Practices offer auto check-in

Kiosks and portable tablets walk patients through the registration process.

By Mike Norbut, AMNews staff. Feb. 20, 2006.

In the spirit of gas station pay-at-the-pump technology, airline kiosks and grocery store self-checkout lanes, some physician practices have adopted automated systems that allow patients to register themselves for appointments.

The new technology, which comes in the form of kiosks or portable tablets, can direct the patient through every step of the check-in process, from verifying insurance eligibility to completing forms and collecting a co-pay. It has been praised by doctors who use them as a way to streamline the registration process and free up time for front-office staff to perform other tasks.

"The major reasons for us going to the tablets was to avoid transcription errors and cut down on front-office staff time and effort," said Richard L. Wasserman, MD, PhD, an allergy/immunology specialist and managing partner of Dallas Allergy/Immunology, a four-physician group that implemented the technology three months ago. "We've seen intangible benefits as well. Patients express to us that they think we're on the cutting edge."

With only a few companies offering registration products to health care organizations, the practices that have adopted the technology truly are pioneers. While the self-serve kiosk concept is prevalent in many other service and retail industries, it has yet to surface on many doctors' radars.

One consultant says that's because most physician practices have more pressing technology issues.

"The biggest issue facing medical practices from an [information technology] standpoint is the EMR," said Reuben Allen, president of Allen Consulting in Wilmington, N.C. The kiosk "really isn't much of an issue today."