Report Card Time: Grading Your Healthcare Website’s Digital Front Door

Patients today expect convenient online healthcare services (see our recent post about Millennials turning 40). But where to begin? Building and maintaining a digital front door is a massive undertaking that cannot be treated as an afterthought or a part-time responsibility.

That’s why Calvient has developed the Digital Front Door Report Card. This tool helps health systems and practices quickly establish their score, identify shortcomings, and make steady improvements.

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Overview of the Grading System

Our grading system focuses on three crucial domains:

1. New Patient Engagement (50 points)
   1. This domain assesses how easily new patients can learn about your services and book appointments.
2. Established Patient Engagement (50 points)
   1. This domain evaluates the ease with which existing patients can prepare for visits, pay bills, and access the patient portal.
3. General Accessibility (50 points)
   1. This domain measures the overall usability, responsiveness, and accessibility of your website.

By evaluating these three areas, healthcare providers can identify strengths and weaknesses in their digital offerings.

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The Specifics of the Grading System and How to Calculate Your Score

To calculate your score, assess each aspect of your digital front door according to the criteria outlined below. Each criterion has a set point value, and your total score will determine your overall grade. Here’s how you can evaluate each domain:

New Patient Engagement (50 possible points)

• 30 points: Patients can book appointments online directly.
  • Or, 15 points: Patients can only request an appointment online through a form.
  • Or, 5 points: Patients have to call to book an appointment.
• 5 points: Patients can find your phone number, email address, and other contact information with 0-1 clicks.
• 5 points: Patients can find your locations with 0-1 clicks.
• 5 points: Patients can find your hours of operation with 0-1 clicks.
• 5 points: Patients can see your provider bios with 0-1 clicks.

Established Patient Engagement (50 possible points)

• 10 points: Patients can pay their bills online.
• 10 points: Patients can access their patient portal online from the home page.
• 10 points: Patients can complete their e-forms on your website.
• 10 points: Patients can leave feedback on your website.
• 10 points: Patients can look up information about their current visit.

General Accessibility (50 possible points)

• 15 points: Patients can chat with you and get answers to their questions.
• 15 points: The website is accessible to people with disabilities.
• 20 points: The website is mobile-friendly and responsive.

Total Scoring and Grading

• 135-150 points: Excellent (A)
• 120-134 points: Very Good (B)
• 105-119 points: Good (C)
• 90-104 points: Fair (D)
• Below 90 points: Poor (F)

Alright! How did you do?

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A Few Tips

1. Self-Evaluate Honestly: Use the criteria to assess your current digital front door. Be thorough and honest in your evaluation.
2. Identify Gaps: Highlight areas where your website scores low. These are your key opportunities for improvement.
3. Prioritize Enhancements: Focus on areas with the lowest scores first. Prioritize enhancements that will have the biggest impact on patient experience.
4. Monitor Progress: Regularly re-evaluate your digital front door. Continuous improvement is crucial for maintaining high patient satisfaction.

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How Calvient Can Help

At Calvient, we specialize in enhancing digital front doors for healthcare organizations. Our platforms, Channels and Practice Inbox, are designed to streamline patient engagement and operational efficiency. Channels offer features like online scheduling, bill pay, e-forms, and patient portal access, ensuring a seamless experience for both new and established patients. Practice Inbox consolidates all inbound communications, making it easier for your team to manage and respond to patient needs promptly.

By partnering with Calvient, you can:

• Enhance Patient Experience: Our solutions make it easy for patients to interact with your healthcare system online, leading to higher satisfaction and engagement.
• Increase Efficiency: Streamlined online processes reduce administrative burdens, allowing your staff to focus on patient care.
• Boost Reputation: A user-friendly and accessible website enhances your organization’s reputation, attracting more patients and fostering trust.

Regularly evaluating and improving your digital front door is essential in today’s healthcare landscape. Use our grading system to ensure your online presence meets the needs of your patients and stands out in a competitive market. With Calvient’s expertise and solutions, you can achieve excellence in patient engagement and operational efficiency.

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