The healthcare sector is integrating cutting-edge technology such as self-service kiosks to help provide quality care through effective service delivery. Self-service kiosks are interactive digital touchscreens that allow patients to do certain chores without the need for assistance (Darzentas & Petrie, 2019). Kiosks are a fast and efficient approach to collect patient data, resulting in more accurate and efficient data sharing across numerous stakeholders. This technology can improve patient care by allowing departments and organizations to collaborate more efficiently and speeding up decision-making (Darzentas & Petrie, 2019). Although self-service helps improve efficiency in the delivery of patient care, some people believe that it is difficult to use.
Advantages and Disadvantages
There are both advantages and disadvantages of using a self-service kiosk in a healthcare setting. Some of the advantages include increased appointment check-in speed, increased efficacy, less labor, and less of a paper trail, all of which result in cost savings (Darzentas & Petrie, 2019). The technology also reduces human contact, which is a major aspect, especially during a pandemic. Apart from the advantages, a self-service kiosk also has some disadvantages. For instance, there is a need for a person to explain how the system operates (Darzentas & Petrie, 2019). Based on this, older or less tech-savvy patients may choose to go to a location with a person rather than deal with the high-tech use of kiosks.
How Patients May Perceive a Reduction in Dedicated Staffing
Some patients may perceive a reduction in dedicated service as reduced quality to healthcare. There are patients who are more likely to prefer the face-to-face connection and personal touch of dealing with personnel, preferring immediate eye contact and an appealing grin to a screen (Duque et al., 2017). As a result, some patients, such as elderly persons who are less confident with electronic devices, find it difficult to use self-registration gadgets.
References
Darzentas, J., & Petrie, H. (2019). Patient self-service paradigms in hospital and healthcare service design settings. In-Service Design and Service Thinking in Healthcare and Hospital Management (pp. 447-462). Springer, Cham. Web.
Duque, S., Giaccardi, E., & van der Cammen, T. J. (2017). Integrated Care for Older Patients: Geriatrics. In Handbook Integrated Care (pp. 469-495). Springer, Cham. Web.