Finding the Right Partner and Technology has Made all the Difference for Delaware Sleep Disorder Centers
Successfully deploying new technology depends not just on the tech itself, but on the company behind it and the willingness of staff (and patients) to adopt it. Delaware Sleep Disorder Centers had all three factors in its favor when they rolled out online patient check-in and appointment booking.
Successfully deploying new technology depends not just on the tech itself, but on the company behind it and the willingness of staff (and patients) to adopt it. Delaware Sleep Disorder Centers had all three factors in its favor when they rolled out online patient check-in and appointment booking.
Healthcare IT Today sat down with Lyron Deputy, APN, MBA – CEO at Delaware Sleep Disorder Centers (DSDC) to learn more about their recent technology projects and what they are working on next.
Key Takeaways
- Self-scheduling tools reduce admin overload. By shifting to online check-in and scheduling, DSDC significantly decreased front desk burden—freeing staff to focus on higher-value tasks.
- AI must solve real workflow problems, not just look impressive. In today’s economic environment, technology must have a positive financial impact, especially in healthcare. There is no room for tech-for-tech-sake.
- Without internal champions, innovation stalls. Whether deploying something as complex as AI or as simple as text-based communication with patients, success depends on getting buy-in early from staff and designating go-to leaders who can evangelize and support the rollout.
Self-scheduling: A win for patients and staff
A study published in the Jornal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA), found that the users of self-scheduling were more likely to be younger. This fits well with the demographics in the communities that DSDC serves.
DSDC uses the eClinicalWorks EHR platform and have found the company very supportive for implementing new technologies – like self-scheduling through the healow CHECK-IN . The roll out was smooth and resulted in higher patient satisfaction. The technology also helped reduce the workload on front-line staff which could now focus on more important tasks.
“Ultimately, patients were able to check in, correct their demographic information, update their insurance, and make payments online,” explained Deputy. “This bypassed a lot of work that our front desk was doing, allowing them to do other productive things.”
Change won’t stick without internal champions.
Even the best tech can fall flat without the right people behind it. Implementing new tools requires more than IT know-how; it takes trusted voices within the organization to help build buy-in.
“If you don’t have an internal champion,” said Deputy. “Then you are just a guy with crazy ideas.”
Deputy expressed gratitude for having a team that is willing to try new things and to work to make technology fit into their workflows. This attitude was vital when they deployed healow Pay which allows online payment collection. The team at DSDC collaborated closely with eClinicalWorks to ensure the payment solution was configured in a way that matched the existing workflows and how patients preferred to be contacted.
“There is nothing more discouraging in healthcare practice than do everything well for the patient, only to have to chase them down for payment,” said Deputy. “healow Pay minimizes delays in receiving payment”
Excited for What’s Ahead
Deputy is excited for the next round of innovations from eClincialWorks – especially with AI. He was looking forward to healow Genie, the company’s virtual AI agent that can automatically handle simple phone inquiries. He is also excited for the extension of that AI capability into a virtual AI assistant that can retrieve information from within the EHR and execute tasks through a voice interface.
“I was impressed [with the AI voice interface],” admitted Deputy. “I didn’t see it coming and that definitely had me excited.”
Learn more about Delaware Sleep Disorder Centers at https://delsleep.com/
Learn more about healow Pay at https://plus.healow.com/online-bill-pay/
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