Medical Center Lindenheuvel

Medical Center Lindenheuvel in Geleen uses the registration system from Wachtkamerschermen®. For this purpose, a connection was established with Tetra's Bricks Huisarts: the information system. The reason for contacting Wachtkamerschermen® was the increasingly long queues at the reception desk. The medical center was looking for a way to direct patients directly to the waiting room without having to check in at the reception desk, while still being registered as "present."

Suitable for low-literacy individuals

The registration system had to comply with the guidelines of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regarding privacy, and consideration had to be given to patients who cannot read and/or write well (low-literacy individuals). Therefore, they opted for the variant in which the patient simply registers by entering his/her date of birth. Should the date of birth yield multiple matches, a follow-up question will appear whether the patient wants to enter his/her postcode. Once the registration is completed, the patient can proceed directly to the waiting room. The patient's presence is automatically communicated to Bricks Huisarts, ensuring that the assistant is always aware of who is in the waiting room.

Positive responses from patients

Patients responded positively to the registration system. Partly because registration or ordering kiosks are more socially accepted, as seen in hospitals or fast-food restaurants where customers place their orders through kiosks. The practice manager of Lindenheuvel explains, "Patients are becoming more familiar with digitalization through e-Health applications such as online access to their medical records or making appointments online. We were surprised by the high number of patients who used the registration kiosk, even without any explanation or guidance. This confirms that it was a good decision to choose a registration system!"

Additionally, patients who register via the registration kiosk have a shorter waiting time: "Previously, patients might have had to wait at the reception desk until the assistant could assist them. Now they can register upon arrival and proceed to the waiting room. This saves unnecessary waiting time and creates a much more customer-friendly experience. If a patient prefers personal contact, they are, of course, welcome to approach the reception desk to check-in. That is not a problem for us either."

Reduced workload for assistants

Apart from avoiding unnecessary waiting times, the registration system also significantly reduces the workload for the assistants. With fewer people waiting at the reception desk, more time can be dedicated to other tasks, such as assisting patients with questions or requests at the desk. Furthermore, the quality of phone conversations between patients and assistants has improved since the assistant can inquire more effectively on the phone. This results in better triaging, which positively affects the doctor's consultation as they can better understand the patient's (health) situation.

"In the future, it will become increasingly difficult to find staff. By 2030, a code red is even expected for finding staff. Also, our practice is getting busier and busier. Therefore, we simply have to look for other solutions to still be able to handle all the tasks. Installing a registration kiosk, is one such solution. Furthermore, we have integrated the 'Do I have to go to the doctor' app into our website and are working on streamlining the phone line more. We are even thinking about whether we can engage AI in triage support. We are really doing everything we can to address our current challenges and prepare for the future," the practice manager said.

Finally, we asked the practice manager to respond to the common prejudice that personal contact with patients is lost with a registration system. She explains that there is actually a growing group of patients who consider personal contact during registration less important. As long as the appointment with the doctor is of high quality. And this aligns perfectly with the philosophy of Medical Center Lindenheuvel: improving the quality of care through an integrated and patient-centered approach. It's great to see that the Wachtkamerschermen® registration system contributes to this!