4 Healthcare Hashtags & How to Use Them Written by web_developers on December 16, 2015. Posted in Connect. No Comments on 4 Healthcare Hashtags & How to Use Them In today’s “always-on” society that values information more than ever, it’s no wonder we’re taking our health questions online, too. So how can we marketers use this outlet to increase patient engagement and help practices connect more with their patients? Start with these four hashtags: #mHealth Typically, this tag refers to the use of mobile technology such as apps, smartphones, tablets, and the Cloud to improve access to, and reduce the cost of, healthcare. #mHealth solutions can be as basic as scheduled text message reminders to take medications; as sophisticated as a cloud-based integration of clinical workflow and care coordination; with limitless possibilities in between. Join the conversation by sharing case studies, articles, and even the innovations created by MDNetSolutions, such as LeadTracker and MD Messenger. #digitalhealth Also known as digital healthcare, conversations that include this tag discuss the usage of hardware and software solutions that enable information and communication technologies to address health issues. Although similar to #mHealth, it is much more inclusive of public health measures like wellness education, as well as UX innovations for data capture and management. Use this tag to amplify news stories about the new generation of healthcare as well as our work with patient engagement and management, and outcomes management. #patientengagement This broader topic tag combines the tools and motivation necessary to activate a patient’s decision-making process with milestones designed to encourage positive patient behavior, including obtaining preventive care or exercising regularly. It also incorporates the technologies used to connect with, and monitor the progress of, new and existing patients. This tag is a great opportunity to share our work with patient portals, HRAs, electronic forms, and online education; as well as website design and development, video production and mobile experience optimization. #telehealth Best summed up as “See a doctor anytime, anywhere!”, this initiative enables patients to receive convenient care for minor illnesses and ailments from in-network doctors by phone or online video conference. This tag also incorporates topics around the convenience and scaleability of solutions that unify electronic delivery of EMRs and medical device monitoring. Some MDNet services that are relevant to the #telehealth conversation include our NurseLine, Medical Call Center , and Virtual Consultations. Bonus tag: #wearables Interestingly, this trending lifestyle topic is causing a buzz in the healthcare industry as well. “Wearables” are defined as any small sensory device that is worn throughout the day to measure and monitor a set of vitals. FitBit, the Apple Watch, and even Google Glass are just a few examples of the new wearable technology being examined for its ability to empower patients, particularly when it comes to proactive health management like exercise and better eating habits. But the uses don’t stop there — some app-enabled wearables are hoping to extend their software to include tracking for reproductive health and diabetes management, while others already track sleep cycles and stress-related stats — resulting in tweets that resound with question: Can the internet of things help fuel a #healthcare #revolution? Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @mdnetsolutions and keep the conversations going! Contact Sequence Health for expert healthcare advertising guidance and strategy. Use social media to reach more patients and achieve your marketing goals.
