6 Fatal Limitations of Self-Service Kiosks In Healthcare Practices
A patient’s first impressions can strongly impact their perceptions of the providers’ communication approach and can influence all future interactions.
(Rimondini et al., “Impact of Patients' First Impression”)
[/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text _builder_version="4.25.1" _module_preset="default" text_font="Libre Franklin||||||||" text_text_color="#000000" text_font_size="15px" header_3_font="Libre Franklin|600|||||||" header_3_text_color="gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e" header_3_line_height="2em" custom_margin="||||false|false" global_colors_info="{%22gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e%22:%91%22header_3_text_color%22%93}"]Providing exceptional patient care starts by creating the best possible first impression. This is why the front desk is crucial — it facilitates the patients’ first interactions with your practice and influences their decision to return or find another clinic.
Typically, human receptionists play the vital role of providing a positive experience that makes patients want to come back. However, increasingly more clinics are turning to an alternative: automated check-in kiosks or self-service kiosks.
Automated check-in kiosks have been a known front desk solution to clinics for some time. The advent of automation and AI solutions, however, has amplified its popularity. Global Market Insights reported that the self-service kiosk market size was valued at $11.81 billion in 2022, projected to nearly double to $19.89 billion in 2032.
Many clinics cite convenience, fast setup, and lower headcount for using self-service kiosks as their front desk solution. In reality, however, kiosks can be more detrimental than beneficial over time.
Here are five fatal limitations of self-service kiosks you should know before implementing them in your healthcare practice.
6 Fatal Limitations Of Self-Service Kiosks
1. Frustration And Limited Ease Of Use
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="4.25.1" _module_preset="default" text_font="Libre Franklin||||||||" text_text_color="#000000" text_font_size="15px" header_3_font="Libre Franklin|600|||||||" header_3_text_color="gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e" header_3_line_height="2em" custom_margin="||||false|false" global_colors_info="{%22gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e%22:%91%22header_3_text_color%22%93}"]A 2024 BBC article revealed that 60% of consumers prefer using self-service technology, but 67% experienced it failing during use.
Self-serve kiosks may be designed to deliver convenience and efficiency. However, they can also malfunction or fail entirely, which may significantly impede your front desk operations if you rely on them solely to facilitate check-in.
Even if the kiosks are working correctly, not everyone is comfortable using this technology. Most millennials may be capable of using self-serve kiosks, with a report revealing that 1 out of 5 millennials actually prefer self-checkout facilities. However, the same study also showed that 43% of consumers still need help from in-person staff when interacting with self-service technology especially when human error occurs during self-check-in.
The situation worsens with older age groups; even fewer are comfortable (let alone familiar) using self-service kiosks. This is why, while many practices used self check-in technology, a great majority stopped because it significantly hinders the experience for many of their patients. This decreases patient satisfaction and retention in the long run.
2. Lack Of Human Interaction
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial portrait_url="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iNTAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjUwMCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDUwMCA1MDAiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+CiAgICA8ZyBmaWxsPSJub25lIiBmaWxsLXJ1bGU9ImV2ZW5vZGQiPgogICAgICAgIDxwYXRoIGZpbGw9IiNFQkVCRUIiIGQ9Ik0wIDBoNTAwdjUwMEgweiIvPgogICAgICAgIDxyZWN0IGZpbGwtb3BhY2l0eT0iLjEiIGZpbGw9IiMwMDAiIHg9IjY4IiB5PSIzMDUiIHdpZHRoPSIzNjQiIGhlaWdodD0iNTY4IiByeD0iMTgyIi8+CiAgICAgICAgPGNpcmNsZSBmaWxsLW9wYWNpdHk9Ii4xIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwIiBjeD0iMjQ5IiBjeT0iMTcyIiByPSIxMDAiLz4KICAgIDwvZz4KPC9zdmc+Cg==" quote_icon="off" portrait_width="0px" portrait_height="0px" _builder_version="4.25.1" _module_preset="default" body_font_size="19px" body_line_height="1em" author_line_height="1em" max_width="68%" module_alignment="center" custom_padding="||5px||false|false" box_shadow_style="preset4" box_shadow_color="#283760" locked="off" global_colors_info="{}"]75% of customers want more interactions with real people as technology progresses.
(PwC)
[/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text _builder_version="4.25.1" _module_preset="default" text_font="Libre Franklin||||||||" text_text_color="#000000" text_font_size="15px" header_3_font="Libre Franklin|600|||||||" header_3_text_color="gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e" header_3_line_height="2em" custom_margin="||||false|false" global_colors_info="{%22gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e%22:%91%22header_3_text_color%22%93}"]Self-service kiosks drastically reduce the human interaction in your practice. Some patients may prefer a personal approach and feel more comfortable being accommodated by a human receptionist than a kiosk.
In contrast, receptionists provide the human touch — they can:
- Greet patients with a smile.
- Answer inquiries warmly.
- Converse with patients casually.
