Four things to ask your doctor about online health care
The COVID-19 pandemic
changed how people think
about health care. Interacting
with your doctor
has never been more critical,
but now some or all of those interactions
might occur online.
The ability to make appointments
online and see your physician
without leaving home has
benefits. In fact, Chilmark Research
estimates that by 2025, 15
to 25% of all primary care visits
will be conducted virtually in
the United States. As telehealth
use grows and patients have
come to expect more online services
from their doctors, it’s important
to ask your doctor about
available tools to help you stay
connected and save time.
Explore the new age of care
One company leading the
evolution in patient engagement
technologies is NextGen Healthcare.
The NextGen Patient Experience
Platform can save time
for healthcare teams and boost
convenience for patients.
To ensure you get the best
online health care access, experts
from the company suggest
you ask your doctor about:
Online patient access: How
does their patient portal work,
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.44 COM | JUNE 4-JUNE 10, 2021
and what features does it offer?
Can you easily send a message
to your doctor, request a prescription
refill, access your personal
health records and view
lab results online?
Online appointments: Can
you schedule your own appointments
online? Can you view
your appointment history and
modify existing appointments?
Virtual visits: Do they offer
virtual video visits (aka telehealth)
for situations that don’t
require an in-person office visit
(e.g., refill requests, lab results
or follow-up appointments)? Are
they using a secure and HIPAAcompliant
telehealth system?
(HIPAA is a law that protects
the privacy and confidentiality
of patient health records and information.)
Online bill pay: Can you
see your balance and pay a bill
electronically without having
to call or send payment in the
mail?
The future of the
doctor-patient relationship
People are comfortable
shopping online from their
smartphones, tablets or computers.
When the COVID-19
pandemic started, video chats
with friends and family skyrocketed
in every age category.
Software platforms enable you
to do almost anything from
the comfort of home, and the
same expectation now applies
to healthcare.
The patient experience will
continue to evolve beyond the
confines of a traditional office
setting. This growth of
consumerism also means you
have more choices for where
and how you receive healthcare,
and this will likely impact
how you choose a doctor
in the future.
Your health is your top possession.
You can stay connected
to your doctor and take an
active role in your own health
by ensuring your doctor’s
practice offers digital patient
engagement tools that make
it easy for you to stay on top
of your healthcare. Through
technology, doctors and patients
can be more aligned for
even better overall health outcomes.
Learn more at www.
nextgen.com.
— Courtesy of BPT
HEALTH
/www.nextgen.com
/www.nextgen.com
/nextgen.com