Facebook’s Changing the Face of Healthcare Written by web_developers on January 31, 2015. Posted in Connect. No Comments on Facebook’s Changing the Face of Healthcare On Feb. 4, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg and his college roommates invented an online social networking service designed for people to post photos, add friends and just hang out online. Fast forward to nearly 11 years later and Zuckerberg’s little project has ballooned to a multi-billion dollar company boasting more than 1.2 billion members around the world. Not only has Facebook and its other popular social media networks, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, Pintrest, LinkedIn and many more, transformed the way we stay in contact with friends and family, social media has changed the way we obtain information. When news occurs, chances are you will learn about it because of social media. Perhaps a Facebook post or getting a tweet from someone you follow on Twitter or a photo on Instagram from the event. Social media has not only transformed the way we get information, but the way we share, this includes sensitive subjects such as healthcare. The majority of hospitals and healthcare providers nationally are cold to the idea of using social media, but the truth is patients are using the various social media avenues, and those choosing not to participate are losing out on engaging and recruiting a plethora of potential patients. The Numbers Don’t Lie Gen Xers and Millennials were the first to grow up with computers in their homes. Millennials, those born between 1982 and 2000, also are more technically savvy than any generation. A recent poll found 97 percent of college students owned a computer and 94 percent owned a cell phone. Information is just a click or tap away. The 18-24 age bracket is also twice as likely to use social media for health-related topics. According to Mediabistro, more than 40 percent of consumers say information found on social media affects the way they treat their health condition. Considering more than a quarter of all conversations on Facebook is health related, your practice can ill afford to not have a social media presence. Your practice could lose the attention of an entire generation if you do not have an online presence. Health care professionals have an obligation to create educational content to be shared across social media. They can inform consumers about health related issues, stop misleading information and actively engage consumers and convert them into patients. Older generations also are becoming tech savvy. They are searching the Internet when they or a loved one is sick or develop a medical condition. According to the Pew Research Group, 61 percent of U.S. adults own a smartphone or iPhone. Of that 61 percent, nearly 20 percent has at least one health-related app. This drives home the fact you must have an online presence and your information should be accessible for patients on the go. Technology has changed the way you practice medicine. Now technology should change the way you communicate and engage your patients. You need to have a strong mobile focus no matter the size of your practice. Sequence Health can help. You are the medical expert, so let us market your practice by building an eye-catching, responsive website. A responsive website looks the same regardless of whether it is being viewed on a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone, thus enhancing the user experience. We also can craft a social media campaign designed to inform, entertain and engage your patient population and build your patient roster. Do you still think Facebook is just for sharing vacation photos? In a survey conducted by the DC Interactive Group, 41 percent of people say social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor. The message is starting to get to your peers. Twenty-six percent of hospitals participate in social media, and 60 percent of doctors say social media improves the quality of care delivered to patients. Since 33 percent of patients use social media for health-related matters, including seeking medical information, tracking and sharing symptoms and broadcasting how they feel about doctors, drugs, treatment, medical devices and health plans, can your practice afford to stick with your current online marketing approach? Call Sequence Health today and enhance your online patient engagement strategy.
Do You Hear What Your Patients are Saying? Written by web_developers on December 31, 2014. Posted in Connect. No Comments on Do You Hear What Your Patients are Saying? Consumer Reports surveyed 1,000 Americans regarding the typical complaints they have about their doctors and the No. 1 grievance was “unclear explanation of problem.” That is a rather sobering thought. Many would guess the most popular complaints were waiting time or inconvenient office hours. Those complaints were on the list; however, those pale in comparison to the lack of communication between patient and physician. Each person surveyed was offered a list of common complaints and asked to rate the intensity of the complaint on a scale of one to 10. One meant the patient was not bothered at all and 10 meant most intense. Unclear explanation from the physician garnered the top spot with an average score of 8.3. Rounding out the top five most common patient complaints were: Rushed during an office visit (7.8) Side effects from medication not fully explained (7.6) Long wait for the doctor in exam or waiting room (7.6) Inconvenient office hours (6.5) and The doctor takes notes on the device, not looking at the patient (6.2). While the majority of complaints are inconvenient and non life threatening, but unclear explanations from a physician can be fatal. We know there are more patients in the world than doctors; however, we can’t see a patient as just a number. We can’t do the 10-minute meet and greet, ask a couple of questions, order lab work, prescribe some medication and move on to the next patient. “There should be the thought of accountability and expectations on behalf of the patient,” says Dr. Thompson H. Boyd, a physician liaison at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. “The patient has to be a contributing member of the care team, not just a bystander.” A key to correcting the most common complaint is better care through communication. A strategy to combat poor communication between patient and physician is implementing a teach-back method. This is a way to confirm the information you have provided the patient has been understood by him/her. A patient’s understanding is confirmed when they are able to explain back the instructions and strategies you offered for their treatment. Remember this is not a test of the patient’s intelligence. It is to confirm you have explained treatment and medication clearly and concisely and thus improving the odds of a positive patient outcome. A few sample questions to ask in implementing the teach-back method after you have shared your thoughts are: “I want to be sure that I explained your medication correctly. Can you tell me how you are going to take this medicine?” “We covered a lot today about your condition, and I want to make sure I explained things clearly. So let’s review what we discussed. What are three strategies that will help you control your condition?” “What are you going to do when you get home?” The teach-back or “show me” method takes some extra time, but in the long run, it benefits both the patient and your practice. Now you have the No. 1 patient complaint tackled, you can focus on the other common complaints, and partnering with Sequence Health can help correct those grievances. By implementing our boutique medical call center and 24-hour NurseLine, we can help your patients stay engaged. We also can help with wait times by making patient intake more efficient. Visit us at Sequence Health or call 888.986.3638 to schedule a demo. With Sequence Health, together we can transform care in the new year.
