Preparing for Flu Season: Health Departments, Clinics Nationwide Turn to Online Business Calendar for Managing Flu Shot Appointments
Health departments, clinics, wellness groups and other healthcare facilities nationwide are preparing for the upcoming flu season by incorporating Appointment-Plus into their appointment-setting processes. The online business calendar software provider offers such functionality as patient self-scheduling, automated e-mail and text message reminders, and robust reporting capabilities.
Scottsdale, AZ (Vocus) August 11, 2010 - Medical practitioners and administrators throughout the country have begun planning for the upcoming flu season, which for many includes finding a way for improving and automating the manner in which they schedule and manage their immunization appointments. From unanticipated numbers of individuals seeking flu immunization to long lines and vaccination shortages, the 2009 flu season revealed the importance of a proven scheduling process. That’s why a growing number of medical providers and facilities rely on Appointment-Plus online business calendar for this important task.
Appointment-Plus, a leader in online appointment-scheduling software since 2001, gives medical providers and facilities the tools they need to streamline their appointment-scheduling procedures and create a customized patient scheduling system. It offers such beneficial features as: online reservations system, whereby the individual can view available dates and times and schedule his or her appointment online, 24 hours a day; automated e-mail and text messages sent prior to a scheduled appointment; online payment options; robust recordkeeping and reporting; and e-marketing capabilities, which many medical professionals and facilities use to inform their patients of pertinent news, upcoming clinics, and other relevant information.
Practitioners and facilities that offer online patient self-scheduling can add a button to their Web site where patients can securely and quickly access the online scheduler. This popular feature of the online business calendar can have an immediate and positive effect on scheduling procedures, as it will reduce the number of phone calls and in-person registrations, thereby freeing up staff time for other tasks.
Appointment-Plus is also ideal for managing the more traditional call-in and in-person appointments, as it provides more functionality than a paper appointment book or an electronic calendar such as those offered by Google or Microsoft Outlook.
“Preparation is important when offering flu shot vaccinations and clinics,” says Bob La Loggia, president and founder of StormSource Software, the developer of Appointment-Plus online reservations system. “Our software is playing a key role as medical professionals and facilities begin planning their schedules for the upcoming flu season.”
The versatility of Appointment-Plus online business calendar enables it to fit seamlessly into most facility scheduling operations, regardless of size. From single-site health clinics on the West Coast to county health departments in New England encompassing numerous offices, facilities large and small that utilize the online appointment software run more efficiently and successfully. Clients that currently utilize Appointment-Plus scheduling software include Horizon Wellness Group, Hicksville, NY; Westport Weston Health District, Westport, Conn.; and Weymouth Health Department, Weymouth, Mass.
As a Web-based scheduling application, Appointment-Plus doesn’t require costly hardware or program installations. Administrators and staff access their scheduler securely and easily through any Internet connection, a tremendous benefit for practitioners and staff who manage their schedules from their phones, PDAs and other mobile devices when at home, on the road and other sites outside the office or facility.
Pricing starts at $39 per month (based on 500 appointments per month) with no long-term contracts, along with free set-up assistance with a dedicated coach.
“The sudden rush for flu shots last year caught many healthcare providers off-guard,” La Loggia continues. “Appointment-Plus can help these individuals and groups better manage their vaccination schedules by completely automating and streamlining their processes.”
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