Navigating the complexities of modern college health centers requires innovative solutions and a deep understanding of student needs.

In this interview, we delve into the insights of Medicat’s Customer Success Manager, CJ Pellegrino, to uncover strategies for optimizing health center operations and enhancing student support.

1. How can student health centers improve their intake process for new students?

A. Starting at the very beginning of the student experience, clients can use the Blaster tool to email newly enrolled students instructions on how to access/utilize the Patient Portal.

Clients can then use the Patient Portal to instruct students on how to schedule an appointment – either by utilizing the Self Scheduling functionality, or by directing them to call your clinic or send a secure message.

For full optimization, we recommend implementing the self-scheduling functionality to allow for other uses of client resources.

Once the student is scheduled for their appointment, we can set up online forms to present prior to their appointment (up to 7 days in advance) or as the student is checking in.

By setting up longer, nonacute forms (such as the Health History form) for the student to complete in the days prior to their appointment, it will save valuable time during the check-in process, improving your clinic’s efficiency.

These small changes can add up to vastly improve the student experience.

2. What are the most common ways you’re able to help college health clinics optimize their workflow?

A. If a clinic is looking to optimize their workflow, I normally suggest the following:

• Setting Up Automated Intake Forms: Automating intake forms can streamline the patient onboarding process. For instance, using tools like the Template Txn Linker, clinics can automatically populate the EHR Patient Summary Screen with relevant information from these forms, saving time and reducing errors.

• Setting up Note Favorites and Quick Type: Creating template notes and quick type options can expedite documentation. By having pre-set templates for common scenarios, clinicians can quickly complete notes, ensuring consistency and accuracy. This saves critical time that allows clinicians to focus on student care, rather than tedious documentation.

• Utilizing Preload Answer Template Options: This feature enables clinics to preload answers from previous check-ins or allow students to complete them during their current visit. By integrating this data directly into the notes, clinicians can have a comprehensive view of the patient’s history, improving the quality of care.

3. How can technology be leveraged to streamline appointment scheduling and reduce administrative burdens?

A. Effective appointment scheduling is crucial for the smooth operation of college health clinics. Leveraging technology can significantly streamline this process and reduce administrative burdens. Here’s how:

• Guided Scheduling with Message Boxes: For clinics that have self-scheduling in place, they can also include various message boxes which can provide additional guidance to students. For example, special instructions for each specific appointment reason can be displayed during the scheduling process, ensuring students have all the necessary information.

• Self Check-In for Walk-In Appointments: For clinics that allow walk-in appointments, the Self Check-In module is invaluable. It allows students to schedule walk-in appointments using a kiosk, bypassing the need for front desk assistance. This not only streamlines the process, but also frees up staff to focus on other tasks.

4. Do you have tips on how to enhance communication between health centers and students?

A. Sure do! Here are several tips to enhance this communication:

• Use the Blaster Tool: The Blaster tool allows you to send the same message to a large group of students simultaneously. This is perfect for general announcements or updates that need to reach many students at once.

• Implement the Notification Tool: The Notification tool can be set up to automatically notify or remind students of important items. For example, you can schedule notifications to go out one day before a student’s appointment. These reminders can also direct students to complete any necessary forms, ensuring they are prepared for their visit.

• Utilize Secure Message Templates: Secure Message Templates make one-off communication faster and more efficient. By having pre-written templates, staff can quickly send common messages without having to write them from scratch each time.

• Leverage Secure Messaging: Secure messaging can be very beneficial for direct communication with students. If there are concerns about allowing students to message specific providers, consider setting up a generic provider (like “Front Desk” or “Health Clinic Team”) that multiple users can monitor. This ensures that all messages are addressed promptly.

• Maximize Patient Portal Message Boxes: Utilize the message boxes in the Patient Portal to their full potential. You can create a checklist of steps that students need to complete, with hyperlinks that take them directly to the relevant section. This streamlined approach helps students easily navigate and complete required tasks.

By implementing these tools and strategies, health centers can significantly improve their communication with students, leading to better-prepared appointments, reduced no-shows, and enhanced overall student engagement and satisfaction.

5. How can colleges improve the immunization verification process on campus?

A. There are four main suggestions that I give to college health centers when it comes to improving the immunization verification process:

• Student Submissions via Patient Portal: Allow students to enter their immunization dates and upload associated documents directly on the Patient Portal. This eliminates the need for email or paper submissions, making the process more efficient and accessible.

• Mandatory Document Uploads: Implement a system where students must upload a document when entering an immunization date. This ensures that clinics receive the necessary proof before verifying immunizations.

