Benefits of Patient Scheduling Software - Intellectsoft Blog

Updated: April 26, 2021

Needless to say, the quality of the healthcare services is one of the main characteristics of a hospital or any other healthcare unit that is critical for the patients.

According to the recent report by Accenture, patient care delivery has the highest influence on their further interaction with the healthcare units, so if the patients had some difficulties with the health providers, they can greatly impact the ranking of health system reputation.

However, in this area, over 35% of all healthcare consumers consider patient scheduling to be the anchor point of any health system.

This feature is usually missing in most health systems, but in fact, has the highest potential for improving healthcare services.

So, by focusing on the patient scheduling software, both sides get benefits: the healthcare units can increase the number of their clients, while clients receive better service quality.

Why? Let’s get it covered right now!

What Is Patient Scheduling Software?

Patient scheduling is the system, which allows enhancing the healthcare unit performance and getting as many patients as possible, thus increasing the service revenue.

But still, it’s important to provide professional services and improve customer service to generate more loyal clients.

And, it goes without saying, that now the digital technologies are the must-have for launching the hospital patient scheduling software.

Deloitte's insights have clearly illustrated the patient journey using free patient scheduling software, which combines diagnosis prescription, effective treatment planning, and brilliant services provided by the healthcare unit.

Additionally, the pandemic crisis has also stimulated different services to implement various channels, tools, and techniques, for creating and improving hospital patient scheduling software and adapting its features to the present times.

These include utilizing virtual care, robotic surgery, AI, biosensors, and even drones to deliver prescriptions. With having these innovative technologies in use, the medical patient scheduling software can greatly enhance the entire healthcare unit workflow.

The Importance of Patient Scheduling Software

After we’ve discovered the definition of the patient scheduling software, it’s time to find out the main benefits the healthcare institutions and their clients can get from its implementation.

Optimizing Administrative Workflow

The process automation of patients’ scheduling can greatly help to optimize the healthcare unit’s operations and improve the visits’ planning.

So, both sides win: patients can plan their visits at the most convenient time, whereas doctors can clearly see the time, resources, and amount of work planned on a certain day.

Reduce the Number of Empty Slots

The appointment scheduling can be pretty useful for the working staff to manage their time more effectively. For instance, most morning appointments are scheduled till noon, and then appointments are usually planned after mid-afternoon.

By dividing the working time into the so-called ‘blocks’, it becomes clear for the workers to complete the other tasks with the documentation, team meetings, and lunchtime.

Reminding About the Scheduled Visits

Sometimes the patients can miss the visit because of their personal reasons, change of plans or they simply blanked the visiting time.

As a result, the doctors can’t schedule any other patients at that time and the health institutions lose the revenue they were expected to get.

With the patient scheduling software, it becomes easier to remind or change the time of the visit without directly contacting the reception desk, which is more convenient for both the patients and doctors.

Creating a Patient Waiting List for Filing Late Cancellations or No-Shows

Nevertheless, it’s impossible to avoid the late cancellations and no-shows, but it’s still possible to minimize their negative influence on the healthcare unit with the system that can easily find another patient who needs an unplanned visit.

So, when one patient cancels the visit, the patient appointment scheduling software will notify the patients from the waiting list to offer them free time for the visit.

This will not only simplify the scheduling procedure but also benefit the patient experience, which is critical for the healthcare providers as well.

All these benefits of the medical patient scheduling software can greatly help the healthcare service development and improvement.

For the healthcare unit, that means optimizing the healthcare institution’s workflow, improving the task management and completion, increasing the quality of the service, and drive bigger revenue.

And, for the patients, this leads to the treatment plan improvement and the facilitated communication with their doctors and other hospital employees.

Features & Requirements of Patient Scheduling Software

For sure, various types of healthcare units need different features and requirements for their hospital patient scheduling software.

However, the Deloitte 2020 report has covered the basic insights of the patient scheduling software features, which is definitely a must for a healthcare system.

