6pm l c : Booking appointments online - happier patients and lighter staff workload!

Booking appointments online - happier patients and lighter staff workload!

January 25, 2016

by Jordan Arkell

It is no secret that the internet continues to increasingly play a vital part in our lives ensuring that we remain connected at all times and generally making day-to-day life more simple and hassle free. Given that most people in the UK now have an internet connection at home or have smartphones and tablets, accessing the internet has never been easier and people can govern all aspects of their life from the comfort of their sofa. So why not provide them with the ability to book their sexual health appointment via the internet?

It seems to make perfect sense especially given that a person's sex life is perhaps one of the most sensitive subjects to discuss and one does not tend to divulge any information freely especially if one is worried or unsure. Lilie Online, developed by 6PM Blithe is a bolt on application to the Lilie Sexual Health Management system used in Sexual Health Services throughout the UK. The application means that people can book appointments, via an online booking system, for both contraception and sexual health from the comfort of their own home; thus eradicating any embarrassment and promoting convenience when booking appointments.

How does booking their own appointments increase patient safety?

Patient safety is increased because patients are more likely to attend the appointment and be honest when answering delicate questions. Booking appointments online can also provide users with information about sexual health clinics in the area as well as information on STI's or contraception 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The patient can select from a series of booking reasons that are configured by the sexual health services, for example 'I wish to discuss contraception' or 'I think I may have an STI' and this will then point them in the right direction as to where to book an appointment as opposed to having to research this themselves or book an appointment at a clinic that perhaps does not provide a specific treatment. In the background of Lilie, this is mapped to the relevant clinic so that patients are triaged based on what booking reason they selected. The user is presented with appointments within the next 48 hours or can select a date and time that is convenient for them, providing them an alternative route to treatment and in turn reducing the strain on reception staff accepting and in some cases, missing phone calls.

How can patient-controlled appointment bookings save my staff's time?

Reception staff are not answering the phone constantly and the patient can also input a small amount of demographic information that is uploaded securely into Lilie, meaning that reception staff aren't having to input this data when the patient arrives, reducing chances of transcription errors and freeing them up to do other duties. If patients create a Lilie Online account, they also have the option to cancel appointments thus reducing 'Did Not Attend' (DNA) rates. To configure the system to suit each individual sexual health clinic is easy to do. Any information inputted onto the system can be edited easily and appointments available for booking online are allocated by the service. There are also a series of advanced security features, ensuring that the system remains fully confidential.

Overall, the Lilie Online system aims to provide patients with an alternative, convenient route to treatment and in turn encourage patients to book appointments. For more info visit http://6pmsolutions.com/products/clinical/lilie