Meaningful Use Workgroup New Pathways for Meaningful Use Stage 3
How to engage patients to use the patient portal to meet meaningful use
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Transcript of How to engage patients to use the patient portal to meet meaningful use
How to Engage Patients to Use the Patient Portal to Meet Meaningful Use
Brandi MusgraveBusiness Development DirectorFast Track Marketing
Ophthalmology consulting and marketing since 2001
Defining the Patient Portal
Patient Portal Value Added Propositions
Why Patients Don’t Use The Portal
Enlisting Patient
Engagement
Engaging New vs. Existing
Patients
Defining the Patient Portal
Definition of a Patient Portal
Online website for two-way communication Doctors to patients Patients to doctors
Secure
Patient Portal Value Added Propositions
It’s a Value Added Proposition
Helps patients better manage their relationship with your practice
Patient feels in control of their health care
Immediate, 24/7 access Frees up staff time
It’s a Must for Meaningful Use
Stage 2 focuses on patient engagement and education
40% are unaware of patient portals (Technology Advice)
Online Patient Portal Value Propositions
Online bill pay Access to medical records
Appointment scheduling Doctor communication E-visits or E-consultations
Bilingual capabilities
Won’t Patients Be Leary of
Online Access?
People are accustomed to accessing information online
Why Won’t Patients Use The Portal
If you build it, they will MAY NOT come
Why? Practice doesn’t educate of the benefits Portal is cumbersome to use Lack of patient engagement within the portal
Not mobile friendly Information isn’t “pushed” to patient to encourage engagement
More than 30% of patients listed “unresponsive staff” and “confusing interfaces” as reasons for not using the portal.
Less than 50% of patients received post-appointment follow-up communications from physicians.
Among those that did, less than 10% were contacted through patient portals.
(Technology Advice and Software Advice)
How? When? Test different methods to find the best formula
Communicating the Benefits of The Patient Portal
Face-to-Face Communication
Online registration in-office using a tablet
Use downtime during appointments for education
Decide whether education should be before or after the appointment
Enlisting Patient Engagement
Engaging the Whole Staff
Appointment Scheduling Can be done through the portal
Checking Out Alert to online bill pay through
portal Technicians & Doctors
Test results, prescription requests, etc
Email-Based Communication: Advantages
Easy to set up and convenient for all Consistency of information Great for any volume practices
Email-Based Communications: Disadvantages
Need to gather all patients email addresses
Not all communications are delivered or opened
Email Strategies Clear and concise subject line
Make Sure It’s Set Up Properly Bad
From: “Your Provider” Subject Line: “Your Provider – Patient Portal”
Good From: “Dr. Smith’s Office” Subject Line: “Important News From Your Doctor”
Email Strategies Identify your purpose to avoid
spam intentions Registration link Eye-catching graphics Professionally-written, concise
copy Responsive design81% of emails are read on a mobile device Personalize
Sample email to promote portal
Subject Line: Access Your Patient Records Online
More Education Methods
Brochures Posters Looping educational video
Flyers
External Promotion
On-hold messages
Bills Newsletters Social Media posts
Website Placement
Make the portal link highly visible, easy to access
Position the online portal as a practice differentiator
Open the portal in a new tab to make it easy to go back to your website
Make sure it is designed responsive
Best Solution: Use Multiple Points of Contact
Don’t Forget Your Staff!Educate staff on benefits and features
Create registration goals to incentivize staff
Weekly reports on sign-ups for encouragement
Express the Benefits
Explain how it benefits them Don’t talk about features
Engaging New vs Existing Patients
Sample Existing Patient Strategy
Introduction Email Expect 10-15% sign-up
Education in promotional emails and newsletters Automatic post-appointment emails In-office posters Staff training to position the portal as an upgrade and value added proposition
Sample New Patient Strategy Position the online portal as the standard strategy
Pre-appointment email encourages them to register and fill any forms in advance
Offer printed information during the appointment
Follow-up email after the appointment
Reconnecting with Non-engaged Patients
Bulk enrollment Continued prompting from staff about benefits
Patient incentive for signing up 5% off 1st Online Bill Pay
Monthly drawing entry
Don’t Assume Age = Technology Illiteracy
56% of people age 55-64 still want access to online health information54% of adults age 65+ AND 77% of adults age 50-64 use the internet(Nextech and Pew Research Center)
Don’t Make It Sound Like More Work
Make it a benefit, not a burden
Recap Educate through face to face, email, printed and video communications
Educate your staff to “sell” the portal Make the portal visible on your website Make sure the portal is easy-to-use and incorporates responsive design
Advertise the portal as a value added proposition to differentiate your practice
Thank YouBrandi Musgrave
303-731-2634
Fast Track Marketingwww.fast-trackmarketing.com