Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008 - (Page 66)

WEB SURFING These physicians are among the early adopters of Web-based technologies for medical practices, although many more are likely to soon follow their example. In today’s wired world, patients want the same level of service online from their physicians that they already routinely receive from companies selling them books, music, and camping gear. “Absolutely everyone should have a practice Web site,” says practice management consultant Judy Capko. “It’s a very reasonable investment, and it makes you more visible, not only to your existing patients, but also to people who are searching for a new physician in the area.” About three-quarters of U.S. adults would like to schedule their doctor visits via the Internet, and they’d also appreciate e-mail reminders from their doctors, according to a recent Wall Street Journal/Harris Interactive poll. But only a small minority of medical practices offers such services, resulting in a paltry 4 percent of patients using them. Moreover, roughly two-thirds of patients would like to receive their lab results via e-mail, but only 2 percent currently do. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the practices that invest in Web-based IT offerings will carry an advantage in the healthcare delivery marketplace. YOUR BILLBOARD ON THE WEB Some practice Web sites provide basic information about the practice, including short biographies of each physician, directions to the ofﬁce, and forms patients can download and complete at home before arriving for scheduled visits. Other sites boast more sophisticated features, such as Crow’s secure e-mail and gastroenterologist Patricia Raymond’s Web movies. practice. A primary-care practice in which new patients are seeking long-term relationships with a physician should probably use its Internet presence to introduce its physicians and share some personal information about them. A specialty practice such as gastroenterology should focus more on the specific procedures it performs. Most physician practices start out with a basic Web site and then add new features over time as they perceive demand for them. One way to think about your Web site is to envision it in three developing today’s wired world, patients want the same level of service from their physicians that they already routinely receive from companies selling them books, music, and camping gear — via the Internet. ONE-STOP SHOPPING In READ MORE ABOUT IT! Visit this article online at PhysiciansPractice.com to: • Make your practice’s Web site outshine your competitors by typing “Rev Up Your Web Site” in our Search Articles box. • Use guidelines to reduce the risks associated with using physicianpatient e-mail by typing “Patient E-mail” in our Search Articles box. • Learn how to use podcasting on your Web site to differentiate your practice and attract new patients by typing “Cutting Edge: Podcasting” in our Search Articles box. When patients visit Raymond’s site (www.simplyscreening.com), they ﬁnd personalized videos available for viewing. Raymond, a solo practitioner in Chesapeake, Va., meets about two-thirds of her patients for the ﬁrst time when they arrive for procedures. “The videos show me chatting in my living room, answering their most common questions,” explains Raymond. “My patients love them, and the Web site has streamlined, getting new patients in for their colonoscopies.” The specific mix of features your Web site should incorporate depends on the nature of your individual stages, says Bruce Kleaveland, president of Kleaveland Consulting in Seattle. In the ﬁrst stage, you offer a basic introduction to your practice. Then, as you expand the site and enter the second stage, you add administrative functions such as giving patients the ability to make appointments, pre-register, and complete downloadable forms. The third stage involves incorporating clinical interactions with patients, such as prescription reﬁll requests and access to secure e-mail communication between physicians and patients. At this stage, you’ll be handling sensitive patient information, and so you must ensure your site is secure. To do so, employ the services of a WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM 66 | PHYSICIANS PRACTICE | TECHNOLOGY GUIDE http://www.simplyscreening.com http://PhysiciansPractice.com http://WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008

Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008 TG Cover Story: Protect Your Practice and Sleep Better Operations: Paperless? Not Quite The Internet: You've Got Mail...Or Do You? Patient Relations: Attention Grabbers The Tech Doctor: All About Blogs Lessons Learned: 'My EMR Nightmare...And Why I'd Do It Again' Scheduling: No More No-Shows The Marketplace: Who's Got Your Back IT Enhancement: Time, at Last, for an Upgrade? Online: 'Yup, I'm a Junkie. And Proud of It.' In the Office: New Technologies in the Workplace: Blessing or Curse? Web Surfing: If You Build It...

Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008

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