Online Registration

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The following reflects a discussion between Sam Bowen, MD and Sena Palanasami of Visolve.

Permitting “On-line Registration” would require creating a new Access Control Object with phpGACL called “Patient” and may require two different categories “New Patient” and “Established Patient”.

New Patients would be allowed to register and enter all demographic data on-line. Once registered they could be allowed to schedule their own visit. Then either automatically or after practitioners office review they get an instant confirmation by e-mail or by cell phone (text message).

The addition of a patient interaction method will have several advantages. This will reduce man power in doctors admin work in taking a new patient and improve the work flow. The patient can do this at any time (7X24) This will allow computer registration of new patients in the lobby. Both New and Established patients will be allowed to “Check in” in the lobby and privately enter a chief complaint. HIPAA precludes asking in the lobby what the patient is their for.

This causes one of the great dilemmas that is faced in the ambulatory setting. NO ONE wants a patient with chest pain sitting in the lobby waiting for their turn in line. Having a patient having a heart attack in the lobby is just not explainable to anyone. But this is the current HIPAA privacy requirement.

I think this will require a new "patient" phpGACL category of privileges. We could then allow patients to review their personal medical record on-line. The patient could be allowed to print their record or generate either a PDF or HTML copy of their record from any where in the world. This would have significant advantages in terms of availability from any emergency department (or medical facility) in the world. This can have a large impact in India, Pakistan and Nepal where access to specialists is more difficult. It would be easier for a remote primary care doctor to get medical records to a hospital based specialist to review the record of a patient for a consultation.