- Calm down aggrieved patients.
The human touch is essential to fostering relationships with patients and building long-term satisfaction and retention. This is crucial since, according to Provider Tech, the lifetime value of a single patient is $12,000 to $15,000.
On the other hand, kiosks inherently lack the human touch. They’re unable to provide the same warmth as receptionists, which can lead to a disconnect between your patients and your practice.
3. Schedule-Out Challenges
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="4.25.1" _module_preset="default" text_font="Libre Franklin||||||||" text_text_color="#000000" text_font_size="15px" header_3_font="Libre Franklin|600|||||||" header_3_text_color="gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e" header_3_line_height="2em" custom_margin="||||false|false" global_colors_info="{%22gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e%22:%91%22header_3_text_color%22%93}"]Effectively managing provider scheduling facilitates smooth treatment progress and ensures a viable workload for providers. It’s an art that requires extensive familiarity with providers while matching the patients’ preferences. This means that human receptionists must be the ones who schedule appointments because they can understand both providers and patients and determine which times are best for both.
Self-serve kiosks, however, leave that decision-making in the hands of the patients. While this gives them control, it can also inconvenience them by adding another responsibility to their plate. Without the guidance of a human receptionist, this may stress out patients, leading to reduced schedule-outs and schedule disorder in general.
4. Reduced Co-pay Collections
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="4.25.1" _module_preset="default" text_font="Libre Franklin||||||||" text_text_color="#000000" text_font_size="15px" header_3_font="Libre Franklin|600|||||||" header_3_text_color="gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e" header_3_line_height="2em" custom_margin="||||false|false" global_colors_info="{%22gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e%22:%91%22header_3_text_color%22%93}"]Human receptionists help maintain revenue cycle ROI by collecting co-pays at the point of service and managing patient financial responsibility. They can also coordinate with patients to identify alternative means of payment if insurance or other traditional methods are inaccessible to them.
That empathy and flexibility are lost with self check-in kiosks. Patients are left to manage their medical bills independently, which can make them feel neglected and unaccommodated. On top of no one helping them manage their financial responsibilities, this can result in the dwindling of the revenue cycle.
In fact, some practices that implemented self-serve kiosks experienced a decrease in co-pay collections as high as 45%. Such a decline would not have happened otherwise had someone been facilitating the process and assisting patients with payment.
5. Missed Revenue
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="4.25.1" _module_preset="default" text_font="Libre Franklin||||||||" text_text_color="#000000" text_font_size="15px" header_3_font="Libre Franklin|600|||||||" header_3_text_color="gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e" header_3_line_height="2em" custom_margin="||||false|false" global_colors_info="{%22gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e%22:%91%22header_3_text_color%22%93}"]One of the most significant disadvantages of self-service kiosks is significant revenue loss, particularly in three key areas:
- On-time payments - With self-serve kiosks, patients can delay or even avoid payments altogether, which can be fatal considering that 80% of appointments that are unbilled the first time are never billed again.
- Scheduling future appointments - Patients can also leave the clinic without booking additional appointments, hindering your potential revenue further.
- Upselling - With their understanding of the patient and knowledge of your practice, human receptionists are capable of upselling customers with more services or other promotional offerings. Self check-in kiosks, because they lack these empathetic capabilities, are inherently unable to upsell.
In the long run, automated kiosks can decrease your bottom line significantly.
6. Not Truly “Person-less”
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="4.25.1" _module_preset="default" text_font="Libre Franklin||||||||" text_text_color="#000000" text_font_size="15px" header_3_font="Libre Franklin|600|||||||" header_3_text_color="gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e" header_3_line_height="2em" custom_margin="||||false|false" global_colors_info="{%22gcid-832d3f9a-d204-4b29-b9e2-2ca3485e739e%22:%91%22header_3_text_color%22%93}"]Ideally, self-serve kiosks remove the need to hire more staff. However, due to their inability to empathize and adapt to patient needs, they actually amplify the need for human staff.
In particular, self-serve kiosks cannot sufficiently accommodate patients who:
- Want to ask complex questions about their practice.
- Need help with specific processes.
- May be seeking assurance about their circumstances.
In these situations, you’ll still need to have someone onsite to help out. This can be either a dedicated front desk employee or, in the worst-case scenario, a provider, leading to bottlenecks and administrative stress in the long run.
Don’t Settle For Self-Serve — Fully Serve With WelcomeWare
Over time, the benefits of self-service kiosks become very limited — in fact, they can be detrimental to your business. Despite how advanced they can become, self-service kiosks will always fall short of facilitating the patient experience like human receptionists do. In other words, when it comes to the customer experience, the human touch always prevails.
WelcomeWare is a virtual front desk platform that offers operational efficiency through kiosk technology while retaining the warmth of personal interaction with live patient care coordinators. Discover the power of video receptionist kiosks through WelcomeWare’s live virtual receptionist service!
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WelcomeWare enables your receptionists to attend your front desk remotely
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