8 mins read
The COVID-19 crisis is exerting tremendous pressure on the healthcare industry. Health workers across the globe are struggling to keep pace with the outbreak and its consequences. Thankfully, telehealth services have come up as a feasible alternative, allowing remote diagnosis and treatment of non-critical patients. There has been a 60-80% spurt in telemedicine appointments since the outbreak of the pandemic, which shows the scope and importance of this service.
Hospitals and health providers are using the latest technology to reduce in-person visits as well as the strain on resources. They are also able to ensure that everyone who needs medical care gets it on time, without any geographic limitations. Moreover, remote consultations are beneficial for patients because fewer outings indicate reduced exposure and risk of infection. Among the cloud technologies that drive telehealth care, IVR emerges as a forerunner.
Before understanding how IVR solutions can empower the medical sector, it is important to comprehend their working.
So how does a typical telehealth IVR system work?
You can access healthcare even beyond the hospital with a simple, yet highly effective IVR solution. This service enables seamless patient interactions around the clock, from delivering messages regarding medication, appointment schedules or behaviour modification to collecting individual patient healthcare data. Organisations can also use IVR for automated greetings, accepting patient inputs or routing individual callers to a specific department or agent.
You can easily install IVR technology and power up your telehealth solutions. Here’s how:
- First, determine your IVR needs with a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of your practice. Opt for a customised solution to match your specific situation and challenges, as well as the expectations of your target group (say, patients).
- Enable self-servicing options from the IVR menu. Calls can now be handled quickly, consistently and inexpensively.
- Tracking and analysis feature allows you to assess the quality and success of your telehealth campaign. Pleasant patient experiences strengthen the foundation of your practice and improve the rate of patient retention.
To battle the pandemic panic, you need to implement these services as quickly as possible. A practice that does not do so risks losing patients. Conversely, if you are quick to make the shift, you can avail the benefits of early adoption of the technology.
Empowering telehealth with IVR system
“A time of crisis is not just a time of anxiety and worry. It gives a chance, an opportunity, to choose well or to choose badly.” – Desmond Tutu, Human rights activists, Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Fortunately, many healthcare organisations have achieved innovation overnight by investing in telehealth solutions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are relying on technology they have never used before. Although IVR system has been around for quite some time, the outbreak has led to an exponential growth in its use. Here are a few ways this technology is helping the healthcare providers:
- Dial for self-service
Hospitals are increasingly using IVR systems to empower patients with numerous self-service benefits. These include scheduling telehealth visits, requesting prescription refills, getting frequently asked questions resolved, and more.
- Send pre-programmed reminders
IVR system that provides outbound broadcasting features allows automated reminders for patients. These can be used for timely medications, refilling prescriptions, appointment notifications, and so much more.
- Instant notifications during emergencies
Organisations can take things one step further with the integration of IVR technology with remote patient monitoring systems. You can share emergency notifications via call or SMS in case of fluctuations in the patient’s stats.
Benefits of IVR system for the healthcare provider
Now you know how to leverage an IVR system to deliver top-notch telehealth services to patients. Next, you need to understand the merits of employing this technology. The idea here is to understand the value of your investment, which is all the more important in a crisis situation. Here are the benefits that the telehealth system can offer your practice:
Improve patient access
With IVR-based appointment scheduling in place, patients get better access to your services. They need not queue up or visit the clinic personally anymore to book appointments. Rather, give them the option to call any time to book an appointment on the fly.
Optimise patient-provider matching
The smart AI can instantly match patients with the best-suited medical staff. This is done based on the needs of the patients and the availability of providers.
Reduce office staff workload
With the need for human intervention minimised, dependency on the staff is reduced and they have more time for critical tasks. This is truly a blessing for the workers who are already swamped during this pandemic.
Scalability and flexibility
Another undisputed benefit of IVR telehealth solutions is their immense scalability. Whether your practice has a few dozen patients or thousands, these systems are capable of handling them all efficiently. Moreover, you have the option to scale the solution to reach a wider audience or even send across vernacular messages to a local audience.
Going Ahead
The pandemic has taught many lessons to the healthcare industry. It has strengthened their commitment towards delivering the best patient care. The booming growth of telehealth services illustrates this commitment, showing the providers’ intention to always be there for patients.
Digital IVR technology systems have emerged as a key component of telehealth solutions. The best way to go ahead is to look for an IVR service provider that you can trust for their service quality and reliability. Additionally, you would want to collaborate with one that offers best-in-class prices for their services.
Check Acefone’s IVR solutions to empower your healthcare practice with the best telehealth solutions!
