Non-attendance of patients for consultations and examinations can burden institutions much more than imagined. Web Check-In Solution helped to decrease the index in a single unit by up to 35%
Patient non-attendance, also known as no-show, is one of the problems that still affect the health sector in Brazil and in the world, and can seriously interfere in the management of institutions. The Covid-19 pandemic contributed significantly to the increase in this rate, according to a study carried out with support from the Khalifa University of Science and Technology. Even with hospitals and offices adopting telemedicine during social isolation, patients still missed appointments. telehealth appointments.
A publication by Health Management Technology estimates that a no-show could cost US$ 150 billion a year in the United States alone. “This issue not only affects the financial management of clinics, laboratories and hospitals, it can also jeopardize the care of these institutions to other patients, who may lose their place in line or wait longer than necessary to be received. Not to mention the professionals, who are burdened with time and money allocated to consultations”, comments Marcos Moraes, director of the health vertical at FCamara, a technology and innovation ecosystem that enhances the future of business.
It was because of this pain, coming from a large hospital in the north of the country, that FCamara developed an end-to-end solution, which has communication as a key part. The so-called "Web Check In" aims to reduce the no-show rate through prior confirmation made by the institution's application. The tool has agenda intelligence with predictive models such as geolocation, traffic and weather and performs satisfaction surveys to understand the reasons for rescheduling and cancellations, if necessary.
The results of implementing Web Check-In were clear for the hospital, both for patients and staff. In numbers, there was a reduction of 35% in the no-show. “Patients gained flexibility in scheduling and personalization of their experience. The institution, on the other hand, was able to have greater predictability of the no-show, supply vacant hours, avoiding loss of income”, explains Moraes.
Resolving this index is still a major challenge for health institutions. The reasons for absence are as varied as possible, from technical and physical access problems to simple forgetfulness or withdrawal without prior notice. However, it is only possible to think of really effective solutions for reducing the no-show rate after understanding the real reasons that lead people to be absent.
“We need to use technology to our advantage, with systems and platforms that make appointment reminders, monitor cancellations and communicate between the institutions and the patient. The ideal is to try to understand the reasons for rescheduling and cancellations on a case-by-case basis, so that you can act assertively to resolve the issue. And that is precisely the idea of the Web Check-In”, he concludes.
