Monthly Messages: 650+
Patients Invited: 2,000+
Going through the process of a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) showed Northland OMS that they needed to change the way they were communicating with patients in advance of surgery. Office Administrator, Terri, said, “we send so much private information, and we were using regular email before. As soon as we found out about Brightsquid Secure-Mail, we jumped on-board.”
Prepared patients are the preference.
Northland OMS uses Secure-Mail to collect patient information required before surgery and to communicate with referring clinics before and after procedures. “We use Secure-Mail to send patients the forms that need to be filled out, as well as all other private information about the appointment such as cost and what will happen during the procedure,” Terri explained. “We also send follow up instructions to help make sure those don’t get lost,” she added. A process that cuts down on phone traffic.
Patients have been very receptive to using Secure-Mail. Terri said, “When patients find out we’re using Secure-Mail and why, they’re very appreciative.” Plus, with an easily referenceable Secure-Mail message in their inbox, clinic staff can quickly know if they require any additional information from a patient before they arrive for their appointment.
A welcome replacement for fax.
“We hate faxing. HATE. It’s too inefficient and it doesn’t work for most of our communications” Terri emphasized when explaining that Secure-Mail is used to send referrals, surgery notes, prescriptions, and more to other clinics, pharmacies, or hospitals.
Clinicians and staff rate Secure-Mail the fastest way to communicate with other clinics, but a few still hold on to out-dated and unsecure technology such as fax even though it creates more work. “We end up mailing medical clinics that don’t accept the invite to a free Secure-Mail account because you can’t fax an x-ray. It takes longer, and costs more.”
Compared to other services that support secure messaging, Terri says, “Brightsquid is way nicer, way easier, and more user friendly.” Her clinic’s high patient invite acceptance rate is proof that the service works for patients as well as clinic staff.