Patients seeking emergency or walk-in care for non-life threatening conditions have a convenient new option to consider: Wait at home instead of the waiting room.
Siloam Springs Regional Hospital Emergency Department and affiliated Express Care clinic are now offering Online Check-in -- a service intended to enhance patients' overall experience by giving them more control of the process.
"Online Check-in helps individuals know what kind of wait time to expect from the outset, and offers them the flexibility of waiting at home until closer to their projected treatment time, if needed," explains Rebecca Pearrow, Marketing Director at Siloam Springs Regional Hospital.
Launched on Nov. 8 in conjunction with a brand new website, Online Check-in is accessed through the hospital's website, NorthwestHealth.com. Individuals then select the type of care they are seeking, and a location, to receive a projected treatment time. Online Check-in is for individuals whose injuries and illnesses are not life-threatening or debilitating. Key words such as "chest pain" trigger a directive to call 911 or to go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
"This service can be extremely helpful for a parent with a small child, or for someone who is bringing in an elderly relative who is concerned about exposure to germs and viruses in the waiting room," says Pearrow. "We expect this service to be especially popular during flu season or when there is a high incidence of contagious viruses."
Here's how Online Check-in works:
1. Visit the NorthwestHealth.com website and click on "Online Scheduling."
2. Select "convenient care" or "emergency" care, and a location.
3. Choose a treatment time, and complete a brief online form.
4. When you arrive at the ED or urgent care center, staff will be expecting you, and strive to see you within 15 minutes of your projected treatment time.
5. If there is a spike in patient traffic, staff will notify you via email or automated phone call with a new projected treatment time.
Individuals who use Online Check-in aren't seen ahead of patients already in the waiting room; rather, their names are added to the treatment list based on the time they checked-in online. Unless an individual's illness or injury requires expedited care, patients are treated in the order they registered.
"We know everyone's time is limited and valuable, which is why Online Check-in is such a valuable tool," adds Pearrow. "Mobile devices allow individuals to check-in online from anywhere ... the soccer field, the daycare center, work or home--making the service easy and convenient to use."
General News on 01/11/2017