July 28, 2023
In the United States, the average length of time it takes to register a new patient at a medical practice can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the size and efficiency of the practice, the complexity of the registration process, whether the patient has completed pre-registration forms, the availability of staff, and the use of electronic health record (EHR) systems or other technologies.
Pre-Registration
On-Site Registration
Rough estimates of how long it can take to complete the patient registration process in the U.S.
Industry insights and general practices have reported that the pre-registration process can take anywhere from a few minutes to 15-20 minutes, depending on the thoroughness of the forms and the ease of use of the online portal.
Meanwhile, on-site registration for patients who have not pre-registered or are new to the practice can range from 10-30 minutes or more, depending on the complexity of the paperwork, insurance verification, data entry and wait times.
It’s essential for medical practices to continuously evaluate and optimize their patient registration and check-in processes to reduce wait times, enhance patient satisfaction, and improve overall efficiency. By leveraging technology and patient portals for pre-registration, as well as employing other strategies for streamlining the process, practices can work towards making patient registration as quick and seamless as possible.
How an EHR system can help
An Electronic Health Record (EHR) system should offer several important features to streamline the registration and check-in process and enhance the patient experience. Here are some key features to look for:
The EHR should provide the ability to create and store electronic patient registration forms, allowing patients to fill them out online before or during their visit. This reduces paperwork and manual data entry at the front desk.
A patient portal is essential for patients to access their health information, schedule appointments, update personal details, and receive important notifications. It empowers patients to take an active role in their healthcare and can expedite the check-in process.
The EHR system should integrate with insurance databases to verify patient insurance information in real-time. This helps avoid billing issues and ensures accurate information is on record.
Automated appointment reminders via email, SMS, or phone calls can reduce no-show rates and prompt patients to confirm or reschedule their appointments if needed.
Integrating self-check-in kiosks in the waiting area enables patients to check themselves in upon arrival, reducing waiting times and easing front desk workload.
Some EHR systems offer mobile check-in capabilities, allowing patients to complete registration tasks from their smartphones before arriving at the clinic.
The EHR should support scanning and uploading patient identification, insurance cards, and other relevant documents directly into the system for easy access by healthcare providers.
Advanced EHR systems may offer patient triage features to assess the urgency of a patient’s condition and prioritize their check-in accordingly.
Barcode scanning functionality can streamline data entry tasks, allowing staff to quickly scan patient identification bracelets or documents for accurate record-keeping.
Ensuring proper consent is essential in healthcare. An EHR should have features for managing and documenting patient consent for treatments and procedures.
Seamless integration with other hospital or clinic systems, such as billing and laboratory systems, can help maintain a unified patient record and reduce duplicate data entry.
The EHR should provide reporting and analytics capabilities to help identify trends, optimize workflows, and improve the overall check-in process.
MEDENT Features
MEDENT is a popular EHR and Practice Management system that can help streamline various administrative and clinical processes. Here are just some of the ways MEDENT can help with smooth, successful patient registration and check-in:
MEDENT’s Patient Pre-Check-In lets patients complete most of the check-in process prior to their appointment! It typically takes patients 5-10 minutes to complete, depending on the type of appointment as some visits require more documentation.
The MEDENT Electronic Forms tablet feature allows patients to sign and complete consent forms and medical screenings/questionnaires independently using a Windows-based tablet at the office.
MEDENT’s Self-Check-In Kiosk lets patients skip waiting in line at reception and complete the check-in process independently. Patients can review and update information, complete documentation, and pay copays and balances.
Rather than waiting in line at reception or sharing a waiting room with other patients, MEDENT’s Virtual Waiting Room feature lets patients click a link via text or email to alert the practice of their arrival.
The Consents area of a patient’s chart will display all of the consent documents that have been created for that patient. Practices can also create Consent Groups and access the area from the patient’s HIPAA Privacy Information screen.
MEDENT’s Patient Portal gives patients secure access to their medical records and lets them update their personal information from home. It provides a convenient way to communicate with the practice.
With MEDENT’s Online Scheduling, new and existing patients can book appointments directly from your practice website! This feature is customizable so the practice can pick and choose which appointments can be scheduled online by provider, appointment type and location.
MEDENT’s Directlink Appointment Reminder feature lets practices send automatic reminders via phone call, SMS or email. These reminders are highly customizable and provide real-time confirmation in Chart Central.
MEDENT’s Community Chart allows data from outside sources to display directly in MEDENT. We partner with Carequality and Surescripts to connect practices with thousands of providers nationwide.
With MEDENT, triages can be rated Normal, Priority or Urgent to allow the practice to prioritize appointments and tasks. Users can also assign tags to triages to help filter, sort and search.
Patient Resources
MEDENT provides practices with several resources to help educate and engage patients.
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