Getting the office ready to transition from manual processing to online patient intake forms can seem difficult. In reality, the transition relies on how well your office staff can communicate. If you lack a secure forum for sharing notes, consider using one of these apps.
Evernote
Evernote is a great app for tracking communication within your office. Your staff can type notes directly into Evernote, copy and paste from another location, or even clip directly from your existing schedule.
The app is secure, but it’s still a good idea to avoid uploading PHI into the app directly. Depending on how many notes your staff creates and shares, you may want to upgrade your subscription to Plus or Premium status. Even if you select the highest level, Premium, your cost is only going to be $49.99 annually.
OneNote
Microsoft OneNote organizes notes by “notebooks,” and you can lock each sheet to require a password before opening. While you can share “notebooks” between members of your office staff, it will require an upload and download with each share. OneNote also offers apps for all mobile devices.
Microsoft OneDrive
If you create a secure folder within OneDrive, you can share any type of document through this portal. Similar to OneNote, every entry will require an upload and download. However, any information saved to OneDrive remains until removed manually. As a result, you will need to be extra vigilant to ensure PHI is not kept within the cloud. If you do retain information in this form, ensure your liability protection insurance will cover such communications.
Google Docs
Google Docs is like an online version of Microsoft Word. Your team can make edits to the document in real time, and other office staff can see who made these edits. In addition, Google Docs includes voice typing, which could make taking notes much easier during peak hours of operation.
Dropbox
Dropbox provides the same services as Microsoft OneDrive, but it includes the real-time editing of Google Docs. Dropbox also has a locking feature that would require a username and password to access documents. The simplest way to use Dropbox is for distribution of completed notes at the end of the day. For example, notes that are pertinent to the next morning could be shared to all staff members before closing.
Sharing information is critical to improving your time management skills. To learn more about other ways to increase the efficiency in your office, download our guide, “Don’t Be Late to the Appointment! A Guide on Time Management." Once you’ve shared the included note at the end of the guide through one of these apps, contact Practice Sense to get started with online patient intake forms.
