Arriving late for any meeting is not only hassling, it’s also embarrassing. It is simple etiquette because showing up on the designated time is a basic sign of respect for the person you are meeting. But at one point or other, it’s something that will happen to us. It could be due to heavy traffic, a wrong turn, or because we merely forgot.
During a time of pandemic, lost time for a medical call can prove quite costly not just for you but for the person you are supposed to see. That’s why some healthcare providers now invest in appointment reminders for clients.
Why Use an App
Medical visits are essential, that’s why we clear our day and get a schedule to see our doctor for our health concern. They are not something that we would want to skip on. When we do, it can have grave repercussions to our well-being. At this time, there are not enough doctors for all the patients that need attending to and missing out on your chance at talking to a practitioner can mean a long waiting time for the next.
Some people download apps to give them appointment reminders. Aside from ensuring that their medical concern is addressed, by benefiting from these apps they also avoid paying the fees that clinics charge to patients for arriving late or for no-shows.
Even doctor’s offices rely on this software too, because having an app to remind you of your schedule takes some load off their duties so that they can devote energy to other tasks. Gone are the days when office staff have to spend hours on the phone calling patients. Today, there are several apps that can now provide this function.
Which Apps to Use
Depending on the device you prefer, here are some applications providers use so that patients can be nudged to come on time.
1. Luma Health
- can work with iPhone or Android smartphones
- can communicate in 20+ languages, so you can choose which you prefer
2. Relatient
- can work with iPhone or Android smartphones
- includes HIPAA-compliant two-way chatting so you can send a message to office staff
3. WELL Health
- Web-based only
- Has a quick response feature that makes it efficient in answering common follow up messages
4. DoctorConnect
- Web-based only
- Reminds you to set up your appointment as well so you don’t forget
5. Pomelo Health (Chronometriq)
- Web-based only
- Includes self-check-in so that you can inform the staff that you have arrived and avoid congesting the reception
The Standard for Apps
All of the abovementioned apps are HIPAA compliant as required by the law. This means that they use end-to-end secure messaging so that your personal health information is kept safe. Remember that basic SMS text messaging is not secure because devices can get lost all the time and anyone can get access to your data.
These apps can also send messages via automated voice calls, texts, and e-mails, which is customary now for appointment reminding.
Find out if your doctor uses one of them today.