For the most successful ASCs, comprehensive patient communication helps drive positive outcomes by establishing an open and transparent relationship between the care team and the patient. These messages can help even the busiest patients feel supported by efficiently setting surgical expectations, sharing comforting educational materials, and clearly defining preoperative and postoperative protocols.  For the patients who are worried or nervous, uncovering the types of communication that resonate the most will help overcome obstacles and soothe pre-op jitters. Luckily for ASCs of all shapes and sizes, there are myriad simple and effective strategies available to improve their patient communications.

Automate Reminders and Instructions

During peak volume seasons, it’s all too easy for phone calls, including time-sensitive appointment reminders or patient FAQs, to fall through the cracks. Today, the most streamlined organizations leverage automated patient communication tools to help ensure that crucial screening reminders and instructions for pre-op and post-op care always reach the intended recipient. These digital touchpoints lighten the administrative burden on busy front office staff, and are easy to customize and configure, so that specific procedures, physicians, and patient information can be pre-populated for a personal touch that encourages patients to consider the ASC team as their trusted medical team.

Text and email reminders make it easier than ever for patients to confirm or modify existing appointments, ensuring both patients and your care team never miss a beat. These automated reminders feature quick and easy response options, which encourage even the busiest individuals to quickly engage and reply. Our patient communication solution, Engage, offers several ways to quickly deploy customized reminders, instructions, and educational materials to maximize patient communication, save highly valuable nursing hours, and improve patient response rates. In fact, ASCs that currently leverage Engage report a 77% response rate to launched communications and reminders.

Put Patients at Ease

For the busiest ASCs, high surgical volumes may inadvertently result in rushed appointments as staff work diligently to attend to every patient in need of care or attention. While it is common to attend primarily to symptoms, patients feel most at ease when they are recognized as individuals, asked about how they are feeling, and given a chance to engage and ask questions. Many patients may shut down or build up fear if they are interrupted during initial screenings, feel overlooked, or rushed during appointments.

To help put your patients more at ease and ensure long-term success, taking a few extra minutes will help patients feel free to detail symptoms, voice their concerns, and process directions. Time-strapped teams can also rely on their digital tools to provide extra information after appointments and help direct the most nervous or curious patients to a library of additional educational reading materials. Not only will these small efforts help drive better outcomes, but they will also help curate a more satisfying patient experience overall.

Educate Your Patients

Knowledge is the most engaging patient tool. Educating ASC patients regarding their conditions, treatment options, and self-care helps generate higher levels of involvement and encourages individuals to speak freely as well to share information that may be vital to surgical success.

For many, crucial questions only arise in the hours and days after their initial, in-person visits. These often pertain to clinical and financial topics, such as: What do I need to do to prepare for surgery? How am I going to pay for my procedure? By providing access to a library of digital educational materials, you can show patients you care, even after hours and outside of clinic walls. In this way, you can create open lines of communication, even after they’ve left the ASC. Help patients keep their loved ones in the loop by enabling sharing settings with family members.

Engage provides patients with access to a library of on-demand videos that outline surgical instructions, transparent payment plans, and educational materials. These videos help patients understand the best ways to prepare mentally, physically, and financially for their procedures, so they can start out on the best foot possible. By providing clear payment plan information upfront, ASCs can connect the clinical and financial details in a way that empowers their patients with the information necessary to consider various methods and help them approach their care journeys informed and prepared. With these tools, ASC staff can provide more detailed information before, during, and after appointments without tying up employees and extending office visits.

Follow Up After the Fact

Creating questionnaires and surveys makes it easy for patients to provide crucial information all in one place. These can be used for pre-op and post-op care, ensuring medical records are as comprehensive and up-to-date as possible, and preventing information from falling through the cracks. Seeking input from patients after their procedures can provide you with valuable feedback on how to improve communication and the overall patient experience down the line.

Technology offers ASCs a multitude of ways to bolster their patient communication strategies. Once employed, the benefits will be felt across the board, from busy administrative and nursing teams to new patients and their family members. Our suite of solutions makes it easier than ever to ensure every patient feels heard, well-informed, and actively involved in their care from the very beginning.

About One Mnet Health

One Mnet Health unites the clinical and financial patient experience. Our solutions help healthcare providers reach their full potential by improving patient engagement and increasing patient payments. We’re not just a partner; we act as an extension of your facility, giving your staff increased efficiency without any headache. For more information, visit onemnethealth.com.