• Clear Instructions on the Patient Portal: Use the blue immunization headings on the Immunization Page and the message box at the top of the screen to provide additional instructions to students. Clear guidance helps students understand the requirements and process better.

• Automated Verification with VeriVax and State Registries: For a fee, clients can use VeriVax and/or integrate with their state immunization registries for automatic verification of vaccine records. VeriVax can be particularly beneficial for campuses with a significant percentage of out-of-state students, as all vaccines from these interfaces are automatically verified, without a need for staff to manually review student records.

6. How can clinics utilize data analytics to improve their health services?

A. Clinics can significantly improve their health services by leveraging data analytics and reporting tools within their systems. Here’s how:

• Identify Common Appointment Reasons: Utilize reporting tools to determine the most frequently used appointment reasons. For instance, if many students visit for flu-like symptoms in November, consider hosting a flu shot clinic in October as a preventative measure.

• Analyze Peak Times: Use data to identify the busiest times of the year or days of the week. This information helps optimize staffing, ensuring adequate coverage during peak periods, especially for part-time employees.

• Export Data for Further Analysis: Reports can be exported to Excel for deeper data management and analysis, allowing clinics to tailor their services and outreach programs based on specific trends and needs identified through the data.

7. How can health centers collaborate with other campus departments to promote overall student wellness?

A. Some successful strategies that I’ve seen implemented on campuses of all types include:

• Utilizing Referrals: Health centers can use the Referral Manager in Medicat One to track and manage referrals between various clinics, ensuring coordinated care and streamlined communication.

• Internal Messaging: Clinics can enhance communication by using internal messaging to share patient-related information with other users or clinics. The ability to link specific client charts to internal messages facilitates seamless information exchange.

• Permission Setup: By configuring permissions, clinics can control the amount of information automatically shared across departments, ensuring privacy while fostering collaboration.

Key Takeaways

Optimizing college health center operations requires a multifaceted approach that prioritizes student needs and harnesses the power of technology.

By implementing strategies such as streamlined intake processes, efficient workflows, and enhanced communication, health centers can significantly improve the overall student experience.

Additionally, leveraging data analytics and fostering collaboration across campus departments are essential for achieving optimal outcomes.

Get a sneak peek of our EHR with a self-guided product tour or connect with a member of our team.

Navigating the complexities of modern counseling clinics on college campuses requires innovative solutions and a deep understanding of student needs.

In this interview, we delve into the insights of Medicat’s very own Customer Implementation Specialist, Joelle Koka, to uncover strategies for optimizing counseling clinic operations and enhancing student support.

1. How can a counseling clinic improve its intake process for new students?

A. To enhance the intake process, clinics can automate intake forms using the Medicat Patient Portal and allow self-scheduling of appointments, making services more accessible.

This change benefits students, who often prefer to schedule appointments online. It also reduces some administrative burden on staff members to create and manage new appointments manually.

Additionally, our Mobile Self Check-in (MSCI) feature enables students to complete assessment questionnaires on their phones in the waiting room, ensuring accurate and timely insights into their well-being.

This also reduces administrative burden and helps keep appointment time focused on care, rather than assessments or paperwork.

2. What are the most common ways you can help counseling clinics optimize their workflow?

A. One way I help counseling clinics optimize their workflow is by implementing standardized documentation through note templates and forms.

Using standardized documentation provides reportable data that provides valuable insights in decision-making and process improvement.

Note templates and forms also reduce decision fatigue and help documentation to be completed sooner.

Another way I help clinics optimize their workflow is by streamlining tasks.

We have many features in Medicat that can help decrease repetitive tasks such as adding transaction codes to your notes.

Using the Manage Default Codes function in your note types can post common transaction codes automatically to decrease searching and adding transaction codes to your note.

3. How can college counseling clinics enhance communication with students?

A. Utilizing our patient portal’s secure messaging, blaster, and notification tools can significantly enhance communication.

Automated messages for appointment confirmations, reminders, cancellations, and surveys, including notifications via text, ensure students stay informed and engaged.

It’s super easy to set these automations and templates up in the platform – it’s one of my favorite features to help clients set up!

4. What do you suggest clinics do to reduce no-shows and student wait times?

A. To reduce no-shows and student/client wait times, I suggest utilizing our notification tool for appointment reminders!

College students are busy, so having a tool to send reminders via secure message or text can have a dramatic effect on minimizing no-shows and late cancellations.

