How GD Psych Services Enhanced Communication and Patient Satisfaction with SMS
Introduction:
GD Psych Services, a compassionate mental health agency located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, faced challenges in effectively communicating with their patients. Dalton Enger, a manager at the agency, shared how they sought a solution to complement their secure patient portal and improve overall communication efficiency.
Challenges:
The agency's reliance on a secure patient portal for exchanging sensitive information, while necessary, presented several hurdles.
The portal, primarily email-based, required patients to remember login details and navigate through emails to access the portal link. This often led to missed communications, as patients would either overlook their emails or lose the link altogether.
Dalton highlighted the need for a way to handle simpler, non-sensitive inquiries such as appointment times, location reminders, or last-minute changes to the mode of consultation, which the portal was not designed to facilitate efficiently.
A lot of that goes through our secure patient portal, but that's email based. You have to log in through the email and remember the link and it's, it's useful, but a lot of people just don't check it very often or they lose the link or something. And a lot of the questions they have are simple.
Solutions:
MessageDesk emerged as the ideal solution to bridge the communication gap. By integrating MessageDesk into their operations, GD Psych Services was able to offer an additional, more immediate channel for non-sensitive communications.
MessageDesk allowed their team of six front desk agents to manage and respond to patient inquiries seamlessly. Whether covering for an absent colleague or sending out mass notifications about holiday closures, the team could ensure no patient query went unanswered. The simplicity and accessibility of SMS texting through MessageDesk significantly enhanced the agency's ability to maintain an open line of communication with their patients.
Dalton Enger and the front desk team at GD Psych Services unanimously praised the efficiency and simplicity MessageDesk brought to their daily operations.
"Having this avenue along with our other ones is super helpful"
Dalton remarked, highlighting the platform's role in enhancing their service delivery. The ease of sending out reminders and updates, coupled with the ability to swiftly address patient needs, underscored the value of MessageDesk as a complementary tool to their secure patient portal.
Results:
The adoption of MessageDesk led to noticeable improvements in patient engagement and satisfaction. Patients appreciated the convenience of quickly resolving simple queries like appointment times or location directions via text, a method far more accessible than logging into a secure portal.
MessageDesk allows me to see their past conversation, answer it real quickly. And it just makes it super simple. Or if we just have basic information to send out to like, Hey, don't forget that we're closed for the holiday. We can send that out with a mass text and we get way better responses than sending people emails or trying to get them off the phone because responses for those are just tough.
The ability for multiple agents to view and respond to conversations ensured continuity in patient care, even in the absence of the primary contact person. Moreover, Dalton found that mass texts about important updates received much higher engagement compared to emails or phone calls, streamlining their communication process significantly.
Conclusion:
For GD Psych Services, MessageDesk has become an indispensable tool in their communication stack. By providing a secure and efficient platform for handling non-sensitive inquiries and announcements, the agency has been able to improve patient engagement and ensure that critical information is communicated effectively. As GD Psych Services continues to navigate the complexities of mental health care, MessageDesk stands as a testament to the power of innovative solutions in overcoming traditional communication barriers.
Key Takeaways:
- Improved Accessibility: SMS texting through MessageDesk offers patients a convenient way to communicate simple inquiries, enhancing accessibility.
- Enhanced Team Collaboration: The platform enables multiple agents to view and manage patient conversations, ensuring continuity in communication.
- Increased Engagement: Mass texts about updates and reminders yield higher response rates compared to traditional emails or phone calls.
Looking Ahead: GD Psych Services plans to further integrate MessageDesk into their communication strategy, exploring new ways to leverage the platform's capabilities to meet the evolving needs of their patients and streamline their operations. Visit GD Psych Services for more information.