Allegheny Health Network partners with DocASAP on new
booking technology
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 26,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allegheny Health Network (AHN)
patients now have a new option for self-scheduling a doctor's
appointment – by booking online, right from their computers or
smartphones, in just minutes.
"Patients are telling us they want more
autonomy, and tools like these," said Deborah Duffy, SVP Patient Access.
AHN is now one of just a few large health systems in the country
to offer self-scheduling for primary and specialty services.
According to HealthLeaders magazine, about 88% of health systems
see patient self-scheduling as a top access and investment
priority, but only about 3% currently have that capability – and
only a few are actually acting on those plans, the magazine
reported in July 2022.
"At AHN, we know that exceptional care isn't just about
providing outstanding medicine – it's about breaking down barriers
to care and providing better access and an easier experience for
our patients," said Deborah Duffy,
Senior Vice President, Virtual Health and Access for AHN. "Online
self-scheduling eliminates a lot of the hassle involved in making a
doctor's appointment."
In other words, less time on the phone with call centers or
reception desks.
When patients visit AHN.org's "Find Care" portal
(findcare.ahn.org) and search for a primary care provider or a
specialist, the search will return a list of providers. Many of
those provider bios now feature a "make an appointment" button
beside the provider's name.
By clicking on the "make an appointment" button, patients will
be taken to the provider's online scheduling tool, which shows the
provider's short-term availability and next available
appointment.
From there, the online booking tool directs the patients to a
decision tree and asks them a series of questions (reason for
visit, date of birth, and a few others related to insurance
coverage) and then asks them to select an available appointment
window. Lastly, the tool asks the patient to confirm the
appointment.
The technology interacts seamlessly with AHN's MyChart patient
portal. After the appointment is confirmed through the "Find Care"
tool, the patient receives an immediate MyChart notification.
"Patients are telling us they want more autonomy, and more tools
like these," Duffy said. "As a network, we are committed to
delivering consumer-friendly technologies that allow patients to
access health care on their own terms."
Caregivers are enthusiastic about AHN's new self-scheduling
option. Historically, physician practices have been resistant to
giving up control of their appointment books, but at AHN, practices
have collaborated with the network's access and IT teams every step
of the way, on this and other access-improvement initiatives
"Our physicians understand that providing world-class medicine
is only one part of the care equation," said Donald Whiting, MD, Chief Medical Officer for
AHN. "Ensuring convenient access to our providers allows patients
to more easily take advantage of the many medical services that we
offer. Our new self-scheduling technology is a game-changer for
both patients and caregivers."
AHN has partnered with DocASAP, a leading patient access and
engagement platform, to implement the new self-scheduling system.
DocASAP, a part of Optum, which serves a variety of health systems
and health plans nationally, is based in Virginia.
To date, more than 2,000 patients have successfully
self-scheduled their own AHN physician appointments using the new
option, which launched this summer. Currently, patients may
self-schedule primary care, orthopedic, and OB/GYN appointments.
More specialties, including cardiology, will be added in the near
future.
"As an industry, we need to meet people where they are – and
increasingly, they are online," Duffy said. "This is a truly
patient-centered access advancement, and it has the potential to
improve health and well-being in meaningful ways."
Patients can also continue to request appointments via email
through their MyChart app, or by calling 412-DOCTORS in the
Pittsburgh area (814-CONNECT in
the Erie region).
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About the Allegheny Health
Network:
Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org) is an integrated healthcare
delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network
is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health +
Wellness Pavilions, an employed physician organization, home and
community-based health services, a research institute, and a group
purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access
to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including
nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care,
trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer
care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women's
health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs
approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,600 physicians on its
medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic
Medicine.
About Optum:
Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled
health services business dedicated to helping make the health
system work better for everyone. With more than 210,000 people
worldwide, Optum delivers intelligent, integrated solutions that
help to modernize the health system and improve overall population
health. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). For more
information,
visit www.Optum.com.
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SOURCE Allegheny Health Network