Additionally, using charting efficiency tools like auto-replace shortcuts and templates reduces time spent on documentation, ensuring students are seen in a timely manner. 

5. What strategies or tools can improve the success of outreach programs?

A. The new Outreach module in Medicat One helps manage and track outreach events.

By generating reportable data on attendance and event details, clinics can make informed decisions on which outreach events to continue or cut back on based on student interest and participation.

6. How can counseling centers collaborate with other campus departments to promote overall student wellness?

A. It’s becoming increasingly common to have integrated clinics on college campuses. Integrated clinics within college health encourages collaborative care, leading to improved student outcomes and a focus on patient-centered care.

Counseling centers can collaborate with other campus departments by educating staff and faculty on available services and empowering them to be mental health advocates.

7. How do you help counseling clinics effectively measure and report on impact?

A. First, I help clinics identify which data is most important to them. Then, we leverage our platform’s capabilities to track and analyze this data.

For instance, by utilizing transaction codes, clinics can gain insights into areas like call volume and identify potential service gaps.

Our team provides training on data customization and reporting to ensure clinics can effectively measure and communicate their impact.

8. How can counseling clinics collaborate with other campus departments to promote overall student wellness?

A. Counseling clinics can empower staff/faculty to be mental health advocates to create safe spaces for students to seek support whenever the need arises.

They can create a more supportive campus environment by equipping them with knowledge about available resources and strategies for identifying students in need.

Key Takeaways

By implementing these strategies and leveraging technology, counseling clinics can significantly enhance their services, improve student outcomes, and create a more supportive campus environment.

Medicat is committed to partnering with college counseling centers to achieve these goals.

If you’d like to see our Counseling EHR in action, take an interactive product tour on your own time.

Questions? Looking to get the conversation started? Get in touch with our team today.

When people think of college, they often picture students in the traditional 18-22 age range. However, a significant and growing portion of the student population is comprised of non-traditional students. Non-traditional students can include those returning from military service, part-time students, parents, or those simply seeking a degree later in life. These students bring diverse experiences and face unique challenges that require tailored support to ensure their success and well-being.

Table of Contents

In this blog, we explore eight tips designed to enhance the experience of non-traditional students on your campus and ultimately, improve retention.

1. Promote Regular Health Screenings

Encourage regular health screenings for non-traditional students. Given their often busy schedules outside of school, providing these services on campus offers significant convenience and ensures they have easy access to essential health care.

These screenings can help detect potential health issues early, allowing for timely intervention. If your campus doesn’t offer them, partner with local healthcare providers to offer on-campus screening events for blood pressure, cholesterol, vision, and hearing, etc.

2. Create a Supportive Environment

Ensure that the campus environment is accessible and inclusive for all students. This can include:

• Installing ramps and elevators for easy mobility
• Offering plenty of seating areas throughout campus
• Ensuring accessible restrooms and gender-neutral bathrooms
• Offering assistive listening devices and captioning services in lecture halls and event spaces
• Creating family-friendly spaces and childcare facilities for students with dependents
• Offering flexible class schedules and online learning options for part-time students
• Providing military-specific support services and spaces, such as lounges or resource centers

Learn more about creating an inclusive college campus here.

3. Encourage Physical Activity

Physical activity is vital for maintaining health at any age or stage of life. To accommodate the diverse needs of non-traditional college students, consider organizing a variety of inclusive and accessible exercise options such as:

• Low-impact exercise classes, like yoga, tai chi, & walking groups
• Schedule classes at various times to accommodate students with other obligations such as full-time jobs or dependents
• Ensure fitness facilities are accessible and offer adaptive equipment for students with disabilities
• Create a welcoming gym environment with clear signage, approachable staff, and supportive policies for students who may feel intimidated or out of place
• Offer virtual fitness classes and resources for students who may prefer or need to exercise at home

By implementing these strategies, you can foster a welcoming and supportive fitness environment that encourages all non-traditional students to stay active.

4. Foster Mental Health and Well-Being

Mental health is just as important as physical health. Ensure that your campus offers  counseling services tailored to the needs of ALL students. For instance, create support groups for parents enrolled at your school where students can share their experiences and connect with peers. Additionally, provides resources for stress management and mindfulness practices.

Need help connecting students to resources available on your campus? Download our guide: 22 Innovative Ways to Promote Campus Resources.

5. Nutritional Support and Education

Nutrition plays a key role in a healthy life for all college students. Offering educational workshops on balanced diets and nutritional needs tailored to student’s diverse needs can be highly valuable.

