Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Online Appointment Scheduling

Has anyone here experimented with Online Appointment Scheduling? I mean where the patient actually can schedule the appointment by selecting a time slot online. I don't mean systems where they send in an email request for an appointment. I really mean where you schedule is posted online and they can book their own appointment.

If so, can you post some of the pros and cons of the system (and the particular system which you use?).

So far, I have seen 2 services which may offer something appropriate for doctors (not counting the EMR vendors like eMD). AppointmentQuest.com and web-appointments.com. While I'd prefer a program I could buy to do this, I can't find one. At least not an affordable one.

Amazing Charts was considering this as an option and I remember Jon talking about interest in beta testing. You should drop him a line and ask. Personally I feel like pt. have a hard time determining length of appt (standard fu, physical, procedure) so I never really thought about doing this. Plus I wanted to make sure pt. that I have asked to move on or have transferred records did not make an appt. if I forgot to deactivate them and such.

I agree that patients wouldn't properly determine the length of the appt. You simply don't let them. Both of these systems allow you to define appointment types that have the lenght of the appt. built in and should only fit in the open schedule slot of that length. At least I think they do.

If you can remove the choice from the patient to do what you don't want them to do(no CPE after 5, now First Visit after 5,

Does anyone use appointmentquest- does it interface with AC_ is it helpful do patients use it? I was looking at it and wanted someone from AC who has used it to see what their thoughts were- thanks tim

Just kidding, well a little:

I can't wait for the patient at 11AM to type in the 2PM slot, I can't wait that long. I am going to the ED.