| | DEC 18 - JAN 198CIOReviewThere is an ongoing discussion in the healthcare industry as to why healthcare hasn't embraced new technologies and new ways for customers/patients to interact with providers as other industries have. Why can't a patient just book an appointment in much the same way that customers book restaurant reservations on OpenTable or airline reservations with their preferred airline?It is a worthy discussion because patients are expecting that type of ease of interaction but what isn't always obvious to patients is that appointments with healthcare providers require a lot more documentation and "authorizations" in many cases than these other types of modern-day mobile-phone based interactions. Working these extra documentation requirements into an online user interface is not all that straightforward.Let's look at an example of a patient who would like to book an appointment with a cardiology specialist. In order for the medical office to fulfill this appointment and have a high level of confidence that they will be paid for it, they will need to have a few documents readily accessible to them prior to the patient's arrival. Very likely, the patient will have insurance and By Rich Temple, VP & CIO, Deborah Heart and Lung Center, Browns Mills, NJWHY HEALTHCARE'S UNIQUE DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS MAKE IT HARDER FOR PATIENTS TO SEAMLESSLY INTERACT WITH PROVIDERSRich Temple
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