For example, host a “Healthy Cooking on a Budget” workshop for students with families or a “Quick and Nutritious Meals” session for part-time students with busy schedules. By addressing the unique nutritional requirements of these students, you can support their overall well-being and academic success.

6. Professional Development and Lifelong Learning

Encourage all non-traditional students to engage in lifelong learning and professional development. Offer workshops, seminars, and courses that cater to their diverse interests and career goals (and ensure evening or weekend sessions are available to accommodate working students and those with family responsibilities).

Colleges can also create opportunities for mentorship programs where experienced students, such as veterans or older adults, can share their knowledge and experience with younger peers. Additionally, virtual career fairs and networking events can connect non-traditional students with potential employers and widen their professional networks.

7. Promote Social Connections

Evidence shows that social isolation and loneliness can significantly harm health, increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, anxiety depression, and more. Social connections are vital for emotional well-being.

To support this, colleges can host social events and activities, encouraging interaction among all non-traditional students. This can be achieved by creating family-friendly events like campus picnics or movie nights to accommodate students with children.

Additionally, support groups or social clubs specifically for veterans or working students can be invaluable in fostering a sense of community and providing peer support. Events like book clubs, cultural outings, and volunteer opportunities can help build a supportive network and foster a sense of belonging among non-traditional students.

8. Utilize Technology for Health Monitoring

Technology can elevate the support and well-being of all non-traditional college students. Colleges can provide regular informational and training sessions to help students become comfortable using health technologies, catering to different technological literacy, schedules, and availability.

Make sure health tech tools are accessible for all students, offering adaptive features and support as needed. Additionally, promotes virtual health consultations and telehealth options for students who may have limited access to on-campus health services.

Key Takeaways

Supporting the health and well-being of non-traditional students can enrich your campus community. By implementing these tips and utilizing available resources, we can help to create an inclusive, supportive environment that promotes a positive college experience for all.

Discover effective strategies for linking students to essential resources by checking out a recording of one of our recent webinars, Connecting Students to Key Resources: What, Where, and How.

In our exclusive interview with David Porras Jr., Assistant Director of Business and Clinical Operations at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), we delve into the transformation of their Student Health & Wellness Center. Learn about their journey with Medicat, the challenges they faced, and the remarkable improvements in service delivery and clinical efficiency.

Q: Can you give a brief description of UTEP and your Student Health & Wellness Center?

A: I’d describe UTEP as having a diverse student body, mainly comprised of commuting and international students. Our Counseling and Psychological Services is a completely separate service. We send plenty of referrals to Counseling and Psychological Services, but then the prescriptions for depression and anxiety get sent back over to us in Student Health. We see a variety of insured and uninsured (self-pay) students. Plus, we comply with the requirements for academic programs like nursing and pharmacy.

Q: When did you first start using Medicat?

A: We started using Medicat 13 years ago. I implemented the software about 1-2 years into my position, transitioning from a paper-based system for charting and billing to going fully electronic within six months for all of our college health billing.

Q: What challenges necessitated transitioning to using an EHR product?

A: Billing was not administered by practice management personnel specialized in business operations. There were no fee schedules, and since we had outsourced to a billing company, they took a significant cut of the payments. Eventually, an internal audit revealed 22 critical issues that we needed to address. We discovered that Medicat offered practice management features, electronic claims processing, and an intuitive interface, addressing these challenges.

Q: What made Medicat’s EHR & billing and insurance solutions work for your clinic?

A: Choosing an EHR that had practice management features and front-office capabilities was our main goal. The other features Medicat offered were just the cherry on top. Practice management features such as electronic claims processing, ease of use of issuing credits and refunds, and appointment scheduling were some of the most helpful features to our clinic at the time. We integrated Medicat with Waystar, which vastly reduced processing time for all of our payments.

Q: How did you go about introducing our solution to your team? Was there pushback? A sigh of relief? Celebration?

A: Some of our staff were initially hesitant to switch to an electronic system. Our on-site training sessions with Medicat staff helped overcome resistance. Once trained, they found the system to be more intuitive and user-friendly than our previous paper-based system.

Q: Has working with students improved since implementing Medicat?

A: Absolutely! Students appreciate the ease of filling out consent forms and gaining a better understanding of insurance claims and billing, as these services are no longer outsourced. I really enjoy educating students on insurance and working with them to ensure they can afford the care they need.

Q: What have you been most impressed with during your Medicat experience?

A: The collaborative approach to quickly resolving issues and implementing new features that enhance both the staff and student experiences.

