e-Packets: Your Electronic Swiss Army Knife

This agile performer can help your organization build better patient relationships while cutting costs and increasing productivity

The Swiss Army Knife plays many parts: knife, screwdriver, tweezer—toothpick. A jack-knife-of-all-trades, it has become the popular standard for versatile utility. e-Packets can play the same role for your organization—your electronic Swiss Army Knife. e-Packets enable you to send customized information to your patients instantly through a secure web portal. They can be specific collections of information that can be developed for any stage of care delivery, including new patient registration, pre- or post-procedure instructions, or follow up. They are easy to create in advance or you can customize them on the fly. More important, e-Packets offer many benefits to you, your organization, and your patients. You can use e-Packets to:

• Increase patient privacy and comfort: Patients have begun to expect online services, preferring to perform many transactions in their homes. With e-Packets, you can meet this expectation by offering electronic registration forms. Instead of balancing a clipboard on their laps while racing to complete forms (in plain sight of many other patients), patients instead complete these forms in the comfort of their own homes. They submit the completed forms before their appointments, which increases their comfort, privacy, and satisfaction.
• Increase patient throughput: Clients who have used electronically submitted information as part of an e-Packet are amazed at how much time they save having legible histories compared to illegible handwritten copies. Patients who submit information electronically have shorter wait times. Providers spend their time caring for the patient instead of interpreting the patient's handwriting.
• Save time and money: Using e-Packets can save significant staff time and decrease or eliminate preparation and mailing costs compared to preparing and mailing printed materials.
• Build trust and decrease anxiety: e-Packets are versatile, enabling you to send patients a variety of information including videos, pre-visit forms, or prep instructions. Patients know what to expect and they have the information they need. Knowing that your organization has proactively prepared them for the encounter can build trust and reduce or eliminate anxiety.
• Anticipate patient needs: Use e-Packets and electronic registration to collect medical history and special procedure questionnaires to enable your organization to learn much more about incoming patients and be ready for special needs.
• Demonstrate care beyond the clinical encounter: Use e-Packets as follow up to remind patients of future appointments, tests, or just to let them know you care enough to keep in touch and provide them with helpful information.

To learn more about e-Packets, contact your Member Services Advisor or call 1-800-603-1420. We will be happy to provide a demonstration. If you decide to move forward, our Advisors will provide training and help you implement e-Packets specific to your needs.