Decatur County Hospital Evolves to Make Your Check in Experience Seamless

In the DCH Outpatient Clinic, we are excited about many updates coming to our facility that will enhance your visit. All of these updates have been done with the patient in mind to streamline your experience, provide access to specialists not available elsewhere in our region, and to continue to deliver exceptional care, close to home.

One of these updates is a new patient check-in software that will be available soon in our clinic. Starting this week, we are finalizing the testing phase to roll out a program called “Phreesia.” This system is a patient intake software that will make your visit to the DCH Outpatient Clinic more convenient, and will save you time when completing your pre-appointment paperwork. Overall, this system will enhance your patient experience, allow you to spend less time waiting in our lobby, and provide an easier way to update your information. A few of the features that will make your visit more convenient include:

1. Sending text and/or email reminders for your appointments. With this feature, you will be able to get a text, an email, or both to remind you of your upcoming visits. These messages will be sent a few days in advance, a day in advance, and about an hour in advance. This will ensure you receive a reminder in the way that works best for you.
2. Complete the check in process before you arrive. When an appointment reminder is sent, a link will be included that will allow you to complete your appointment paperwork ahead of time. Information you’ll be able to update includes medications, symptoms, changes to your address, emergency contacts, insurance, and more. By completing this process before you arrive (or while you are in our lobby), you’ll save time, ensure your information is up to date, and avoid the hassle of completing paperwork before your appointment. And, when you return for a follow up appointment, all of this information will be saved so that you don’t need to complete the entire set of paperwork each time. This will save you time, and allow for a smoother check in process when you come for your appointment.
3. Chat directly with our clinic staff. If our clinic staff need to contact you directly to ask a question about your appointment, they will be able to text or email you so that you can respond at your convenience. This feature will also allow us to communicate delays or closures due to illness or weather.

In addition to these updates, which will be available immediately upon release, we will continue to evolve this software to enhance your experience. In phase two (coming in 2023), Phreesia will also allow you to schedule your appointment through text, email, or on our website; review your insurance to determine your co-pay ahead of time; pay your bill before or directly after your appointment; and to opt in to receive health information that meets your needs.

The overarching goal with implementing this system is to make appointments at the DCH Outpatient Clinic even more convenient. With Phreesia, your experience will be seamless, and will save you time.  As we continue to evolve to meet your needs, we look forward to providing the high-quality health care you need, delivered by specialists who care.

If you would like to schedule an appointment in one of our eighteen (18) specialty clinics, call us at 641-446-2285. All of our specialists are accepting new patients, and depending on your insurance, you likely don’t need a referral.