Personal Health Information Privatizing and Encryption

The first thing to consider while choosing or launching a new patient scheduling system is its safety.

Needless to mention, personal health information, or simply PHI is now considered important personal data and is widely used for manipulations and fraudulent activities by scammers.

To ensure data safety, the patient scheduling software should include data encryption and safe data management for patients to control access to their PHI.

Personalized Care Plans

To be aware of their regular visits to the hospitals, the PwC Patient Digital Care Solution offers to implement personalized patient care plans which allow to track different health data and set up reminders when the next visit should be planned.

Thus, the patients will be able to track their visits, and the doctors will have constant access to the history of treatment to choose the best treatment strategy.

Patient Waiting Lists

Another great feature that is usually included in the free patient scheduling software is the patient waiting list.

With that function, the software can bring benefits to both the patients and the hospitals: patients can see the doctor as soon as there is spare time in the doctor’s schedule, even if they haven’t made an appointment in advance; hospitals can get their revenue from the patients if the visits were canceled, rescheduled or the patient didn’t come.

Furthermore, it also allows to organize the time more effectively and get more tasks done in a short period of time.

Wearable and Mobile Devices Integration

To make the communication even more convenient and encourage more patients to use the open-source patient scheduling software, it’s also important to adapt the software for different devices: laptops, smartphones and watches, fitness bracelets, etc.

This will not only help the hospital units to remind about the visit planned, or inform about some critical changes in it but also track the important health indicators and adapt the treatment plan accordingly.

In 2018, the wearable tech market was worth nearly $23B and is likely to grow to $54B by 2023, according to the global forecast.

Thus, including the medical patient scheduling software into different health devices has really great perspectives for the healthcare system development and improvement.

Patient Self-Scheduling Function

Finally, the patient appointment scheduling software should include the self-scheduling feature so the patients no longer need to contact a reception center of a medical institution to make an appointment for a certain time.

Unlike the traditional way of visit planning, creating the application where the patients can plan their visits to a specialist based on the time available there.

The entire appointment booking procedure should be completed in less than 5 minutes with similar patient self-scheduling software.

Besides, doctors can also plan ahead their working day, and examine more patients during a day.

And, in addition to the increased revenue, the healthcare institutions will get detailed statistics about the total number of visits, which is important for the development strategy to improve.

Statistic Feature

Just like we said, the hospital patient scheduling software is not only about improving the patient experience.

The statistics got from the number of visits per day, week, and month, the general patients’ data and diseases can also help the medical unit to analyze the public health and create a list of recommendations for their patients to improve their health.

For individual visitors, the patient scheduling software can keep all the important PHI records in one place, so the doctor can study the health records more thoroughly and prescribe an effective treatment plan.

Thus, the health services quality will certainly benefit from the medical patient software implementation.

Conclusion

To sum up, the hospital patient scheduling software is an effective and profitable method of improving the healthcare services in the medical industry.

By implementing the patient scheduling software, it becomes much easier for the patients to plan their visits in the most convenient and appropriate way, and their doctors can also plan ahead their workflow knowing the number of patient visits they will have in a day.

For the healthcare unit, the patient scheduling software can greatly reduce the number of empty slots, so they will get more revenue from the visits.

Thus, healthcare IT solutions and software services become a must for the healthcare system’s better performance.

The team of top-notch software developers, designers, and product managers at Intellectsoft have extensive experience developing innovative software for the healthcare industry.

So feel free to talk to our experts if you want to develop a high-quality patient scheduling software that meets your business goals.

The hospitality industry depends a lot on keeping customers happy, but it’s getting harder to attract and keep them. The pandemic hit this industry hard, and now market competition is tougher than ever, with competitive offerings swaying customers. Hospitality businesses are willing to spend big to win customers back. The main questions for many are: how can we stay ahead of the competition, keep our customers, and increase revenue? Keep reading—we’ve got some answers.

