approved by the practice.
- On receipt of the requests, reception forward the email request to the appropriate doctor and put a copy of the request in the patient's file.
- Reception can keep track of the progress of these requests via "Settings > Scripts/ referrals > actions
- When approved- notify the patient of this via SMS with one click and payment will be processed.
- If not approved contact the patient via SMS with one click to organise an appointment.
- The practice receives their remittance (minus the Appointuit admin fee) fortnightly.
*Fully customised terms and conditions
*Fully customised SMS response to patient
*Audit trail
How much does it cost?
$3.00 + GST per script
$5.00 + GST per referral
This is an administrative cost for payment processing. You can set your own charge per script/referral and the difference is paid to you on a fortnightly basis.
Want to get started?
Read all this and happy to go? Contact support@appointuit to organise training for your reception staff, check your connector and widget status and get you started.
The following are samples only- you customise this information to suit your practice.
