Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Automated reminder calls

We are looking for a system that will enable us to make automated reminder calls in advance of patient visits. Is anyone using these with any success? Can you recommend any specific products?
While many of our patients have text-capability and some have email, our preference would be for a system that actually calls the patient rather than using either of these modalities. Having said that, we are open to all ideas.

We are using this one without problems

http://www.easycallbox.com/

The main benefit is that you purchase it, rather than pay a monthly fee for a service, so I think it has saved a lot over the years.

I can only compare it to my staff calling patients to remind them. It seems to work about the same. Saves staff time, but doesn't make a big difference in no shows. People are such that I guess you would have to remind them again 1 hour before their appointment, and then they would just cancel/reschedule. Anyway, I'm recommending it to take a task away from your front desk if they are overloaded, rather than to increase your bottom line.

Rarely, something happens and the IT guy has to fix some reason it stopped working, which he can do online.

I don't know how it compares in features with one of the monthly fee services, but it's paid for and I feel no need to change.

Does your receptionist have to enter the patient data into this system every day? I assume there is no AC interface. This would take time.

1 minute a day.

My receptionist opens the software, enters her ID and password, enters the computer ID and password for the machine on the network that makes the calls, changes the date and clicks enter. The software downloads the schedule, which for me is Medisoft, which the receptionist verifies and clicks enter.

I see from the website that AC is included in the scheduling programs covered.

Are you talking about an AC Medisoft interface, or an AC interface with the call back program?

Looks good on paper.

Chris,

No interface needed. Or I should say the interface is included in the program so there is no separate interface.

I found this system a few years ago when looking for a system to purchase rather than pay by the call which can add up over the years. There may be others available now as well, but everything easy to find sets you up with a monthly fee.

I've considered this. There are some advantages to my receptionist calling. If they intend a 'no show', they will often cancel with her and she can try to get them rescheduled. Often we can turn cancellations into reschedules.

Thanks for the input on this.
Dan, Easycallbox looks excellent; thanks for calling my attention to it. We drew up a list of characteristics of the ideal product, and this seems to hit nearly all of them. At first glance it seemed a bit pricey, but compared to other programs where you pay by the call, we should come out ahead. Hopefully it eventually pays for itself.

Will order it and let you know how it goes.

Dan, Easycallbox looks excellent thanks for contribution.It's good to see that compared to other programs where you pay by the call.