It’s the Most Wonderful Time to Get Engaged Written by web_developers on December 19, 2014. Posted in Connect. No Comments on It’s the Most Wonderful Time to Get Engaged It’s the most wonderful time to retool your patient engagement strategies. Everyone knows the best way to achieve more positive patient outcomes and improve quality of care is to be actively engaged with your patients. There are several tools to use to remain engaged with your patients during the holiday season, and MDnetSolutions is your source for increasing patient engagement, streamlining patient management processes and improving outcomes management. Did you send your patients holiday cards this year? This is a great way to maintain the relationship between appointments or procedures. It’s easy to do and really builds chemistry between you and your patients. Be sure to sign the card and say it’s from you and not your practice. Nothing takes the spirit out of the holiday spirit than a generic card addressed from ABC Family Practice. Make it personal just like the care you give to each of your patients. MDnetSolutions can conduct both digital and print campaigns to help grow the visibility of your practice and help you reconnect with those patients who may have lost contact. Our talented and creative communication experts can craft campaigns designed to drive and deliver results. New Toys on Your Wish List Is your digital presence on the Internet not getting the desired increase in foot traffic? MDnetSolutions can retool your existing website, or we can build you a completely new site, showcasing your talents and providing a valuable marketing tool to educate patients about your practice. To enhance the marketability of your website and increase your digital footprint, MDnetSolutions can craft marketing strategies using search engine optimization (SEO) and pay per click (PPC) campaigns customized to fit your needs. By carefully monitoring traffic to your site, MDnetSolutions crafts strategies that get you easily noticed by Google, Bing, Yahoo and other Internet search engines. Do Something for Others It is the season for giving. Why not help your administrative staff by adding some gifts to ease their workload and make your practice run more efficiently? MDnetSolutions has many solutions that fit nicely under the Christmas tree. Is your office staff bombarded by phone calls all day from patients who have questions about their treatment, medication or complaints about a certain health condition? Is the increased call volume keeping you from spending the proper amount of time with patients during in-office visits and hampering them from getting the optimum care? Is your records system out of date and are you shopping for a new electronic medical records system? If you answered yes to any of these questions, MDnetSolutions is the gift for you. We can help you fix those problems and get the new year started with a more efficient and profitable practice. By utilizing our boutique medical call center, your patients remain consistently engaged with your practice. Our call center is more than a medical answering service. Our team members are an extension of your practice. They are sympathetic, use a calming demeanor and take pride in working you’re your patients. Combine the call center with our HIPAA-compliant NurseLine, and your patients have the comfort of knowing answers to their medical questions and concerns are just a phone call away. All About Tracking On Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), have tracked Santa Claus as he makes his way from the North Pole. Luckily for you, you don’t need a government agency to keep track of your patients. With MDnetSolutions’ web-based LeadTracker™, you can keep track of every patient from initial contact through the entire treatment process with a click of the mouse. If your office staff is tired of searching fruitlessly through mounds of patient files, make sure you have LeadTracker™ on your holiday wish list. MDnetSolutions’ LeadTracker™ is 100 percent customizable and seamlessly integrates with any existing patient management system. The easy-to-use system helps your practice manage information that matters most and aids in information intake, appointment scheduling, outreach efforts and many other time-consuming tasks. As we close 2014 let’s continue to transform patient care together in 2015. From all of us at MDnetSolutions, have a joyous holiday season and a festive and prosperous new year.
