Online Self-Scheduling Engages Patients, Eases Workloads and Increases Appointment Numbers

Baptist Health Care has combined two strategies – revenue cycle automation and patient engagement – to attract and retain patients in a competitive Florida market. Two of the largest competitors for the Pensacola-based Baptist – a three hospital system – are Ascension and HCA Healthcare.

"Patients absolutely have choices," said Amy Purvis, corporate director of Patient Access for Baptist Health Care.Baptist Health Care is very focused on attracting consumers and referrals from both employed and independent providers, Purvis said. To give patients another reason to schedule with them, Baptist began using revenue cycle automation called R1 RCM for online self-scheduling. The push to add more online scheduling has been ongoing for two-and-a-half years, maybe three, Purvis said. It started with mammogram screenings.

Like other digital innovations such as telehealth, the new technology got trial by immersion during one of the COVID-19 surges. The team used the online self-scheduling technology to manage the vaccination process. During the fourth surge in August, Baptist had more admissions due to COVID-19 than it ever had before.