As a working mother I have a lot to juggle when it comes to organizing my life. So when I discover something that makes my day run smoother—no matter how small it may be—I often feel compelled to share it with others.  This is one of those times.

Today I commend the phenomenal appointment confirmation system of Dr. Jennifer Kugar, DDS. And here’s why.

While scheduling a dental appointment for my four year-old son I was given several options. First, I was asked if I’d like to receive a confirmation prior to the appointment. With all the chaos that fills my day, a reminder is always beneficial, so I said yes. Which led to her next question, would I like to receive a phone call, email or both? For me, email is always the most convenient, so I gave her my address and further declined a phone call. Lastly, she asked if she could include a link to their webpage which contained the forms that I needed to fill out and hand in during my son’s appointment. As someone who prefers to have ample time to fill out forms, I accepted her offer for the link.

Within twenty minutes, I received an email similar to the one below:

 Subject: Thank you for your appointment

Dear Ashley,

On behalf of Dr. Kugar, we would like to thank you for scheduling your recent appointment. As mentioned, you will need to fill out several forms prior to your medical care. We’ve included a direct link to the paperwork which you can print and complete ahead of time.

                    Click here for the registration forms.

Per your request, you will receive a second email notification two days prior to your appointment. Thank you again for choosing Northeast Pediatric Dentistry. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Accordingly, I received the following email two days before my son’s appointment:

Subject: Appointment Confirmation

Dear Ashley,

This is a reminder that your son, Matthew Lee, is scheduled to see Dr. Kugar on Wednesday, February 30, 2011 at 10:00AM. If this date and time still works for you, please select the option below:

                    I have received notification and will be at the appointment.

If you have a conflict or are no longer available for the appointment, please select from one of the options below:

                    I am unable to make my appointment and would like to reschedule.

                    I am unable to make my appointment and will reschedule at a later date.

You will be required to submit several health forms upon arrival, so if you have not yet filled them out and would like to do so prior to your appointment, you can retrieve them below:

                   Click here for registration forms.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!

Each link prompted a different webpage that thanks the patient for their confirmation, provides the registration forms, or fulfills the request to reschedule. Needless to say, I’ve never seen any medical confirmation system as thorough as this one. In fact, this was the first time I received an appointment reminder through email. Most often, I’m lucky if I even receive correct information on proper documentation for the appointment let alone get a reminder. 

Naturally, I complimented the dentist office on their outstanding electronic system. The receptionist was grateful of the feedback and said that the process doesn’t just benefit patients, but the practice as well. Like many other dentist offices, appointments are often times abandoned by patients. By utilizing this confirmation system, they have significantly reduced the amount of “no-shows”, which inevitably creates a more efficient and productive office.

Our job at Slaughter Development is to help businesses reach a level of productivity that is both effective and satisfying for all stakeholders involved. By focusing our efforts on updating processes so they run smoothly, we assist in establishing an ease of workflow that in turn allows time for further innovation. If you work in a medical office and are looking to learn more about creating an efficient electronic system, consider signing up for our upcoming productivity session, “Increase Productivity with Electronic Medical Records.” We’ll provide information that, if integrated in your office, will leave patients singing your praises.

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