Innovation in a Pandemic: Using Your Parking Lot as a Waiting Area

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If nothing else, today’s challenges have brought innovation to the small business world. Simple processes have turned into monumental challenges extending the cost of doing business. One company has found a way to adapt the check in process without adding cost. The challenge of the current check in systems is the touch aspect of kiosks. Even though people are willing to touch doors, pens, countertops and more, they are worried about touching a kiosk touch screen. Now comes the innovation to solve this issue.

Mobile Check In is a new app that allows patients to check in using their smartphone. This means customers no longer have to touch the kiosk. Mobile Check In can connect to any EMR system making it dynamic to all medical facilities. But wait, there’s more. Mobile Check In also allows patients to check in from up to 400 yards away from the front door, which means they can check in from their car. This extends the waiting room to the parking lot and provides social distancing. Patients can wait in the comfort of their vehicle, not worrying about other patients coughing or complaining. Best of all, the Mobile Check In app is free to patients.

Check In Systems is one of the companies that has integrated the mobile check in app to their systems. Check In Systems provides a kiosk style check in system for hundreds of physicians, hospitals, clinics and labs. For 15 years, companies have been using these patient queuing systems to organize people as they arrive and move through the office. As with most, Medical Check In has always used a kiosk for patients to sign in, but with the advent of Mobile Check In, patients use their own cell phone to connect with the existing Medical Check In product line.

How does it work? Well, the patient installs the app to their iPhone or Android cell phone. It asks to store the basic information of name, phone and email in a profile. The profile is stored and makes it easy to send all the information without having to type it each time. When the patient gets within distance of the office, the list of locations shows where they can check in. Select the location, select your profile and check in. The name, phone, email and date of birth are sent to the office check in system, notifying staff the patient is waiting outside. A simple call to the patient can let them know the office is  ready for them.

To take it one step further, some systems like Medical Check In will allow the office staff to text message patients directly from the desktop. If the patient has sent their phone number, an icon will appear on the display. One click on the icon and a canned message will be sent saying “We are ready for you. Please come in”. While the mobile check in app is free, the text messaging feature does have a nominal charge for the messages. 

Mobile Check In is available to any office or EMR but the EMR company must register the physician's location and the connection requirements of the software. This is just one way innovations are keeping business moving in a touch free world. Watch for more ideas to evolve as we continue to conquer the pandemic.