Recent research has revealed increased adoption of mobile devices in the healthcare sector, with 90% of healthcare organisations stating they plan to implement, or are currently implementing, a mobile device initiative.
However, while these statistics are encouraging to see; the research by patient journey management specialist, Qmatic, states that healthcare organisations aren’t realising the full potential of mobile device usage, particularly in patient waiting areas.
The research – which interviewed 600 healthcare IT decision-makers across the world – highlights that mobile devices are most commonly used in nursing stations and administrative offices, with 72% and 63% respectively stating that the technology is currently utilised.
While it’s great to see that healthcare IT decision-makers are realising the benefits of mobile devices for both staff and patients, many are missing out on additional efficiency gains and increased patient satisfaction through implementing mobile device initiatives for patient waiting areas
However, mobile devices are not routinely being used in patient waiting areas, with only 38% of those questioned employing the technology in this situation.
Vanessa Walmsley, Qmatic UK managing director, said of the findings: “While it’s great to see that healthcare IT decision-makers are realising the benefits of mobile devices for both staff and patients, many are missing out on additional efficiency gains and increased patient satisfaction through implementing mobile device initiatives for patient waiting areas.”
Healthcare managers can significantly improve the experience of patients in outpatient departments and waiting areas by enabling them to use their mobile device to check in for a pre-booked appointment or select a walk-in service such as phlebotomy and join a virtual queue.
This technology eliminates the friction of patients having to wait in line to see a receptionist, reduces staff pressures, and gives patients information about where to go and which clinician to see, efficiently guiding patients to the right place and ensuring that they are fully informed about the status of their appointment.
Walmsley added: “Not only does this kind of use of a mobile device save precious time for the user, it also provides staff with key information so they can prepare for the patient’s appointment, and delivers valuable data to healthcare authorities to help them adjust their operations in real-time to match patient numbers.”
