Using a tablet to check in at the office

[cvdc]

Hello-

I would love the advice/experience of people out there using a tablet to check in at the office.  We would like to be able to hand a tablet to a patient to have them confirm their demographic information as well as complete any forms or check lists or histories needed for their visit.  Anyone out there having great experience doing this?

We would like it populated with current information so they only have to change what is new or provide an update so we aren't asking for them to fill out redundant information.

Thank you-Christine

[friscoeyeassociates]

I would contact Crystal Tech Support about setting up online forms. This is the only to integrate demographics, med history, and office forms all at once.. You could use a TOPAZ signature pad for demographics and HIPAA signature capture, but medical history would have be done manually.

[miraeye]

I've been using an iPad for a couple of years. You have to set up your online patient forms webpage first. CrystalPM has video tutorials on how to do this. Once you get that set up, you have to set up your tablet's web app to show the link to the online patient forms. For previous patients, you generate a passcode in your CrystalPM software in the Patient/Files area. This will pull up previous information of the patient, and they can just look over what needs to be changed. For new patients, they fill out everything. After they press submit, it is on Crystal's server until you import it through Crystal's software. You can set the amount of time it can be on the server. I think there's a video for that as well. Once you get it going, it's pretty easy. You can ask Crystal to code the online forms to include required data like cell phone, birthday, etc. so that an error pops up and won't let them submit until all the information you require is entered. I think about 20-30% ignore the health history (including medications) unfortunately, so you may have to go through that with them again. =( Yet, I would at least require the demographics because that's not something you want to waste your time on. Besides, you review the health history with the patient anyway. I used to do the fill out paperwork on laminated forms, but I got tired of reading illegible handwriting... and then patient's blame us that they never got the phone call because the 4 looks like a 9. The only caveat is people who refuse technology, but don't let them fool you.. majority of them have smart phones and are capable of filling out a tablet. I would at least have them fill out the demographics, and you can even enlarge the screen for them.. something you can't do with paper that easily.

The iPads I have are dedicated just for the online patient forms. Basically, the tablet has so many restrictions on it, so they can't download anything, delete any apps, browser history automatically deletes when the app is closed, can't web browse, etc.