Specialist eye care provider, Newmedica, has launched a user-friendly, online appointment booking service for cataract patients, powered by Healthcode’s advanced ICE scheduling technology.
Self-funded patients can now search more than 30 Newmedica locations for the closest clinic or surgical centre to them, check available dates and times and then complete their booking with ease from their PC, tablet or smartphone. The online booking service enables Newmedica to offer convenience and certainty to patients who can now confirm their appointment slot immediately without having to call the facility or submit an inquiry form and wait for a response.
All this is possible because of Healthcode’s innovative ICE Widget on the Newmedica website which seamlessly and securely connects to the provider’s own diary system in real-time This technology is already widely used in the hospitality and travel sectors but marks a step forward for the private healthcare sector, opening the way for a smoother booking process, while ensuring accuracy and certainty for patients.
The new ICE Widget offers healthcare providers a flexible and cost-effective way to introduce real-time booking directly to patients, taking advantage of Healthcode’s Integrated Channel Exchange (ICE), a central scheduling system which links healthcare providers with any front-end booking service. Providers only need to insert one line of code into their website to add the ICE Widget, saving them the significant development costs involved in creating an online booking system from scratch. It is also fully customisable so providers like Newmedica can ensure it reflects their company branding, capture the specific patient information they need during the process to manage each journey and create a bespoke confirmation email.
Neil Wilkins, Head of Marketing at Newmedica said: “We’re excited to launch our new book online service, which will make it quicker and easier for patients to access private treatment with one of our expert consultants. Our partnership with Healthcode and implementation of ICE means that users will be booking appointments in real-time, ensuring a seamless journey for patients and helping us to operate more efficiently and effectively.”
Mike Gregory, Senior Product Manager at Healthcode said: “We’re delighted that Newmedica was quick to recognise the potential of the ICE Widget, and we believe many other healthcare providers will see the same opportunity. Just as platforms such as OpenTable transformed the way we book restaurants, patients increasingly expect healthcare appointments to be just as easy to find and book online. From single practitioners to multi-site clinic groups, organisations can embed a fully integrated booking experience into their website by adding a single line of code. This helps improve patient access, prevents double-bookings, increases efficiency and delivers a seamless booking experience for both patients and practitioners.”
