Mar 24
2021
5 Obstacles Preventing Healthcare Facilities From Providing Optimum Patient Care During The Pandemic
By Hari Prasad, founder and CEO, Yosi Health.
Frontline healthcare workers have been doing an incredible job saving lives in ICU beds across the country. However, the healthcare industry has found itself struggling with another pandemic-related challenge, one that’s affecting the ability to provide the quality and care patients expect in their day-to-day overall healthcare maintenance.
As a result of both revenue loss and the loss of patient confidence, providers are looking to overcome a myriad of concerns raised by the pandemic, as they watch their patients postpone regular check-ups and appointments for necessary screenings and treatments because of fears related to COVID-19.
Here’s a list of the five biggest obstacles healthcare providers and medical facilities face right now —and some strategies for overcoming them.
- In-Person Patient Exposure
Patients have been postponing their office visits because of the pandemic and it is easy to understand why. The traditional office experience involved sitting in waiting rooms packed with people with little social/physical distancing. More importantly, front desk transactions and workflows also present social distancing obstacles. Contagion ridden point of care clipboards with forms, kiosks, and tablets have been handled by thousands of patients. The current model does not inspire confidence that it is safe nor that the experience will be safer.
To gain the patients confidence with coming back into the practice for appointments, healthcare providers need to address the problems with the traditional waiting room process. Virtual waiting room solutions are the key to reducing wait times, eliminating in-office crowding and reducing the risk of contagion. By offering patient-intake and registration remotely and digitally, virtual waiting rooms allow providers to collect and verify required patient information, signed forms and patient payments prior to the patient’s appointment. With that hurdle overcome, patients will have a much faster and safer visit with minimal contact and wait times.