Don’t Get Disconnected With Your Patients Written by web_developers on November 7, 2014. Posted in Bariatric Surgery, Connect. No Comments on Don’t Get Disconnected With Your Patients In an article published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, researchers from the University Health Network in Toronto are trying to learn why more than half of patients referred for a bariatric operation did not ultimately have the procedure. The researchers from the four hospitals comprising the University Health Network – Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto General Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – analyzed data from 1,644 patients. These patients were referred to the university’s bariatric surgery program between June 2008 and July 2011. Only 45 percent became bariatric surgical patients. Of the ones not having surgery, 30 percent didn’t even make it to the patient orientation session, the first step after getting the physician referral. “The majority of attrition appears to be the result of patient self-removal,” the authors of the article theorized. These findings seem to reiterate what Karla Tacey, the director of bariatrics at MountainView Regional Hospital in Las Cruces, N.M., has tried to emphasize. She believes connecting and staying engaged with bariatric patients is a must in order to gain positive results. “It takes so much for a patient to pick up that phone and say I want to have bariatric surgery. It’s scary,” said Tacey, who along with Dr. Frank Felts has seen the MountainView Weight Loss Center grow to nearly 60 patients a month in a little more than two years. Unlike a routine procedure, like gall bladder surgery, bariatric patients go through several steps. In the University Health Network’s program, patients endure several assessments, including an orientation followed by a nursing consultation, a nutrition class, a dietician assessment and an evaluation by a social worker. The patient is evaluated by a psychologist and has a final consultation with the surgeon prior to actually undergoing the procedure. During each of these steps, clinical experts evaluate whether the patient is a candidate for the procedure. There are so many steps in the process, it’s no wonder there is a high attrition rate of patients falling out of the program. Moving these 1,000-plus patients through the multi-stage process is comparable to herding cats. You are not sure where they are going to go and ultimately some will fall through the cracks. Had the University Health Network used a patient tracking solution, chances are the attrition rate would have been much lower. Perhaps the LeadTracker™, an innovative, web-based tool created by MDnetSolutions, would net more positive results for the hospital network. With the HIPAA-compliant solution, a doctor can track a patient’s progress from initial intake through every step of the patient cycle. A doctor can track a patient’s progress with a simple click of a mouse, saving time and enhancing the patient/physician experience. “It is a partnership,” Tacey said. “Bariatric surgery is a long process and you have to stay on top of these patients. If you don’t have a tracker or a method for watching these people, you will lose them.” University Health Network surgeon Fayez Quereshy, who was lead author of the study, has collaborated with his colleagues and they are currently testing whether a 40-question patient survey should be completed before orientation. The goal is to identify patients who are at risk for not having the operation and then have evaluation experts provide the proper support upfront to help guide the patient through the process. “If a patient has signs and symptoms of depression for example,” Dr. Quereshy said, “we can make sure he or she sees the psychiatrist first.” If University Health Network used The Leadtracker™, Dr. Quereshy could track the patient who is seeing the psychiatrist first and see how that patient has progressed. He also can see when a patient has been cleared by a social worker, completed a nutrition class or completed a nursing consultation and is ready for a final consultation with the surgeon. By doing some handholding, patients feel more secure and are more likely to go through with the surgery. The LeadTracker™ can help an organization maximize its patient relationship management and increase the chances for positive patient outcomes. It also can save a weight loss center or hospital on resources lost due to patients dropping out of the program.” Check us out at www.MDnetSolutions.com or schedule a demo. Click here to learn more about the LeadTracker™.