Customers today have so many options that getting their attention is a real challenge. It’s not easy to make them choose your business over others. What worked 10 years ago doesn’t work the same way now. Back then, people often chose businesses based on reputation. But with new types of businesses (boutique hotels, craft cafes) popping up or big enterprises getting a new strategy, expectations have changed. The good news is these businesses have shown what works: great customer service. They focus on personalizing the experience, making things easy for customers, offering loyalty programs, and using smart technology.

In this article, we’ll explore these tech strategies and show you how they can help your business grow, and double the revenue. Keep reading to learn more!

The Importance of Customer Satisfaction in the Hospitality Industry

Customer satisfaction, which equals exceptional customer experience, is the backbone of the hospitality industry. It plays a central role in driving revenue and loyalty, as satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend a hotel, restaurant, or other hospitality business to others. In fact, a study by the Harvard Business Review found that a 1% increase in customer satisfaction can lead to a 0.5% increase in revenue. Moreover, loyal customers are more likely to forgive mistakes and continue doing business with a company, even if they experience a negative encounter.

Let's quickly review the challenges the hospitality industry is facing right now so we can move on to the solutions and our case studies.

Challenges in Hospitality

As businesses navigate the changes in the hospitality industry, there are some key areas where a little improvement can go a long way. From improving customer service to embracing digital transformation and tackling labor shortages, we’ll take a closer look at today’s biggest challenges—and, more importantly, how technology can step in to help. Let’s get started!

Poor Customer Service

Even with strong and high-quality business offerings, poor customer service can drive potential customers and existing customers away. Common issues include:

Long wait times in customer service queues (it is worth remembering that our attention spans 8 seconds, and we live in a very busy world, so quick and efficient responses are more important than ever.)
Poorly trained customer service representatives
Lack of follow-up
Services not being done properly or quickly
Recall issues that require multiple service calls

These problems can frustrate customers. But, at Intellectsoft, we believe that the right approach, combined with technology, can address them effectively.

Digital Transformation Gaps

Approximately 50% of hotels are adopting new technologies, with 43% automating repetitive tasks and 39% upgrading existing systems.
Source: workstaff.app

Source: workstaff.app

While many businesses are adopting digital solutions, some still struggle with outdated systems and fragmented data. Legacy companies often face chaos when trying to manage their data and create new systems or add features.

Some of the recent examples include clients coming to us to create AI solutions for their services while their data simply was not ready for the advanced tasks. We advise stepping back, communicating with a company objective, and working on keeping the data clean (centralized, structured, and segmented).

When we’re asked to create advanced systems using AI, we always emphasize the importance of organized data. To train AI and build such complicated systems that truly work, you need to start from the very beginning—collecting, storing, centralizing, and organizing it. We encourage our clients to align all departments to work internally on the data so we can create a unified digital system that delivers personalized experiences.

If you’re unsure where to start with your data, we can help. Collecting feedback at various touchpoints along the customer journey is crucial for gaining insights into customer satisfaction and loyalty. Book an IT consultation with us, and our experts will guide you in mapping out a path to get more from your data and build a system that works for your business and team.

Reskilling Staff

The pandemic hit hard in early 2020, especially for the hospitality and travel industries. Even five years later, many businesses are still feeling the impact. Recruiting and retaining skilled staff has become a major challenge post-pandemic.

Reskilling to address technology’s impact is of utmost importance, as about 40% of hotel General Managers place it among their top three workforce challenges.

Source: Deloitte

We strongly believe that adopting the right technology can help. For example, creating an app to train your staff not only saves time but also ensures consistency in learning. AI assistants can also work alongside your team, helping with tasks like recruitment (providing industry insights, crafting emails) and staff training. Imagine having an app dedicated to making your team’s work easier and more efficient!