Key Takeaways

By addressing the University of Texas at El Paso’s unique challenges and streamlining its operations, Medicat has played a pivotal role in enhancing efficiency and improving the overall student experience. We take pride in our commitment to helping college health centers run more efficiently, offering not just an EHR solution, but a partnership dedicated to the success of student health services. UTEP’s journey is a testament to our shared mission of making a positive impact on the healthcare landscape of college campuses.

Data privacy is a critical concern in today’s digital age, especially when it comes to sensitive information like electronic health records (EHR) in college settings. SOC 2, which stands for Service Organization Control 2, is a set of protocols and controls developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It’s specifically designed to assess and audit the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of data handled by service organizations, including EHR software providers.

With the increasing reliance on technology in healthcare, it’s crucial for colleges to understand the basics of data privacy in college EHR systems, the benefits of SOC 2 compliance, and how to establish robust data privacy protocols.

A+ for Security: How SOC 2 Compliance Safeguards College EHRs

Achieving SOC 2 compliance is crucial for companies like Medicat that handle sensitive student data. A breach or unauthorized access to patient information can have severe consequences, including identity theft, medical fraud, and compromised patient care. By complying with SOC 2 protocols, colleges can demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding patient data and ensure that the highest standards of security and privacy are maintained.

Furthermore, SOC 2 compliance is often a requirement for colleges that provide healthcare-related programs or research. Many regulatory bodies, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), require institutions to implement adequate security measures to protect patient data. SOC 2 compliance serves as a validation that the college’s EHR systems meet these stringent requirements.

The Differences Between SOC 1 and SOC 2, Plus Type I and Type II Reports

SOC 1 and SOC 2 are distinct report types within the Service Organization Control (SOC) framework, which is designed to evaluate and disclose controls and security practices. SOC 1 compliance focuses on controls pertinent to financial reporting, primarily relevant for service providers affecting their client’s financial statements, such as payroll processors or financial institutions.

Conversely, SOC 2 compliance addresses controls encompassing security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. SOC 2 applies to service organizations like colleges and health centers that manage sensitive data, without a direct impact on financial reporting. In essence, SOC 2 compliance provides assurance that the organization has implemented protective measures to safeguard sensitive information and maintain the reliability of its systems.

Within the SOC 2 umbrella, there are two types of reports: Type I and Type II. Type I acts as an assessment of an organization’s compliance posture at a single point in time.

In addition, SOC 2 Type II (the certification held by Medicat) is a continuous assessment of an organization’s security controls, processes, and practices. Instead of just capturing compliance at one particular moment in time, a Type II Report evaluates security protocols over a multi-month period to ensure ongoing compliance.

Benefits of SOC 2 Compliance for College EHRs

SOC 2 compliance is a widely recognized framework for assessing the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of an organization’s systems. When colleges comply with SOC 2 standards, they demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding personal health information (PHI). Achieving SOC 2 compliance offers numerous benefits beyond meeting regulatory requirements. Some of the key benefits include:

• Enhanced Data Security: SOC 2 compliance ensures that robust protocols and controls are in place to protect patient data from unauthorized access, breaches, and data loss. This enhances the overall security posture of the college’s EHR systems and safeguards sensitive information.
• Improved Reputation and Trust: SOC 2 compliance serves as a validation of the college’s commitment to data security and privacy. It helps build trust among stakeholders, including patients, healthcare providers, regulatory bodies, and funding organizations.
• Competitive Advantage: SOC 2 compliance can give colleges a competitive edge when competing for healthcare-related programs, research grants, and partnerships. It demonstrates the college’s ability to handle sensitive data securely and responsibly.
• Reduced Legal and Financial Risks: Non-compliance with data security regulations can result in significant legal and financial consequences, including fines, penalties, and lawsuits. Achieving SOC 2 compliance mitigates these risks and helps protect the college from potential liabilities.
• Streamlined Operations: SOC 2 compliance requires colleges to implement robust processes and controls, which can lead to improved operational efficiency. This includes standardized workflows, enhanced data management practices, and streamlined incident response procedures.

Compliance with SOC 2 standards also helps colleges identify and address any weaknesses in their data privacy protocols. Through the audit process, colleges gain insights and recommendations for improving their EHR systems’ security and privacy measures.

In an increasingly digital world, students and their families are becoming more conscious of data privacy. By demonstrating SOC 2 compliance, colleges can earn the trust of those who value their privacy and security.

Key Takeaways

1. Ensuring the confidentiality of student health information is paramount within college EHR systems. To safeguard students’ data effectively, achieving SOC 2 compliance is essential.
2. By prioritizing data privacy and following best practices, colleges can ensure the security and confidentiality of student health records, instilling trust among stakeholders and maintaining compliance with regulations.

