Digital front doors are increasingly common in the healthcare industry and act as a first point of contact for patients accessing care options. Healthcare CIOs say they have potential for growth, according to a report by the Center for Connected Medicine and KLAS Research published Dec. 7.
The new "Top of Mind for Top Health Systems" report included interviews with 72 leaders across U.S health systems. In it, CIOs were asked to discuss their use of digital front doors.
Fifty-five percent of respondents said their organizations used digital front doors as a first point of contact with patients, and 45 percent said they didn't.
"Our CEO and senior leadership recognize the digital front door is critical to our success in the future, so it has been prioritized at a system-wide level in relation to our online scheduling goals, our telemedicine goals," one CIO said.
Organizations without a digital front door expressed that it was on the strategy road map for implementation down the line.
However, other CIOs expressed that not all patients value digital interaction or even have access to it.
"We are currently integrating digital front door technology, but it isn't the only front door. We need a blend of both the human center as well as the digital approach to provide patients with optimal choices. We have a few options," one hospital vice president said.