Importance of verifying patient information when they check in at the office
When a patient enters the practice, it’s always important to welcome the patient to the office.
Your greeting needs to include a warm, friendly smile and call the patient by name if you know it.
You never want the patient to feel ignored when they come in, so be sure to welcome them. Patients also want to check in quickly and efficiently.
And its important to have the correctly updated information necessary to communicate with patients about future appointments and to bill insurances.
Collect information prior to patient arriving in practice
Try to collect as much information as possible prior to the patient coming in. If possible, use
online options for patients to submit information.
Use text or email to send links to share forms that the patient can fill out ahead of time. Forms may include:
- patient demographic information such as email, phone address, insurance information and cards,
- medical history information,
- financial policies,
- HIPAA forms
When sending forms in an email it can also be nice to share certain welcome information about the office, especially for newer patients so they can get to know the office locations, the services, and the doctors and staff better.
If the information needed isn’t received ahead of the appointment and it’s not available when the patient checks in, especially for a new patient, you need to be prepared to collect what’s needed when the patient checks in.
Some of this information will be needed even for existing patients. Some of the information and forms will need to be updated annually.
HIPAA forms or financial policies need to be updated periodically,, and even for patients who have visited very recently, even yesterday, it’s still good to ask certain questions every time.
Always ask: what’s your current phone number and email address? And that way you have at least two ways that you can contact the patient that you know are current.
Also ask what’s the name of your current insurance?
Make sure that information matches what’s on file. If anything has changed, insurance or phone, email, then it’s important to update them so you can follow up better with the patient.
We don’t want to make an appointment and then be unable to reach the patient to confirm details with the patient later.
Check Balances
It’s also good to check balances.
We don’t want to turn away patients for treatment.
But it’s important to be aware that if there’s a large balance or if we have an upcoming procedure that has a copay that needs to be discussed or financial plans made, it’s important to make sure the patient’s aware so they can have their questions answered.
Importance of verifying patient information
In summary, try to collect what’s needed ahead of the appointment. Use online methods to help get the information ahead of time.
Second, be sure needed information is available, and update what’s needed at checkin.
Update periodically HIPAA or medical history or financial forms. But always at every appointment, check and ask for the current phone and email to make sure that these are updated and current, and also what type of insurance the patient has.
Most importantly, remember to smile and give the patient a warm welcome.