LabFinder Aids Doctors and Medical Test Centers in Improving the Patient Experience

More than ever before, with the help of new health information technology (IT) systems, patients are able to better navigate health care in a quick and easy way. But where does that leave doctors? The inefficiencies in filling out patient’s charts and other workflow tasks have always been a huge issue. So isn’t it about time for a health IT to help doctors eliminate the inefficiencies and allow them to dedicate more time to treating more patients?

A patient visit is short – roughly about fifteen minutes. And if they’re healthy, a short visit is a good thing. But if they’re really sick, especially when the reasons are unknown, the visit can quickly become a race against the clock, and every moment counts. That’s where medical tests becomes especially important, and the results of those tests need to come in fast.

In our recent article about improving the patient experience, we discussed how much health care providers relied on medical test results to make a diagnosis. Robert Segal, M.D., a renowned cardiologist and founder of LabFinder, knows the whole process of medical testing is as difficult a task for doctors as it is for patients. So with his business partner and friend, Chris Cecora, they’ve built a health IT system that could help both doctors and patients streamline the multi-step process of getting medical tests done.

LabFinder is an online scheduling portal and test result depository. With its HIPAA-compliant document storage, health care providers can view and manage their patient’s medical test results through a convenient online portal. Additionally, prior and present test results are readily available during patient visits for health care providers, as patients can easily pull up their test results at anytime on their mobile devices. This eliminates the need for duplicate tests and maximizes the productivity of patient visits. Before, when a doctor wasn’t able to see a patient’s previous test results, they would, more often than not, order another round of the same test. And during that time, because effective treatment can’t start without a proper diagnosis, the patient’s condition could worsen.

For the doctor’s staff, LabFinder can benefit in many ways as well. Doctors and patients are notified when the test results are ready, which reduces the number of unnecessary calls from patients and medical testing centers for the office administration. As a result, with less workload, office staff can dedicate more time to patient care – not on hold with the lab, tracking down records for patients.

For participating labs and radiology centers, LabFinder helps attract and engage new patients and referring doctors. In addition, no-shows are reduced with our email and SMS reminder notifications, thus improving efficiency at the center. And LabFinder’s online scheduling works 24/7, so patients can book appointments even when a doctor’s office, or test center, are closed.

Easy access to test results, that are free of medical jargon, will engage and encourage patients to follow their health, even for long-term conditions, such as high cholesterol or diabetes. For health care providers, patients who are more aware of their health status are better prepared during visits and are more receptive towards treatment plans. With LabFinder, Dr. Segal notes, medicine can be more social and personable, and less intimidating. It has always been the doctor’s job alone to plan out a patient’s health care, but with LabFinder, patients are now fully able to participate in the planning process alongside doctors, as partners. And let’s be frank: the key to good health is making sure every party involved is up date, fully informed, and ready to take on that challenge. You know, minus the test-tracking that creates an added headache for your patients.

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LabFinder is a no-cost, online platform for people to easily schedule their medical tests and view results securely. The LabFinder team is passionate about improving the ‘patient and doctor experience’ through better communication, reduce out-of-pocket expenses and making everyone know more about their own medical tests. The mission of LabFinder is simple: we want to be solution to you and get you the test results you deserve so you can make right choices about your health.

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