Last Updated Oct 2012
Most patients are accustomed to receiving a clipboard and paper questionnaire to fill out when checking in at their therapy clinic. But what about an iPad? Embrace the technology with the number of therapy apps available today.
In an effort to better understand patient satisfaction and outcomes, one group of physical therapy and occupational therapy clinics has eliminated the use of a traditional paper health status questionnaire. Instead of filling out a paper questionnaire, AthletiCo patients use an iPad to fill out their initial health status questionnaire.
A health survey is also filled out by a patient at mid-treatment and discharge. Repeating the survey throughout the therapy treatment provides information about a patient’s progress, the need for treatment modifications, overall improvement and a patient’s satisfaction with the treatment received.
The information gathered on the iPad's therapy apps combined with the FOTO® data collection service enables AthletiCo to better measure patient outcomes and patient satisfaction. The technology allows AthletiCo to look at the data by region or nationwide to determine how well some therapy professionals are doing and see areas that need improvement. The information is built around patient’s feedback and really provides a clear picture into how each clinic is performing.
One concern with making the switch from paper surveys to a computer format was with patients who are not comfortable working on a computer. President and Founder of AthletiCo, Mark Kaufman, PT, ATC, believes the technology was well received by patients of all ages. The large, user-friendly, intuitive interface on the iPad makes it easy for patients to input their information.
Beyond being able to gain a better understanding of your business, an electronic patient data capture system provides additional benefits. Physical therapists no longer have to dig through a paper file to find specific information. Files are accessed online and a simple search allows staff to find specific information in an instant. The need for support staff to input patient information into
the systems is reduced as well.
The electronic patient data collection through the therapy apps also allows physical therapists more time to focus on the patient instead of paperwork. Information is also easier to share with other physical therapists at any clinic location.
To learn more about using an iPad and FOTO technology at your practice, listen to the full podcast with Mark Kaufman, PT, ATC, AthletiCo Founder and President at PTTalker.com.
Click here for more articles and information on PT Talker.
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