Healthcare kiosks transform patient experiences, enabling them to check in themselves, schedule future visits, and access educational resources. They also reduce front-office workloads and provide cost savings, freeing staff to concentrate on more critical tasks.
Kiosks can easily integrate with clinic software, reducing data entry time and minimizing errors. They are mighty when they handle patient queue formation, generating more accurate charts in less time.
Patient self-check-in
Patient self-check-in kiosks can make the patient intake process more efficient. Unlike traditional sign-in sheets, which can get lost or misplaced, booths keep all information digitally secure.
One primary concern with this system is that it removes the personal touch of a greeter at the window. This can cause some older patients to lose connection with their clinic.
Also, the hardware can sometimes be subject to technical difficulties. Having a paper form on hand can be beneficial for patients who may need help using the kiosk for various reasons.
Patient self-registration
Kiosks help patients complete all registration activities independently, saving front-office staff time and eliminating queues. It also eliminates the need for patients to sign paper forms and ensures that information is entered correctly.
Kiosks can also function as facility maps and expedite patient payments. While streamlined patient registration provides numerous benefits, the hardware and software can be costly. However, over time, the resulting savings can offset these initial costs. Additionally, kiosks are prone to downtime. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain a backup system in the event of an outage.
Patient self-payment
Patient check-in kiosks eliminate the need for staff to handle payments, allowing them to focus on other patient interactions. This reduces front-office workload and increases productivity.
Kiosks are less susceptible to technical difficulties than paper-based systems and can offer better data security. Integrated voice services enable hands-free input for users with limited mobility or impaired vision and those who don’t want to touch the screen.
The 141 studies identified included the implementation of kiosks in clinical (specialty clinics, accident, emergency departments, hospitals), community, and pharmacy settings. The most frequent purpose was providing health information.
Patient self-inspection
Patient information is entered digitally, and making errors during a busy check-in session is harder. That reduces front-office frustration for patients and makes charting much faster.
Kiosks also help arrange patients into queues to see practitioners and eliminate the need for a paper sign-in sheet. And with integrated voice services, kiosks allow hands-free input when touching equipment is impractical.
Some kiosks can also function as facility maps, which help patients navigate large medical facilities. This feature is precious in hospitals that can be confusing to navigate.
Patient self-admission
A medical check-in kiosk can save medical practices money and time by providing a quick, intuitive way for patients to begin their visits. It also improves data collection rates and streamlines verification.
However, kiosks can create impersonal experiences for some patients, especially when followed by front-office staff interactions. This can be counterproductive to self-admission goals, such as increasing agency and promoting help-seeking. It’s therefore advisable to ensure that all participants fully understand the rationale behind kiosks and their impact on patient accountability before participating in these programs.
Patient self-check-out
As airlines, hotels, and restaurants have discovered, healthcare facilities can reduce expenses with technology that helps with administrative work. These systems can help staff focus on the more essential parts of their jobs, increasing efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Kiosks can verify patient identity, scan documents for e-signature, or allow patients to sign using voice input. This reduces the risk of error, eliminates paper, and enables the staff to focus on other tasks.
Medical kiosks can also verify whether a patient has specific symptoms or needs a particular treatment. This ensures that the appropriate staff is dispatched.
Patient self-scheduling
Patient check-in kiosks save front-office staff time and effort and can help patients navigate your facility more efficiently. They can even link with your EHR system to retrieve records for patients who’ve already checked in.
However, 22% of health systems say physician buy-in hinders fully implementing self-scheduling technologies. If this is the case for you, consider allowing patients to schedule appointments via phone or online instead. This also helps clinicians see the suitable patients for whom they’re best suited. This is known as medical distancing.
Patient self-referral
Many medical organizations need help to balance patient care with high overhead costs and strained staff. Offloading tasks like check-in and registration to a kiosk device can help.
Kiosk devices also empower data security. They feature a variety of security measures, including limited access to Internet browsing, enabled session reset, and immediate data logging.
Moreover, kiosks can help patients navigate crowded hospitals by providing a map of their assigned rooms. This way, they can avoid getting lost in hallways and reduce frustration. Also, they can save front-office staff time by storing critical patient information on the device itself.
Patient self-management
Medical kiosks are computerized electronic devices that function as patient check-in stations at hospitals and doctors’ offices. They can also reduce patient wait times, function as facility maps, and expedite payments.
In addition, kiosks add a modern feel to your practice, which can help you attract more patients. However, they shouldn’t replace your front-office staff completely. Patients expect to feel cared for when visiting a healthcare provider.
Patient self-education
In addition to checking in patients, kiosks can provide health information and take clinical measurements such as blood pressure or oxygen saturation. Patients can also fill out forms and make payments. Kiosks have been implemented in various settings, most frequently specialty clinics and hospital department outpatient clinics (including accident/emergency departments) and in GP practices. However, some people may need to be more concerned with the impersonality of these systems compared with the face-to-face interaction they have come to expect from their GPs. They must also be reassured that others will not see their personal information.