Learn more about Medicat’s own secure hosting protocols and SOC 2, Type II Compliance.

Interview with Bethany Baughman, RN BSN CPN, and Customer Onboarding Specialist at Medicat.

Is your school considering switching to an EHR and wanting to learn more about how the Patient Portal would work? Or are you a current client looking for some more tips and tricks on best utilizing the Patient Portal? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

One of our amazing Customer Onboarding Specialists, Bethany Baughman, is here to help. She has guided over 70 schools in implementing the Patient Portal and has firsthand experience with Medicat from the college perspective, having worked as a nurse at the University of Tulsa’s Health Center.

Keep reading to become a Patient Portal expert!

1. In simple terms, how would you describe the Patient Portal?

The Patient Portal is an online tool that allows students to log in and:

• Securely communicate with their provider(s)
• Enter immunization records and view their compliance status
• Schedule appointments across multiple clinics
• Upload documentation to their record
• Complete any required forms

2. Does the Patient Portal integrate with most Student Information Systems?

Yes, the portal does integrate with most SIS systems. This is especially helpful when it comes to billing student accounts. Plus, we’re able to create student profiles in the Patient Portal based on information imported from the SIS (Demographic Feed). We work with the school to set this up as soon as the onboarding process begins.

3. What features of the portal do you think are most helpful?

• Self-scheduling based on clinic parameters: This is often an underutilized feature because many clinics are not used to exposing their calendars to their campus population. However, there are plenty of opportunities to set controls so that self-scheduling works for your specific clinic or campus. College students are already using apps and websites to schedule appointments, so they really appreciate the option to schedule online.
• Utilizing secure messaging: I love that Medicat automatically records provider-student interactions in the chart. It eliminates the need to copy and paste emails into patient records, and it ensures privacy since email is not a secure or HIPAA-compliant communication method.
• Simplified prescription refills: Prescription refill forms can be completed on the portal and sent directly to providers for review. This feature is fantastic, not only for prescription refills but also for requests for services in Accessibility/Disability Services Clinics. It really helps remove barriers to care. 
• Sending educational resources to students post-visit:  I frequently used this feature when I worked as a nurse. I created educational handouts on various topics and attached them to notes so students could access them anytime on the portal. Instead of giving students paper handouts that might get left behind or lost, they can easily access relevant educational resources through their phones.

Take a peak at our Patient Portal below!

4. Do you have specific tips for helping a Student Health Clinic maximize the power of the Patient Portal?

Of course! One of my favorite tips is using the portal to collect subjective data related to the patient’s issue prior to the appointment with appointment-specific forms. This better prepares providers for the appointment and helps save time!

Bethany’s Advice for ALL Clinics: The more you reference the portal and send students to the portal, the more they will utilize it! It can be as simple as being firm on not accepting any documents or appointments that are not submitted via the portal.

5. Any specific tips for Counseling Centers?

Be open-minded about the features that are available. You can start small and add on to the features you utilize as you become more comfortable with the system and its options.

6. What about tips for Immunization Compliance?

I have clients who make videos to walk students through the process of submitting their Immunization Records. This helps reduce the amount of cleanup needed for student records with duplicate entries, and more. Check out this awesome tutorial a student from Eastern University created to show other students how to use their school’s Patient Portal.

7. What efficiency or productivity gains have you seen from a clinic implementing the Patient Portal?

So much time is saved by allowing students to self-schedule appointments, submit their immunization records, and upload supporting documentation through the portal. This gives clinic staff more time to listen to students’ concerns, plan outreach events, and analyze clinic-wide reports. In other words, your clinic will have the space and time to grow, rather than just trying to stay on schedule each day!

8. Is there a feature you feel is underused that more clients would benefit from?

1. Self-Scheduling: There are so many controls around self-scheduling, but many people don’t want to feel like they’re “losing control” of their schedules. I think that the campus populations are pretty tech-savvy and can navigate more than we think.
2. Subjective data collection prior to the appointment: This is a powerful way to gather information ahead of the appointment so that providers are better prepared for the appointment. Plus, the clinic tends to run more efficiently.

Key Takeaways

In conclusion, the Patient Portal is at the forefront of healthcare’s digital revolution, offering numerous benefits for both students and providers. It transforms how patients access and interact with medical information, fostering greater transparency, convenience, and engagement. With features like secure messaging, self-scheduling, and simplified prescription refills, the Patient Portal significantly enhances your clinic’s workflow.

