Founded in Chehalis, Washington, in 1986, Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute (PCLI) has grown to be one of the region's most successful cataract surgery and laser vision correction providers. Its expansion to 17 locations in 6 states is mainly attributed to its extensive referral network of over 1700 optometric physicians from Alaska to New Mexico.
Established 1986
17 Locations
Over 1700 Optometric Physicians
6 States
Challenges
When Robert Jasa, Director of Healthcare and Information Technology, began his tenure at PCLI, the organization was sunsetting its old patient portal system. PCLI prided itself on being an innovator in its field and was looking for a platform that would allow it to continue its tradition of innovation.
"Finding a solution that could accommodate customizations was significant when we were looking for a new platform," said Jasa.
"In addition to a new patient portal, we were very interested in digitizing patient intake since it took up to 45 minutes to process new patients for their appointment."
Portal challenges
One thing Jasa wanted to change was their portal’s low adoption rate. “We needed to maximize portal functionality to help bring labor costs under control and create a streamlined workflow for staff.”
Another issue that needed to be solved was their patients' frustration with their old portal. “Nothing is worse than a call from a referring physician angry that a patient yelled at them because our portal wasn’t delivering a satisfactory patient experience. That needed to change,” said Jasa.
Intake challenges
The nature of their specialty means that most patients walking through PCLI's doors are new. Jasa elaborated, "We needed the best technology available to handle such a high percentage of new patients. Another criterion was to find an intake system that integrated directly with NextGen so that information could be digitized and put into our EHR immediately.”
"Nothing is worse than a call from a referring physician angry that a patient yelled at them because our portal wasn't delivering a satisfactory patient experience. That needed to change."
— Robert Jasa, Director of Healthcare and Information Technology, PCLI
InteliChart solutions
After researching several options available, Jasa and his team chose InteliChart’s Patient Portal and Patient Intake solution. “In addition to the dependability of the portal, the other main selling point for us was the ability to customize our intake forms,” said Jasa. Other features that weighed into their decision included:
The intuitive user experience for both patients and providers.
Portal accounts are not necessary to fill out intake forms.
Automated auto-enrollment prompts patients to create a portal account.
Autofill capabilities reduce time inputting information in the exam room.
“Since we have such a high percentage of new patients, we were excited to see the impact Patient Intake and Patient Portal would have on our workflows,” said Jasa. To help PCLI make the most of their new tools, InteliChart's implementation team was with them every step to ensure a smooth transition to the new platform and provide training.
Key Product Features
01
Intuitive User Experience
02
No Accounts Needed For Intake
03
Automated Enrollment Prompts
04
Autofill Form Fields
Studies show that 96% of patient complaints listed in provider reviews are due to inadequate communication, long wait times, and disorganized operations. A smooth portal and intake experience can drastically reduce patient complaints.
Very soon after the go-live with InteliChart, calls to PCLI regarding portal sign-up were reduced to a trickle. “The reduction of calls about our portal from patients and providers was dramatic,” said Jasa. While calls about the portal reduced significantly, portal accounts more than doubled.”
In addition to mitigating calls into the office about portal frustrations, the portal’s secure messaging feature significantly reduced calls into the office for things like prescription eye drop refills. “At a minimum, we’re looking at a 10-fold increase in our patients' use of secure messaging. That translates into a significant improvement to our staff workflows, resulting in higher rates of patient satisfaction and less stress for staff,” said Jasa.
Another win for PCLI was the time savings for processing new patient paperwork, which was reduced by nearly 75%. Jasa continued, “We knew Patient Intake would impact operations, but it's been even more striking than we expected. Patients aren’t in the exam rooms as long because our clinical techs don’t need to rekey information due to Patient Intake’s integration with NextGen, which has allowed us to increase capacity without expanding our footprint.”
“Reduced phone call volume about the portal and medication refills has had the biggest impact on our practice,” said Jasa. “If we get a call about our portal today, it’s usually an easy fix. With our old portal, helping patients was always a struggle. After 20 minutes or so of trying to help a patient, our staff would give up and tell the patient to fill out the papers. That doesn't happen today."
"It’s hard to conceptualize the impact InteliChart will make on your organization until you see it in action."
— Robert Jasa, Director of Healthcare and Information Technology, PCLI
Considerations for other healthcare providers
When asked what he would recommend to other providers looking for a patient portal and patient intake solution, Jasa answered, “It’s hard to conceptualize the impact InteliChart will make on your organization until you see it in action. But, when you see how a patient comes in with a partially filled out form, uses an iPad to finish, and then that information shows up in the patient record when they reach the exam room, it's amazing.”
Discover why some of the industry's largest healthcare organizations and EHR vendors partner with InteliChart for their patient engagement needs. We promise you haven't seen another solution like Healthy Outcomes.
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