Select a Product
Time to Complete: May take up to 6 months
Difficulty: Requires careful research and consideration
Outcome: Selection of an online appointment scheduler
Steps
- Research vendors.
- Make a decision.
What You'll Need
- Time toresearch vendors
- Vendor references, background checks
- Time for discussions
- Decision-making authority
- Money to pay for online appointment scheduler
Resources
- List of vendor URLs (1-page Word document; About downloading files)
- Questions for vendors (2-page Word document; About downloading files)
- Reference feedback form (1-page Word document; About downloading files)
Where to go for Help
If you need a consultant to help with this work,visit FP Assist, AAFP's clearinghouse for consultants.
Medfusion (now Intuit Health), an AAFPMember Advantagepartner, offers a discount on its online appointment scheduler.
Steps
Research vendors
Include these in your research:
- Consider using AAFP Member Advantage partner Medfusion (now Intuit Health), which offers AAFP members a discount on its online appointment scheduler.
- Your website vendor also may offer an online appointment scheduler.
- Consult this list for the URLs of some other vendors you could consider (1-page Word document; About downloading files).
- Talk to vendors with products that appeal to you. Explain your practice needs. Ask these questions (2-page Word document; About downloading files), or develop your own questions.
- Get family medicine references from each vendor you like. Use this feedback form (1-page Word document; About downloading files) to organize reference feedback, or create your own form. The references are busy practices like yours, so expect some delays.
- For vendors with good references, run background checks to determine viability (whether the company is likely to stay in business).
Make a decision
Discuss the most promising vendors and their products with the team and with other providers in the practice, then select a product.
What You'll Need
- Time to investigate vendors
- Vendor references and background checks
- Time for discussions
- Decision-making authority
- Money to pay for online appointment scheduler
Resources
Download this list of URLs for several vendors who offer online appointment schedulers (1-page Word document; About downloading files).
Download this list of questions (2-page Word document; About downloading files) for use when you talk with vendors about their products.
Download this feedback form (1-page Word document; About downloading files), and send it to family medicine practices serving as references.
Where to go for Help
Medfusion (now Intuit Health), an AAFP Member Advantage partner, offers a discounted price on its online appointment scheduler, which can be linked to your practice website.
If you and your staff need help with this work, consider hiring a consultant. FP Assist is AAFP's clearinghouse for consultants.