ETMC to implement Unibased's Consumer Access and Scheduling for Healthcare web application

East Texas Medical Center (ETMC) has announced its selection of Unibased Systems Architecture, Inc. (Unibased) consumer portal, Consumer Access and Scheduling for Healthcare (CASH) to simplify and expedite access for services. The web application is fully integrated with the Unibased ForSite2020^® product suite and it will improve the access process. Providing 24/7 web access to service scheduling and registration eliminates several of the impediments consumers experience in obtaining their healthcare needs.

According to Susan Shockey, Director of Referral Services at ETMC, “Improving ease of access for patients is an important and continuing effort at ETMC. We expect the consumer portal from Unibased to be a powerful addition to our access center, and wanted to be the first in our area to offer this added capability to our patient population. The fact that it incorporates all the existing rules and clinical content of our core scheduling system is an added bonus.”

Cindy Borders, Unibased Vice President, Client Services and Support, suggested, “The impending national healthcare bill is expected to increase demand on hospital access management departments by about 15%. CASH offers an alternative to expanding staff and facilities in order to meet the this new demand as well as increases due to retiring baby boomers by allowing healthcare consumers themselves to schedule (or reschedule) their needed services in the privacy of their own home on the web, as well as the ability to update or verify their demographic detail and payor information in a convenient and secure manor. This capability also will be very helpful to people who may not have time to call and schedule services during normal working hours. Every schedule and registration provided by the consumer reduces the labor otherwise performed by the access management personnel at the hospital. Because CASH is completely integrated with ForSite2020, schedules are conflict-free based upon resource availabilities, and current demographics are available for verification instantly. This makes the entire process more patient friendly and reduces the workload on hospital personnel. Everyone wins.”