How Technology Tackles These Challenges and Supports a Customer-Centric Hospitality Culture

Automation, AI, and similar technologies may threaten many. However, the debate about replacing humans isn’t about that—it’s about cooperation and working hand in hand with technology to achieve the highest standards and establish brand-new “golden standards.” Technology is here to assist staff in listening to and collecting customer insights from data.

Let’s review some of our cases to see examples of how technology helps improve customer experience and supports customer service.

Examples of Intellectsoft projects

Property management systems (PMS)

We created a web platform and mobile app that makes managing daily tasks easier and offers extra services to improve residents’ experience. It gives a clear overview of daily activities and helps with managing units and users. Residents can easily book amenities, submit service requests, and report incidents. The platform also includes features for equipment management, key instructions, workflows, and custom permissions. This makes it easier for staff to stay on top of equipment and ensure residents have all the information they need. Plus, tools like announcements, quick votes, a forum, and a community calendar help build a connected and engaged community.

Guest Experience Management App

Our next app helped our client improve their guest experience by replacing printed marketing materials and the need for phone calls with a smart solution. Now, guests can easily order in-room dining, make reservations, and interact with staff— through a simple tablet in their room. The solution includes three parts: a custom in-room tablet with a variety of services, an admin panel for hotel staff and service providers, and a backend system that connects everything together. This approach makes things easier for guests and staff, improving both convenience and efficiency.

Existing Customers First: Building Loyalty with Personalized Touchpoints

Keeping existing customers is not just a strategy; it’s well-known that retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. In fact, research shows that it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. KPMG named customer retention as the number one revenue driver for the company.

Moreover, a 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a 25% to 95% increase in profits, showing the significant impact loyal customers can have on a business’s bottom line. Retention strategies, like personalized experiences and loyalty programs, can foster long-term relationships and generate recurring revenue, ultimately making them an invaluable part of any business model.

Personalization: How Technology Can Help?

Everyone loves to feel special—it’s part of being human. In hospitality, personalization has evolved from being a luxury to an essential standard. With the right technology to manage your data effectively, you can deliver those “wow” moments that guests won’t forget.

More than half of hotel chains are already using personalization features on their websites, booking platforms, and apps, and another 39% are planning to follow suit soon. They’re tailoring experiences to fit guest preferences perfectly.

Source: Deloitte

How does technology make it happen?

CRM Systems: They help you keep track of guest preferences, booking history, and special requests so you can offer services tailored just for them.
Loyalty Programs: Personalized rewards and offers show your guests that you value them, keeping them coming back for more.
AI Personalization: AI analyzes guest data to predict what they’ll love (from room upgrades to local recommendations) before they even ask.
IoT Gadgets: Smart room features like voice-activated assistants, or temperature controls adjust to your guests’ preferences, making their stay more comfortable.

With tech-powered personalization, you’re building loyalty and maximizing the lifetime value of every customer.

Our Case Study: Smart Hotel Management & Loyalty Program

For one of our clients, we created a smart room solution, complete with a custom IoT system. Guests can use a mobile app to control services, explore amenities, and find resort information-- with a special touch to their suite type. For the client’s entertainment business, we improved their legacy software by running a full IT and code check, fixing issues, and making the system better for customers.

Along with that, we developed a mobile app for the loyalty program, allowing businesses to effortlessly reward their customers and keep them engaged with exclusive benefits.

Our solutions not only helped the client with special experiences for guests; it also improved operations, cutting costs by eliminating inefficiencies. Here's what our experts shared:

"We transitioned away from ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) systems, which previously cost millions, and replaced them with more efficient, self-managed solutions. Similarly, we’ve implemented Device Farms that improved operations and saved resources."

Leveraging Software to Increase Upsell Opportunities

Here are some examples of tech tactics that will help your team sell more and introduce new offerings to existing customers, improve overall efficiency leaving your team grateful:

Dynamic Pricing Algorithms

For finance and marketing teams, manually calculating pricing by segment to introduce your clients can be incredibly challenging. AI-powered tools can strongly optimize these strategies by analyzing your database in detail.

