Technology is changing every day, and so are your patients’ healthcare expectations. When your practice can successfully implement the latest technologies into the patient experience from start to finish, you have a better chance of achieving a higher patient retention and distinguishing yourself from the competition.
It’s important to sit down with your practice’s stakeholders and determine what technologies are the most worthwhile to incorporate. Below are some considerations for deciding what technologies will help your practice.
Stay Current in Your Medical Field
It’s critical to keep up with advancements in your medical field. This means understanding the way that certain procedures change and what the latest technology looks like. When you see these opportunities as they unfold, you put yourself in the driver’s seat, and you’re better able to make the kinds of decisions that can improve your practice.
This includes continuing education, but it goes beyond that. Ideas on how to improve your practice through the technology you implement can be found through talking with colleagues, reading medical journals, and following industry news.
Evaluate Patient Experience from Start to Finish
Your patient starts forming opinions on your practice from the moment he or she schedules an appointment. They are also forming opinions with appointment reminders, as they wait in the waiting room, and of course, through the exam itself. It’s important to make sure that each of these phases is as pleasant as possible for the patient, and that the exam is valuable and helps establish trust.
Think about the types of technology that could be implemented to improve each of these phases, and what it might look like for your practice to do so.
Patients’ Perspectives Are Shaped in their Everyday Life
We live in a world where patients have heightened expectations. As consumers, they’ve grown accustom to faster service and immediate results. Sometimes these expectations are unrealistic in terms of healthcare, but sometimes there might be ways that your practice can improve.
Patients also have access to a growing amount of medical data with wearables, and other medical devices. That data may help you to attain a more accurate picture of their health. They may also be used to conducting business over video conferencing, making things like telemedicine a more acceptable leap.
What Does Implementation Look Like for You?
It may not be feasible for your practice to incorporate every new piece of software or exam-room gadget into your practice. That’s just reality. But it’s important to recognize it’s there so that you can make an evaluation on what’s right for you.
It’s important to consider what implementation looks like for your practice. It’s important to understand what will be truly helpful for you and your staff, and what might not offer maximum value. If the implementation is frustrating people, taking too long, or not providing the expected value, it might be time to revert to the previous procedures, or try something else.
Making Sense of Healthcare Technology
New healthcare technologies are emerging at a fast pace, and it can be difficult to keep up with. These technologies offer tremendous opportunities for your practice, and the ability to attract and retain patients. As you consider what technologies to implement, make sure that you consider the benefits and costs to your practice. A thoughtful approach to technology can serve your practice long into the future.
Apex Design Build has an established reputation as a top-quality healthcare facility design build firm. The Apex Continuum combines focused healthcare expertise with a comprehensive, one stop solution for design, architecture and construction to ultimately provide a best in class experience for every client we partner with. To discover how Apex can take your vision of the perfect healthcare facility and bring it to life using the best technologies for your practice, contact our integrated construction team today.