Where To Start And Why: Building A Digital Front Door

A digital front door is a strategy healthcare organizations use to integrate different digital healthcare solutions onto one platform. It’s meant to provide patient autonomy while optimizing care provision.

Implementing a project of this scope can be daunting for some. In this article, we’ll be covering why you need a digital front door and where you can start when implementing it for your organization.

One might be asking, why would we need a digital front door in the first place? Why go through all the trouble of setting up this elaborate network when you can just implement a few digital services and be done with it…

The thing that most who ask these questions tend to miss is that a digital front door isn’t just about creating digital versions of solutions that you already offer. Of course, that’s going to be important especially in a pandemic-stricken world – but what about afterward?

What happens in the future when the world is inevitably going to be more digitized? People are expecting organizations regardless of industry to have simple and accessible digital solutions for all their needs. Healthcare is one of them.

Digital front door strategies allow healthcare networks to provide not just digital solutions, but the means for patients to effortlessly access them en route to a personalized journey. By allowing for multiple entry points and endless possibilities, patients can get the care they need in a streamlined and seamless manner.

This means improved patient outcomes and higher satisfaction. For organizations, this means higher revenue, partially because of better patient retention, but also from a more efficient workplace.

All in all, a digital front door improves your patient’s individual experiences and provides a more streamlined way to receive and improve healthcare provision.

Digital front door strategies are relatively new, it’s hard for some to understand why they’ve become so prevalent. What makes them so worthwhile and is it even right for my company to use them?

While answering these questions can vary, there are plenty of concrete reasons why digital front doors are worth implementing.

Upgrading Your Portals

A lot of healthcare systems have already implemented digital portals to improve their care provision. While this is a big step, it’s not going to be enough.

Digital front doors can expand the scope of your portals partially by making them simpler. Patients typically don’t like remembering a dozen different passwords to access all their different healthcare portals, so why not compile all those services into one?

Unified Solutions

Implementing a digital front door allows patients to engage with every key point in their healthcare journey. Everything from scheduling an appointment, paying for services, to communicating with providers is all there through a DFD program.

It also leads to fewer applications and accounts to manage for patients. Providers can enjoy all the rewards of this greater efficiency while staying HIPAA and TCPA compliant.

Patient Autonomy

You may have noticed that DFD strategies place a lot of trust and emphasis on patients making their own decisions. This is the leading idea behind DFD technology, as greater patient autonomy leads to more personalized experiences.

This not only improves a patient’s ability to get the type of care that they want, but it also takes a lot of stress away from administrators and staff. You could think of it as a strategy that benefits both sides.

If you’ve decided to implement a digital front door strategy, the first question is always “where on earth do I start?”

This can be tricky, especially if you’re not accustomed to digital healthcare services. But fear not – we’re here to provide you with actionable steps and strategies to get you on the right path.

Establishing a Need

First, you need to understand why you need a DFD strategy. What does this mean for your patients? Your staff?

How do you expect your patients to engage with your DFD strategy? What sort of channels do they use to access care? When are they doing so?

Knowing the answers to these questions helps you brainstorm the exact services and products you’ll offer through your DFD services.

Imagine what you want your patient DFD experience to be like. This helps you pinpoint the resources you’ll need, like integrations and proper digital infrastructure.

The most important thing with DFD is that it’s available 24/7 and offers an entry point for various chat, scheduling, and other functions by logging into the service once. Anything your patients need as it relates to information, resources, and care provisions should be there.

Don’t forget about your staff members as well. DFD is a great opportunity to improve their workflow and overall efficiency. What are some ways that they can automate functions and streamline workflow? Which DFD features can improve collaboration across departments or networks?

What if you already have a healthcare platform set up? Think about how your DFD can integrate with existing systems. How can you transfer all that digital data?

The point is, DFD strategies aren’t simple and you need to think through all of your needs before implementing any solutions. Never lose sight of your patient’s needs. Your staff members should also be considered when making these decisions.

Building a Foundation

Now that you’ve assessed all your needs, it’s time to build your digital front door. The question is, should you build it from the ground up…Do you have the time? Revenue? and team to do so?

Or, do you want to take a proven path, a path that has been implemented and utilized by some of the biggest Health Systems in the country… Enlyt exists just for this.

Vendors can give you the tools to add all the DFD features you’re looking for through Enlyt’s robust building platform. Whether it’s user-friendly portals or scalable tools, Enlyt can provide everything you’ll need.

Taking that first step to implementing a digital front door strategy can be daunting, but it’s a great first step nonetheless. Use this article to create your own path and start on the right foot.

For more information on digital front doors, check out our resources page.