This piece was contributed by Mary Kuchenbrod, VP of Data Operations at Arcadia, an analytics platform for data-driven healthcare organizations. To learn how you can deliver faster decisions and better results using advanced healthcare analytics, visit Arcadia’s website.

Across the healthcare spectrum, clinics are having to adapt their traditional IT processes to handle increasing volumes of patient data, and with more challenging demands for breadth and depth. Without the right tools, they risk not being able to derive meaningful insights from clinical data which could result in making uninformed decisions.

That’s why advanced approaches and tools are necessary for streamlined data collection, storage, sharing, and analysis. When data management is done effectively, downstream analytic outputs help providers make the right decisions at the right time without any additional costs. 

In this guide, we’ll discuss how data management tools are solving healthcare’s greatest data difficulties, including:

• Data Storage
• Data Interoperability
• Data Safety 

The way that healthcare organizations store, share, and analyze data today has future consequences. For a healthier tomorrow, clinics should embrace the power of analytics and let it transform their processes. Let’s explore how they can do that in the next sections.

Data Storage

With a single patient generating nearly 80 megabytes of data each year in imaging and EMR data alone, healthcare data volumes are only expected to expand. Therefore, organizations need a reliable IT storage solution that can keep their patient data accessible without risking privacy concerns. 

The optimal storage solution should allow for:

• Data organization: File management can be a pain for clinics. Your online storage solution should be able to eliminate chart chasing and give you access to the patient data you need when you need it.
• Scalable growth: As your clinic grows, your data volume will inevitably increase. The amount of patient information and medical records will continue to balloon, so you’ll need to choose a solution that can handle new data input without causing growing pains.
• Reliable security. Ensuring the privacy and security of patient data and mitigating risk must be considered. Encryption, access protections, and row-level permission settings are critical to ensure your patient data is kept safe. 

To find the right data storage solution, many clinics turn to high-level analytics vendors that can provide what is known as a data warehouse. This organized repository stores all usable healthcare information retrieved from EHRs, insurance claims, HIEs, lab databases, and other critical data sources.

Data Sharing

Data storage isn’t the only problem clinics need to tackle. With siloed systems and multiple sources of truth, another common issue is data fragmentation or the occurrence of division within your documentation. 

At best, these divisions cause clinics to spend too much time interpreting data from scattered IT systems. At worst, they can cause poor clinical decisions. However, the right tools for data sharing can help your team avoid potential problems by increasing: 

• Employee efficiency. Tools like EHR integration keep data readily accessible. This enables employees to make the best use of their time and avoid provider burnout caused by hefty task loads.
• Care collaboration. Integrated EHR systems provide a platform for clinicians to seamlessly share and problem-solve through organized, transferable insights.
• Patient engagement and retention. Cleaner file management can lead to an increase in patient retention and engagement as additional patient nuances are taken into account. 

When leveraged properly, analytics tools can lead clinicians away from reactive medical treatments and toward preventive medicine. This means clinicians are no longer adjusting their treatment plans based on a limited pool of immediately available data. Instead, they are using aggregated EHR data from multiple sources at the point of care.

Data Safety

Data safety is the final hurdle healthcare organizations must jump through. Once a scalable data storage solution is established and data sharing is made more accessible, robust measures are needed to ensure that data quality remains high over time, so that clinicians can feel confident in their patient data. 

Managing data quality over time can be a risky endeavor, with the unexpected happening constantly. Just like driving a car, each one of us tries to drive as safely as possible, but other drivers on the road or even the weather could mean you end up in an accident. Data management needs to be approached with the same safety precautions to minimize harm in the event of a data crash. 

That’s where data seatbelts come in. A strong portfolio of safety checks should include: 

• Continuous monitoring. Your healthcare data is changing all the time. For each data batch, ask, “Did I get the data I expected? Was it in the right format? Did the information it contained align with previous batches?” For EHR data, this could look like measuring the volume over time of key clinical concepts.
• Disaster recovery and backups. Preventing a data crash requires reliable backup options. Make sure your team has a comprehensive data safety plan complete with redundant storage options for data restoration.
• Root cause analysis. If the data suggests any inconsistencies or promotes unexpected actions, conduct an analysis to make sure the data is standardized to reveal any underlying issues. Address these issues quickly to maintain data integrity.

A substantial benefit of good data management is that it builds trust in your organization’s data recovery processes. The best ongoing practices assume that something will go wrong, flag it when it does, and isolate that data from moving downstream and negatively impacting your operations.

