How extending participant choice with online booking saves time
Having lots of choices can sometimes seem like a bad thing. But in our experience, it’s what participants need. In fact, when it comes to making (and keeping) diabetic eye screening appointments, giving people as much choice as possible works wonders. It means less chasing, fewer phone calls and better attendance rates. And best of all, it means reduced risk of sight loss.
Why does choice matter?
In many areas of our lives, the more choices you have, the harder the decision. When you’re faced with 10 options for a toaster, for example, it takes a while to weigh up the pros and cons. But it’s also true that when you do take the time, you’ll pick the option that meets your needs exactly.
It’s a bit of a jump from a toaster to healthcare, but the same principle applies. Telling participants when and where to go for an appointment might seem an efficient way of managing this complex process, but does it meet their needs exactly? Because if it doesn’t, you could be left with a “Did Not Attend”.
Reducing non-attendance
We support all kinds of health screening programmes, and reducing “DNAs” is a key performance indicator for every one. Missed appointments waste much-needed clinic time, increase the admin burden and extend the time between tests.
Clinics work really hard to reduce them, making phone calls and sending messages and then backfilling spare appointments when participants realise they can’t make their slot. It’s important work, but it all takes time. Giving participants more control over what’s often a delicate balancing act might seem counterintuitive, but it works.
How OptoMize online booking can help
Online Booking for OptoMize creates a simple website that participants can use to book online. It’s integrated with the live appointment booking system too, which means no extra admin.
Here’s what it does:
- Enables participants to book appointments 24/7. You might be wondering why anyone would choose to sort their life admin from their smartphone at 2am, but they do. We see it all the time. They’re often the people that don’t have time to call you between 9 and 5. They’ve made an active choice to book a slot that works, which means they’re more likely to keep it.
- Lets participants choose where, as well as when. Clinics often book slots close to participants’ homes without knowing where they spend their day. Giving them the chance to book something close to work, family or other commitments makes it far more convenient and more likely to stay in the diary.
- Gives clinics real-time information. You’ll always see the ‘live’ picture of available slots, so you can continue to book participants in as normal. And you can choose which clinics to open up for online booking to meet the needs of your clinicians and your cohort.
- Frees up time for participant engagement and follow-up. Putting the power in participants’ hands means fewer phone calls, less chasing and more time to help people who have fallen off the radar completely or need a little extra support.
Want to know more?
If you want to find out more about how time can be saved using online booking, get in touch with our team. You can also watch our video.