Upselling via Apps

Boosting revenue in the hospitality business often comes down to personalized experiences. Imagine this: a guest books a room, and then your app suggests a spa package or a room upgrade at just the right moment. Later, it nudges them to book a dinner reservation or a guided tour designed to their preferences. With apps offering these personalized recommendations during and after bookings, you’re not just increasing your revenue per guest but also skyrocketing their experience. And you do it in a sustainable way, not by speculating, but by offering what your customers desire based on their previous experiences. It’s a win-win: seamless, helpful, and far from pushy.

Inventory and Resource Management Software

Making every resource count in your hospitality business is key. Inventory and resource management software allows you to effortlessly track everything from linens to room availability, ensuring nothing goes to waste. Having real-time insights to reduce overstock, avoid shortages, and optimize operations assists sustainably keep everything under control and know what you need to focus more. It helps maximize room occupancy by aligning bookings with available resources, ensuring every room and item is used effectively. This approach leads to smarter management, better guest experiences, and a noticeable boost to your bottom line.

Adopting these strategies not only optimizes your operations but also drives business growth. Ready to discover how technology can elevate your goals? We’re here to create a tailored solution for you.

Steps For Implementing a Customer Service Technology Solution

Improving customer service in hospitality doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right technology, you can smooth the path of your operations, speed up response times, and elevate the overall guest experience. Here’s where you can make it happen:

1. Understand Your Needs

Start by identifying the challenges your business is facing. Are you struggling to manage high volumes of inquiries, track customer feedback, or personalize the guest experience? Pinpointing your needs will guide you to the best solutions.

2. Pick the Right Tools

Choose technology that aligns with your goals. Look for solutions that are scalable, easy to use, and integrate effortlessly with your current systems. Options like CRM software, live chat tools, or a guest experience app can make a difference.

3. Equip Your Team

Technology is only as effective as the people using it. Train your staff to make the most of the new tools, so they can deliver exceptional service and resolve issues quickly. Confident, well-equipped staff creates happy, loyal customers.

4. Keep Improving

Once implemented, monitor how well the solution works. Are response times improving? Are customers more satisfied? Regular evaluations will help you fine-tune your approach and keep things running harmoniously.

Some Tech Ideas for Hospitality Businesses

CRM Software: Manage customer interactions and preferences.
Guest Experience Apps: Delight guests with personalized experiences right at their fingertips.
Amenity Management Systems: Simplify operations for everything from room service to facility bookings.
Helpdesk Software: Resolve customer issues optimally.
Live Chat Tools: Offer instant support and answers.
Social Media Management Tools: Keep customer interactions engaging and organized.

Integrating these strategies will not only improve your customer service but also deliver unforgettable customer satisfaction, loyalty, and, ultimately, your bottom line. Ready to take the next step? Book a consultation with our experts.

Conclusion

To wrap up everything we've discussed, customer satisfaction and experience are at the heart of hospitality. Retaining customers is more than just keeping them around—building strong, long-lasting relationships and consistently meeting their evolving needs. By understanding their pain points and offering personalized solutions, you can inspire loyalty and drive progress. With the right technology and continuous improvement, your business can stay ahead, let go of what no longer serves you, and keep growing.

At Intellectsoft, with over 17 years of experience in software development, our expert team is ready to help. We create everything from mobile apps to full-fledged portals and systems, leveraging the latest technologies like AI, Cloud, and Machine Learning. With deep experience in the hospitality industry, we’re here to craft personalized solutions that bring your business unforgettable customer experience and retain your valuable clients.

Ready to double your revenue and level up your customer retention strategy with personalized technology? Contact our experts, and we look forward to working hand in hand with you to build or revitalize the perfect app or system for you.

Tetiana Borysova

Content Writer

A Detailed Review of Patient Scheduling Software & Its Usage

What Is Patient Scheduling Software?