Before

After

Sharon Lim Mei Kheng, Tina Phua Yen Tin

Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOC)

Improving Patient Communication Through

Enhanced SOC Appointment Card

Background

There are many mode of communications to promote our initiatives to increase patient awareness, but patients seldom notice them. This depends on the visibility of the banners, posters and standees. Printed materials given to patient are more impactful for communication.

Aim

To reduce patients’ need to call the clinic or call

centre when they need to reschedule their

appointment or check on what documents were

required to be brought.

Methodology

We brainstormed and noticed that patient will bring

along their appointment card for every visit as the

card reflects their follow-up appointment details.

Hence we decided to improve on the SOC

appointment card, incorporating Quick Response

(QR) code to access Health Buddy mobile

application, instructions to patients on what to bring

for every visit, and what to do in the event of

medical emergency.

Results

Clear instructions and communication to

patients, hence reducing their need to call clinics

or call centre.

Patients are able to access Health Buddy readily

through the QR code to reschedule their

appointment, hence also increasing awareness

of the application.

Information presented on the appointment card

is user friendly and convenient, thus improving

patients’ experience.

Conclusion

With more relevant information provided in the new SOC appointment card, communication to patients is

improved, and hence patients have better knowledge on what they can or are required to do with regards

to their appointment. This potentially helps to save time answering calls for the staff in the clinic and call

centre, thus staff are more focused. Overall, this initiative helps to improve operational efficiency and

also patient satisfaction level. All printed materials will be reviewed half-yearly.

Figure 1. Percentage of eAppt & mAppt utilisation for Apr 16 – Apr 17.