Need to Know Your Limitations Written by web_developers on October 17, 2014. Posted in Connect. No Comments on Need to Know Your Limitations In the 1973 classic Magnum Force, Inspector Harry Callahan, aka, Dirty Harry, offers a piece of advice to his lieutenant. “A man’s got to know his limitations,” says the maverick cop, played by Clint Eastwood. I realize in my advanced years, Dirty Harry was right. Sometimes you can’t do it on your own. You need help. Unfortunately I am rather hardheaded and have wasted a great deal of time and money trying to accomplish something that would’ve taken significantly less time had I swallowed my pride, admitted my limitations and asked for help. Anytime we purchase a piece of furniture, whether it be a grill, entertainment center, a child’s playset or a rod-hockey game I got for Christmas two years ago that is still in the box, I struggle to put the item together. Call it lack of patience or muscular coordination, but I can turn a simple, five-minute task into an epic, profanity-laced chore highlighted by intense tirades and screw drivers flying across the room. I would like to say construction is my only limitation, but car repair, landscaping and even my golf game have provided ample opportunities for me to showcase my shortcoming in those areas. I tried to remove weeds from my front lawn using a certain weed-killer. The weeds were replaced by bare patches in the sod that lasted for two years. The last time I pruned the hedges, I sliced through the extension cord, nearly electrocuting myself. The hedges also did not display the sharp-angled rectangles I had envisioned. In the automotive arena, I disconnected the battery while changing a headlight. My other epic fail was losing two quarts of oil while changing my car’s oil. I forgot to put the plug back in the oil pan and realized my mistake when oil flooded the driveway. The last time I cleaned out the gutter… OK, that never happened. When it comes to heights, I know my limitations. After these humbling mishaps, I no longer live in denial. When I have a car repair, I take it to the experts at the dealership. I am proud to say my lawn and shrubbery look better than ever thanks to hiring experts at a landscaping company. They were hired shortly after the “Extension Cord Slashing of 2012”. When it comes to building projects, my wife and I usually get it delivered pre-assembled. If that is not an option, my wife will get her purple toolset, conduct an online search, and build the item. She has the temperament for it and tools never sail across the room. In your field, you are the medical expert. Whether specializing in bariatric surgery, orthopedic services, IVF or other specialty, patients come to you when they need your service. Since you are the medical expert, why spend time trying to market your practice or schedule follow-up visits with patients or answer phones in between seeing patients? As Dirty Harry says, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” At Sequence Health, we are the healthcare marketing and patient engagement experts. We can retool or build your organization’s website and enhance your status in Internet searches thanks to our Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click strategies. Our boutique, medical call center can handle incoming calls; schedule appointment and provide information for your patients with kindness and compassion. You’re the medical guru. So let our expertise improve your organization. A man’s got to know his limitations, but together we can rise above those limitations. Now, does anyone know an expert who can put together a rod-hockey game? Learn more about the solutions Sequence Health provides by visiting Sequence Health.
