It’s frustrating for many doctors when patients miss their follow up appointments at the clinic as this can lead to poorer treatment outcomes. The Journal of Family Medicine and Disease Prevention cites that five to 55 percent of patients usually cancel or miss their doctor’s appointments on purpose for many reasons, including not completely understanding the importance of a follow-up visit.
Here are some tips to improve a patient follow up rate:
1. Remind patients about their follow up visits.
About 40 percent of patients usually forget their next doctor’s appointments but these days, there are many ways to send patients a reminder. Aside from a phone call, the clinic staff may send a text message, email, or even through the patient’s social media.
Doctors and their staff must know the best channel to contact the patient as well. It may be useless to send an email if the patient hardly checks their account.
2. Provide an in-office drug dispensing system in your health care facility.
One of the biggest benefits of having an in-office physician dispensing solutions in your clinic is patient adherence. When it’s easier for the patients to fill up their prescription or buy their medication during the follow-up visits, they are also more likely to comply with their treatment plan by as much as 91 percent.
An in-office drug dispensing system can also boost patient care, as per a study in the American Journal of Managed Care. As doctors, you can monitor your patient’s medication intake carefully. At the same time, the patients’ trust in their doctors grows since they now have better opportunities to ask about their medications, including the side effects.
In-office dispensing of medications also allows the clinic staff to educate and guide patients on how they must take their medication. If they are properly guided and informed, then the patient will likely see an improvement in their condition in no time.
3. Consider having a video-conferencing system.
A video-conferencing system between doctor and patient can reduce missed follow up visits, especially for patients who might have problems with transportation or travel. This must be a HIPAA-compliant and secure video-conferencing platform to ensure patient confidentiality.
4. Dispense pre-packaged medication at the point of care
Patients who get their pre-packaged medication from the doctor’s clinic may easily follow up with their doctor, and they would love the convenience it brings. It will be easier to monitor the patient’s progress or detect problems with the treatment when there is a medical provider who evaluates the patient’s condition.
Learn more about First Coast Health Physician Dispensing Solutions
First Coast Health Solutions is a turnkey solution provider of an intuitive, web-based medication dispensing software and the highest quality, FDA approved pre-packaged medications.
When you choose First Coast Health solutions as your vendor for in-office medication dispensing, we will help you create a new and simple revenue source. We will ensure that you establish an environment that is fully compliant, and delivers complete quality patient care.
Contact us today at 904-350-1155 or visit our website to find out more about our pharmacy claims processing model, pre-packaged medications, physician dispensing programs, and medication dispensing software. We will be happy to assist you!
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
