Case Study: Georgia Southern University - Innovation for Service & Efficiency

Together with Medicat, Georgia Southern University Student Health Services has increased efficiencies, improved delivery of services, and decreased no-shows.

Medicat understands the challenges of College Health and partners with our clients to support student well-being and success.

With the leadership of Director Diane Norris, RN, BSN, and Medical Director Brian M. DeLoach, M.D., Georgia Southern University Student Health Services utilizes Medicat’s Immunization Compliance Management system to monitor and manage communicable diseases.

"There are times throughout each school year that students come into our clinic and present with symptoms that could be a communicable disease. In each case, the system provides data on potential students at risk that is invaluable.” says Norris. "The bi-directional GRITS interface continues to save a tremendous amount of time for our staff and provides timely information on immunization administration from outside providers."

Georgia Southern implemented the Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services (GRITS) in 2015. This immunization registry interface allows GSU staff to obtain student immunization records from outside providers, as well as submit information on immunizations given at the Health Center to the registry seamlessly.

Innovation for greater efficiencies and service delivery.

Combining the features of Patient Portal, Self Check-In, and text message reminders, GSU SHS has also gained efficiencies throughout their facility by customizing their appointment scheduling, which has resulted in a significant decrease in "no-shows."

DeLoach says Medicat’s software and services have been a game changer for Georgia Southern University SHS:

By using Medicat's reporting function, we were able to identify most patients want appointments within the same day or next day; and, most no shows occur in appointments that were booked further than 48 hours in advance.

In Fall 2017 we used Medicat's appointment module and online Patient Portal to set up our appointments based on what we call a rolling 24 hour advanced access program. This means that when a student logs into the portal to search for an appointment at any given time, the portal will show them all available appointments over the next 24 hours beginning one hour later than the time they logged in.

For instance, if I log in at 10am on Monday, I will see all available appointments between 11am Monday and 10am Tuesday. However, I cannot book an appointment beyond that 24 hours. If I log in an hour later (11am), it will show me appointments between 12pm Monday and 11am Tuesday.

After initiating this program, our overall no show rate decreased by 33%! (No-show rate is defined as number of no-shows divided by number of unique appointment slots available.)

Way to go, GSU SHS! Student safety, quality care, and greater efficiencies are all indicators of College Health success. Medicat team members are dedicated to our clients’ success and partner with them to create solutions that take student well-being and staff efficiencies to the next level.

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