Generating Leads and Connecting with Patients Written by web_developers on October 10, 2014. Posted in Connect. No Comments on Generating Leads and Connecting with Patients This is part two of a series Remember our buddy Jason, the 43-year-old businessman who injured his ankle playing pickup basketball last week? Jason has accepted the fact he is going under the knife. After seeing the x-rays at an urgent care facility and getting a recommendation from a medical professional he needed surgery, Jason, a bit overwhelmed, conducted Google searches for orthopedic surgeons, who specialize in ankle procedures in his area. During his research, Jason found a couple of orthopedic centers that intrigued him. He visited “ABC Ortho” and found only general information: location of practice, list of administrators and office employees and a bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo regarding patient rights, privacy notices and HIPAA compliance. Granted websites need to have this legal mumbo-jumbo, but a HIPAA compliance notice ranks near the bottom of a potential patients’ wish list when searching for a place providing the desired medical services. Another website catching Jason’s eye was “XYZ Orthopedic Services”. The website was engaging, and he could view the practice’s website on his laptop or smartphone because it was built by MDnetSolutions.? The website was built using responsive website design technology. The responsive design not only optimized Jason’s experience on the website because he could view it on any digital device, he also benefitted from a plethora of information right at his fingertip. Rather than providing the general who we are and what we do information, XYZ had comprehensive biographies on the staff surgeons, covering their background, education and area of expertise. The site also had patient testimonials praising the staff at the practice. However, the highlight of the website, according to Jason, was a tab at the top of the page titled, “for patients”. Clicking the tab, Jason was propelled to a patient portal with “frequently asked questions” regarding ankle procedures. Not only could he read responses to frequently asked questions, he also could watch a video describing a similar procedure he was going to have. The online seminar was conducted by the lead surgeon of XYZ Orthopedic Services, and Jason felt he needed to watch the online video. He typed his contact information: name, email address and phone number and was granted access to his online video. The video covered how to prepare for the day of surgery, anesthesia and what to expect during the procedure. The second half of the video discussed what to expect post surgery and talked about estimated recovery time and rehabilitation. Jason felt a little better about his upcoming procedure but was still apprehensive about making the final decision of where and when to have the surgery. It wasn’t until the following day when he received a phone call from XYX Orthopedic Services. The professional and courteous operator on the other end of the line informed Jason that she was following up on his visit to the website. She asked if he had any questions and if he would like to schedule a consultation. It was that simple. Jason agreed and was well on his way to getting back on the basketball court. The operator and Jason agreed on a time to see the surgeon. With a little help, Jason’s apprehensiveness was put to rest. He had taken the first steps toward recovery and had found the surgeon and the practice to perform his procedure. Jason’s search was made easier because XYZ orthopedic Services was a client of MDnetSolutions. In addition to having MDnetSolutions build the responsive website, XYZ incorporated MDnetSolutions online registration and LeadTracker to arrange and categorize potential patient information. The operator knew Jason had suffered an ankle injury and was inquiring about ankle surgery. This knowledge made the interaction between the operator and Jason engaging and informative rather than a cold call. There are plenty of Jason’s out there. What is your practice doing to attract those weekend warriors, eager to return to the playing field? Teaming with MDnetSolutions can enhance your digital footprint and get you noticed by those patients needing your services the most. Let our solutions be your solutions. Click to learn more and schedule a demonstration.
Help I Need a Doctor Written by web_developers on October 10, 2014. Posted in Connect, Orthopedics. No Comments on Help I Need a Doctor This is part one of a series Imagine this scenario. Jason is a 43-year-old businessman who is still trying to relive his glory days on the basketball court. Unfortunately Jason’s body is not the same as it was a quarter century ago when he was an all-region point guard during his senior year of high school. Driving to the basket for a layup in an adult, church-league, pickup game last week, Jason landed awkwardly and crumpled to the ground. Pain ensued as he immediately grabbed his right ankle. Like many, Jason avoids the doctor at all costs and doesn’t have a primary care physician. Unable to put weight on hs ankle and realizing the swelling and discoloration were not going away anytime soon, Jason broke down and went to urgent care where X-rays revealed the weekend warrior’s worst fear — a broken ankle that will require surgery. Like most Gen Xers, Jason is savvy and