Reading Surgery Center. Confusing, right? There are far fewer lost
patients who need help finding their way now that the SurgiCenter (not
the Surgery Center) added pre-admission software that sends patients
text messages linking their cellphones to Google Maps, which directs
them to the right facility. Not worrying about giving and getting direc-
tions on the morning of surgery is a plus for patients and staff alike.
Many patients nowadays appreciate receiving information about
their surgeries on their phones. It makes sense then that interest in
pre-admission software in steadily increasing — about 45% of Reading
Hospital SurgiCenter's patients had logged into the portal 3 years ago;
now, 65% to 75% of patients interact with the center online — and why
you should also consider capitalizing on the technology's many bene-
fits.
• Patient portals. Reading Hospital SurgiCenter's software platform
lets patients complete health histories online, at their convenience.
"The phone tag we often played with patients was a huge dissatisfier
for them," says Susan Alexander, MSN, RN, CPAN, CSSM, Reading
Hospital SurgiCenter's director of nursing. "We considered hiring a
nurse to handle calls in the evenings or on weekends, but weren't
interested in working beyond their normal hours."
Ms. Alexander says histories submitted online provide comprehen-
sive views of patients' overall health, so staff can determine if they
need specific medical clearance before undergoing surgery.
Nurses still call patients who don't use the online portal, but the
number of calls that are made has decreased significantly, according
to Ms. Alexander.
"We've gone from 3 full-time nurses handling pre-op phone calls to 2
full time nurses," she says. "We didn't eliminate a position. We've freed
up a nurse to focus more on clinical responsibilities."
• Text message reminders. The platform also automatically sends
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