Increasing data volumes demand improvements in existing healthcare IT systems. The adoption of strong data management tools and techniques can help healthcare organizations set the pace for improved capabilities. Additionally, smart data management can help your team improve its efficiency and increase capacity without increasing risk.

How is patient privacy ensured? How does Medicat differ from its competitors? What about integrations with your health clinic?

These are all questions we’re happy to answer for you! We understand that switching to a new EHR is not easy, so we want to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed and confident decision. Continue reading to view answers to our most common questions regarding Medicat’s Counseling EHR Solution.

Wondering how you can take your counseling center to the next level? Medicat’s Counseling solution is the future of mental health clinic management. When creating our product, we collaborated with mental health leaders from dozens of universities to ensure our solution would meet our customers’ needs.

Picture this: a paper-free counseling center with an exceptional student experience, robust documentation options, effortless practice management, and an efficient way to supervise trainees. This can all be possible with Medicat’s Counseling EHR.

Have other questions that weren’t answered here? Reach out to our team today!

Electronic health records (EHRs) are essential for keeping health and counseling clinics organized and for promoting efficiency among providers and staff members.

Patient Portals in particular are a key tool to help enhance the student experience. At first thought, many may think that EHRs solely enhance clinical workflow and efficiency, but an exceptional EHR system can benefit both providers and their patients.

Here’s how EHRs can enhance student education and empowerment:

Enhancing Accessibility for All Students

EHRs can help promote patient education by giving students the freedom to easily access their health information and any associated educational resources online.

When students have virtual access to this information, it’s much more convenient for them to engage with their health anytime, anywhere. Although providers verbally communicate information during appointments, students may forget details or wish to share the information with others.

By providing a way for students to review this information, they can ensure they didn’t miss anything, leading to better engagement in their health. This empowerment can reduce anxiety, improve medication adherence, strengthen patient-provider relationships, and enhance health outcomes.

The Power of Secure Messaging

Within your EHR system, you likely have the option to securely message students to further boost patient education and empowerment. With secure messaging, patients and providers can communicate with each other in a safe, confidential manner.

According to, The HIPAA Journal, secure messaging has been shown to “accelerate clinical workflows and help accelerate patient throughput, reduce the potential for medical errors, increase patient satisfaction, improve clinical outcomes, and significantly reduce costs while ensuring compliance with HIPAA.”

Furthermore, with secure messaging, students can easily reach out to clinic staff with questions as they arise, eliminating the hassle of phone tag or waiting until their next appointment.

As a result, this significantly increases patient satisfaction, as students get their questions answered much more quickly and responses are tailored to them and their health history. Students may even feel more comfortable disclosing information via a secure messaging portal rather than face-to-face with their provider, resulting in more thorough patient care.

Moreover, students may choose to provide health information to their providers through secure messaging. For example, students may be able to take their own blood pressure or glucose level readings, so that their provider can easily provide additional care.

Digital Documents and Resources

Additionally, providers can attach or upload digital documents into their EHR system for students to view.

For example, following an appointment, providers can attach relevant educational materials, discharge paperwork, or test results. This empowers students to access detailed information about their visit, conduct further research, and take an active role in managing their health.

Moreover, adopting digital documentation can significantly reduce the administrative burden on staff. By eliminating the need for paper-based records, clinics can streamline processes, save time, and create a more organized and efficient workspace.

This allows healthcare professionals to focus on providing high-quality care and building stronger relationships with their patients.

Optimizing Outreach Events

Along with informational resources and medical documents, clinic staff may also want to promote upcoming events.

For instance, student health centers may want to promote their upcoming flu clinic, and counseling centers may want to notify students of a meditation workshop during finals week. This helps students take advantage of the programming clinics work so hard to organize.

The possibilities for boosting patient education and engagement through an EHR system are virtually endless! With strategic planning and effective communication, clinics can use their EHR to maximize outreach efforts and provide students with the support they need to thrive.

Learn more about connecting students with key resources here.

Key Takeaways

EHRs do more than just help with clinic productivity and efficiency. They also help promote patient education. Furthermore, an effective EHR system allows students to easily access their health records, communicate with clinic staff, receive valuable resources, and attend helpful events.

Rather than having to worry about patients forgetting what was stated during an appointment, EHRs can do all the work for clinic staff while also giving patients the tools they need to further their knowledge to reach their health and wellness goals.

Curious about the impact an EHR can have on your campus? Check out how Abilene Christian University improved the student experience using automated messages, simple check-in forms, and text reminders.