A P R I L 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 9
W
hen you want to reach someone immediately, do
you pick up the phone or fire off an email? No,
you send a text because it's nearly guaranteed to
be read and the message creates a sense of
urgency for action.
"I've gotten feedback from patients who say text message alerts and
updates make them feel more connected with their providers," says
Tina Mentz, chief operating officer at Ambulatory Management
Solutions, a consulting firm based in Chicago, Ill. "They're more satis-
fied with their care because they know exactly what's going on before
and after surgery."
That's a significant benefit. Patient satisfaction is more important
than ever in this era of value-based care and with the pending launch
of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems
Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Survey (OAS CAHPS), a program
designed to measure how well Medicare beneficiaries are cared for at
surgery centers and HOPDs.
Ms. Mentz points out that electronic communication platforms send
prepopulated or customized text messages to patients on a preset
timeline so they receive appropriate reminders at appropriate inter-
vals. "Sending the right reminder at the right
time yields greater compliance," she says.
Getting pre-op information — such as
reminders to complete online medication
histories or complete required testing — to
patients as soon as possible is a powerful
Automated text messaging keeps patients
engaged and satisfied with their care.
Please arrive 2
hours before
your scheduled
procedure