self-reliant. Knowing he needs surgery, Jason goes to the Internet to research orthopedic surgeons in his area. Having typed, “needing ankle surgery …” in a Google search, Jason receives more than 330,000 posts regarding ankle surgery, including podiatry centers and orthopedic surgeons in his immediate area. Where would your practice appear in Jason’s search? Would you pop up on the first page or be buried on the 28th page of search results, never garnering a click much less a new patient? At MDnetSolutions, we can retool your existing website or build you an entirely new one. Combine this with our Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-per-click (PPO) marketing strategies, we can get your practice noticed by patients — like Jason — searching the Internet for healthcare services your practice provides. According to the Pew Internet Research Project, 77 percent of prospective patients said they used search engines like Google, Bing or Yahoo to get information for healthcare services. Another 13 percent of prospective patients began their search on a site specializing in health information. This reiterates the fact an informative, eye-catching website is paramount for the success of any healthcare practice. However, if you stop at just a website, your digital marketing strategy is not reaching its full potential. Teaming with MDnetSolutions can enhance your visibility on the Internet. We focus your online marketing strategy by using high volume, relevant keywords targeted to the geographical outreach of your organization, meaning if you are a community practice, we will market to your surrounding area. This makes sure the correct targeted audience is seeing your message, increasing the liklihood these potentials will become your patients. Without SEO and PPC, which works hand-in-hand with SEO to earn your website top placement in search rankings and is a reliable way to ensure your website appears at the top of search engine results, your practice is not maximizing its visibility. A good looking website is one thing, but no SEO or PPC strategy is like having Michael Jordan on the bench with the game on the line in Game 7 of the NBA Finals or not letting Wayne Gretzky take a penalty shot during the Stanley Cup. As Mr. Spock would say, “Highly illogical”. Be logical and connect with MDnetSolutions today. Let our solutions be your solutions. Click to learn more and schedule a demonstration. Check back next week as we continue the trials of Jason and learn more about how MDnetSolutions can help your practice attract new patients and stay engaged with existing patients.
Engagement: I Now Pronounce You Patient and Physician Written by web_developers on September 11, 2014. Posted in Connect. No Comments on Engagement: I Now Pronounce You Patient and Physician Our friends at Fierce Healthcare produced a new article this week regarding three ways hospitals can better improve patient engagement. In the article, three tips are offered: Designate a patient engagement advocate Build partnerships, and Access interoperability opportunities This is sound advice for any hospital or medical practice, and MDnetSolutions can help boost patient engagement, which leads to better patient outcomes. We also provide solutions to recruit new patients and grow your practice. Designating a patient engagement advocate At MDnetSolutions, we become an extension of your practice and care for your patients like they are family. Thanks to our cutting-edge technology, we can streamline all processes before, during and after patient care. This saves your practice money and ensures the patient gets the best possible care. MDnetSolutions web-based patient software, LeadTracker, works to track the progress of each patient in the hospital system. From streamlining patient intake to discharge, LeadTracker is easy-to-use, HIPAA-compliant and integrates seamlessly with any existing patient management system, from the small rural practice to the giant Accountable Care Organization (ACO). MDnetSolutions can help inventory and synchronize all processes across departments, within medical teams and among facilities within a healthcare system. Additionally our 24/7, boutique, medical call center, NurseLine and digital marketing strategies aid in each step of patient care. From questions about procedures and certain medications to pre- and post-operative scheduling and reminders, MDnetSolutions is there to provide support, comfort and education to your patients. Build Partnerships The healthcare landscape has changed and nowhere is this more evident than the doctor/patient relationship. Prior to the growth of the healthcare consumerism movement and patients becoming more proactive about their health and overall lifestyle, doctors would examine the patient, diagnose the problem and prescribe medicine or schedule a procedure to hopefully cure the ailment. This usually involved the physician calling all the shots. Now care is more about collaboration, as patients are becoming consumers of healthcare and educated about their medical condition. This patient-centered care, or relationship-based primary care where physician meets the individual patient and family’s needs, priorities and preferences, has become a partnership between patient and physician. MDnetSolutions believes patient and physician collaboration is vital to successful medical outcomes. We also see educating patients only improves