Nuvance Health

Dr. Paul Wright

It is no surprise that consumers expect digital healthcare services. In addition to consumer demand, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for digital solutions to attract, retain and engage patients.

Consumers want care to be convenient, such as through telehealth. They also want connecting with their doctors to be convenient. At Nuvance Health, the patient portal and online appointment scheduling have enhanced how patients communicate and connect withourNeuroscience Institute.

Patient portal

Nuvance Health is a seven-hospital health system spanning the Hudson Valley, New York and western Connecticut. The health system includes primary and specialty care through Nuvance Health Medical Practice, home care, urgent care and rehabilitation services.

Nuvance Health patients can stay connected to all these healthcare services through the patient portal. They can securely message their doctor, request prescription refills, and access their medical records and test results.

We encourage patient portal usage at the Neuroscience Institute. In fact, patient portal utilization is a key performance indicator for our doctors.

To promote usage, we ask new patients to send us a message during their first appointment. They can see how easy it is right away, and we can help them if they have trouble using it.

The patient portal has three main benefits:

• Enhanced patient engagement and satisfaction. Patients report feeling more attached to their doctor by being able to communicate with them outside of a scheduled visit.

• Improved patient outcomes. Patients can ask questions and get answers without having to wait until their next appointment. This has reduced unnecessary emergency department visits and hospital readmissions. Some patients report that communicating with their doctor through the portal also helps relieve anxiety.

• Effective resource management. Communicating via the patient portal has reduced phone call volume at most neurology and neurosurgery practices.

Online appointment scheduling

Nuvance Health launched a new website in April 2021, which featured an exciting find a doctor platform with online appointment scheduling. Existing and new patients can book an appointment directly online with a variety of primary and specialty care clinicians including neurologists and neurosurgeons.

“Online appointment scheduling has increased access to neurologists and neurosurgeons for new patients in particular. Out of total appointments booked online from April 2021 to 2022, 64 percent were new patients.”

Direct book has three main benefits:

• Increased access. Online appointment scheduling has increased access to neurologists and neurosurgeons for new patients in particular. Out of total appointments booked online from April 2021 to 2022, 64 percent were new patients. Further, individuals seeking headache and migraine care booked a majority of appointments online.

• Convenience. Through direct book, healthcare consumers can schedule an appointment anytime, whether during the day, evening or weekend.

• Effective resource management. Like many medical practices, Neuroscience Institute practices manage high call volumes. This can result in longer than desired hold times, frustrated patients and overwhelmed staff.Direct book has improved these operational challenges by reducing call volumes at most neurology and neurosurgery practices.

Overall, online appointment scheduling and patient portals can improve how patients communicate with their doctors, and in turn, their overall experience with healthcare services. It would behoove healthcare organizations to not only introduce digital communication solutions but also promote their usage.