By adding self-scheduling capabilities, providers gain the ability to integrate scheduling into the rest of their own digital ecosystems that patients have increasingly come to expect throughout their healthcare journeys. Other advantages to providers include freeing staff for higher-value, patient-facing activities, increasing patient satisfaction, reducing data-entry errors and, potentially, adding greater confidentiality to the process for patients who might otherwise have to call from their workplaces to schedule appointments.

Send automated, omnichannel appointment reminders: Providers can greatly increase convenience for patients by sending automated appointment reminders at a time of their choosing – perhaps two or three days – prior to office or virtual visits. It’s important to ask patients which communication channels they prefer to receive these messages – phone call, email or text message, for example – and then accommodate those requests.


For providers, automated appointment reminders can reduce the rate of no-shows for both in-office and virtual visits without utilizing valuable staff time. Further, if during the reminder process a patient indicates he is unable to show up for a visit, the practice can be informed in advance, allowing more time to cover the appointment slot.

Provide pre-service cost estimates: For pre-service check-ins, patients are sent a message in their preferred channel that contains a link confirming several key pieces of data: demographic information, insurance and benefits coverage, copay and service amount estimate based on visit type. Providers may also elect to give patients the option of confirming this information before the visit at an on-site kiosk.

By offering pre-service cost estimates, providers are likely to increase the percentage of payment collected overall and prior to appointments. Because the process is more streamlined, practices can also improve patient volume.

Present post-service payment plans: When billing patient after rendering services, providers can create better engagement by offering multiple payment plan options. One consumer survey found that patients who use payment plans are much more likely to pay their bills in full and on schedule, with 76% of patients who use payment plans saying they would complete the payments on time. By offering payment plans, providers can free up staff time and expense that would have been devoted to collections, and give patients greater feelings of flexibility, control and satisfaction.

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