Understanding_the_Patient_Intake_Process

The intake process begins when a patient calls to make an appointment and resumes when the patient visits the medical facility. The purpose of the intake process is to gather new or confirm patient information like name, address, date of birth, and insurance. This process is often different from one facility to another but the purpose is the same. Just like any other business, a physician depends on a satisfied patient. The patient needs to be happy for the time they walk in the door until the time all balances are paid-in-full. This begins with the patient intake process. Patient information can be collected in several different ways. A person is calling requesting a new patient appointment, if there is more than two weeks before that patient is going to be seen in the office the paperwork can be mailed. The paperwork will ask for personal information like name, address, date of birth, who to contact in case of an emergency and medical history. This will give the patient time to fill out the necessary paperwork on their time and bring it with them when they arrive for their initial appointment. If sending the forms out is not an option, then the patient will have to fill them out once they arrive at the medical facility. With technology on the rise, having a website that a patient can access would be very beneficial. Patients would be able to access a secure website to electronically fill out required paperwork or have the forms sent to the personal e-mail account to be completed and returned electronically or printed off and brought in to the facility. For the “tech savvy” patient that was unable to electronically fill out forms before arriving to the office, having access upon arrival would also be beneficial. Having a computer or tablet available to the patient to allow them to complete necessary forms could improve the intake process. Addison Health System offers a WriteTouch program that allows patients to complete their intake screens online whether in their own homes or in the waiting room (Patient portal, 2007). This can be a great tool for both the patient and the medical facility. New laws have been passed that is requiring all medical records to be electronic by 2014. Presently, this paperwork is filled out the “old-fashioned” way then scanned into the system to be added to the patient’s EMR (electronic medical record). Medical facilities that are using EMR systems are more common. These facilities save space in the facility by not having a records room. Medical records are more secure because they are just not lying on someone’s desk or filed on a shelf. All of the patient record is together in one place. Just a couple clicks and all information the physician may need is right there. Patients that are being treated for injuries due to a car accident for example will be able to give a detailed report of the injuries sustained and any medical treatment they have had for it. If the patient is able to do this before arriving in the office they would have less time in the waiting room. Further, the attending physician would be able to read the patient’s entry and be better prepared before the examination. This would all lead to better treatment, happier patients, and less work load for the medical staff. Many physicians have different types of appointment slots on their schedules. There are short appointments for patients that are returning for a refill on their prescription or a recheck of an existing condition. Other slots on the schedule are longer for first time patients that will need a complete work-up. The staff member(s) that are making appointments needs to know what questions to ask to make sure the right slot is being used. If a new patient is scheduled in a follow-up appointment slot, the physician will get behind because he or she needs to be through despite getting behind. Time management is essential in any business. If patients wait for a long time, they become aggravated. Upset patient will take their frustrations out on the staff and the staff will become short with other patients. It is a vicious circle that revolves harshly. Happy patients lead to a productive medical facility. The patient intake process is changing constantly. With advances in the medical world and technology, it is almost impossible to keep up. The most important aspects of the patient intake process is time management, efficiently, and convenience.