engagement and fosters collaboration with the medical staff. For medication adherence, education is key. MDnetSolutions can help market your education tools and online seminars to illustrate the importance of proper medication. Our medical call center and NurseLine also can provide reminders to take medication properly. MDnet’s patient portal also is a valuable solution in building the patient/physician relationship by storing information in one, secure place. This patient portal also can be housed on your website both you and your patient can view, store and record information, schedule doctor appointments, refill medications and communicate with each other with ease. The patient portal allows access to real-time education for patients and reduces the chance of being overloaded with information. Patients also gain access with a click of the mouse rather than having to leave their home. Access Interoperability Opportunities With the emergence of ACOs, which comprise doctors, medical groups, hospitals and other healthcare professionals work together to deliver high-quality, coordinated care to the patients they serve, there will be much more collaboration in patient care. Not only will doctors have more conversations with the patient under his or her care, there also will be increased collaboration among medical staffs and specialists in different offices. Is your hospital or medical office ready for this new patient engagement strategy? If not a call to MDnetSolutions is all you need. MDnet has the Solutions to make your hospital stay current with the latest healthcare trends. Our patient portals function correctly on any medical website, and our team designs patient portals to easily integrate with every patient management system. Incorporate the patient portal, with our electronic medical records system and you are ready to take your hospital patient care to the next level. Get engaged with us and get ready to engage the world. Visit www.MDnetSolutions.com or call 888-986-3638 to schedule a demo.
We Can Spread the Word About Your Practice Written by web_developers on September 8, 2014. Posted in Connect. No Comments on We Can Spread the Word About Your Practice Anytime a person faces a medical procedure, regardless of how minute the risk, the No. 1 question asked when having a weight loss operation, is, could this procedure kill me? “The patient’s most important concern is, am I going to survive this operation,” says Ninh T. Nguyen, a professor of surgery and chief of the Gastrointestinal Surgery Division at the University of California Irvine health, Orange, Calif. Dr. Nguyen co-investigated a study published last week in the newest issue of the Journal of The American College of Surgeons suggesting it was safer for patients to have a bariatric procedure at an accredited bariatric surgery center rather than a non-credited facility. The 10-year study examined the outcomes of 775,040 bariatric surgical patients in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, which is the largest U.S. inpatient care database. The study revealed bariatric patients had fewer post-operative complications and were 2.3 times less likely to die in the hospital following a national movement pushing for accreditation of bariatric surgery centers. “We found that death is very uncommon when the operation takes place at an accredited facility, meaning it has met rigorous standards for high-quality surgical care,” Dr. Nguyen says. “I suggest that patients considering a bariatric operation look for, and go to, an accredited bariatric center. “ The American College of Surgeons and our friends, the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), who is hosting Obesity Week in Boston on Nov. 2-6 where MDnetSolutions will be exhibiting, combined their accreditation programs in March 9, 2012, creating a unified program. This collaboration produced the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). Since its formation, more than 700 bariatric surgery centers in the United States are accredited or seeking accreditation through the MBSAQIP. Is your bariatric surgical center MBSAQIP-credited? According to Dr. Nguyen the only question a patient needs to ask is if the facility is credited by the MBSAQIP. Are you? You need to promote your valued credentials, and at MDnetSolutions, we are experts in healthcare marketing and can take your practice to new heights. Let our marketing experts help create and design a digital strategy to enhance the visibility of your healthcare practice. In addition to enhancing your digital footprint to engage current patients and attract new ones, MDnetSolutions also is transforming the patient care continuum by providing valuable patient management and outcomes management tools. This helps guide the patient through every step of the bariatric surgery process from pre-surgery preparations to post-op care and continuing online education. By employing MDnetSolutions you better manage your patients through our Lead & Patient Tracking, 24/7, full-service, boutique call center and NurseLine. Your patients are in constant contact with your practice. When your bariatric surgical center teams with MDnet, we become an extension of your practice. We also share the common goal of improving the health of your patients. Let us help better engage and improve the health of your patients. Visit us today at www.MDnetSolutions.com and schedule a demo.