By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Text Alert System Lets Patients Skip the Waiting Room
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Mobile Health > Text Alert System Lets Patients Skip the Waiting Room
eHealthMobile HealthTechnology

Text Alert System Lets Patients Skip the Waiting Room

Deanna Pogorelc
Deanna Pogorelc
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

eHealthThere are few worse places to wait in line than in a doctor’s office or urgent care clinic, surrounded by coughers and sneezers and nose-blowers.

eHealthThere are few worse places to wait in line than in a doctor’s office or urgent care clinic, surrounded by coughers and sneezers and nose-blowers.

That’s why QLess, a tech company that works with service providers to manage their waiting lines virtually, is ramping up its efforts in the healthcare industry. Since the average patient waits about 20 minutes in a doctor’s office waiting room, it seems like a likely fit.

Providers run QLess on a computer or kiosk set up in the waiting room. Patients secure their place in line by entering their cell phone numbers into the system upon arrival and choosing what kind of mobile alerts they’d like to receive. QLess tells them how long the wait is and pushes periodic updates of wait times to the patient, including a final notification when it’s almost their turn. If users need more time, they can push back their place in line.

More Read

dental payment processing
Good Payment Processors Make Dental Care More Affordable
Benefits Of The Internet Of Things For Hospitals And Healthcare
MRI Can Detect Cognitive Decline in Parkinson’s Patients
Humor Matters in Healthcare
Vascular closure devices

Software and internet entrepreneur Alex Backer founded QLess back in 2007, after a long wait in line triggered him to think there had to be a better way. He formed the company with the idea that it would be used in restaurants, theme parks and voting stations. But it’s naturally grown into healthcare, too, in urgent care centers and doctor’s offices.

Backer said one of the keys to adoption has been its ease of use. Administrators can manage the queue from their computers, and individual users don’t need to download any kind of app. “Initially, they don’t know that the provider has it, though. They’ll find out through a tablet at the doctor’s office or a receptionist,” Backer noted. “”So there’s an adoption curve in terms of taking full advantage of it.”

Another feature that’s been especially valuable for expanding in the healthcare market is the analytics component that captures customer metrics. “We give them a dashboard that says everything from how long do patients have to wait to how many patients they lose during the wait to average return rates,” Backer said. There’s also an online scheduling component that allows patients to schedule appointments, or primary care physicians to view a specialist’s schedule and make appointments for patients at the point of care.

QLess is a standalone product — it doesn’t integrate with other online scheduling software. But Backer said that hasn’t been a problem because in most waiting rooms right now are still very low-tech. “It’s technologizing an experience that right now is not high-tech,” he said.

A number of other startups are working on that, too. ZappRX is targeting long waits at pharmacies, and InQuicker does online queues for ERs and physician waiting rooms, for example. According to Boston.com, QLess last week acquired Textaurant Corp., which makes similar technology used by Boston-area restaurants.

Originally published on MedCityNews.com.

[Photo from Flickr user Jeff Kramer]

TAGGED:health technologyHITQLess
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

eHealthMedical RecordsTechnology

Organizing Health Data Effectively Gives Patients More Choices

March 1, 2018

The Making of ePatient Dave and How the ePatient Revolution Will Change Healthcare Communication

November 4, 2011
symptoms of serotonin
eHealthGlobal HealthcareHealth careNewsTechnologyWellness

Symptoms of Serotonin Imbalances You Need to Know

September 3, 2017

A Victory for Coverage with Evidence Development

September 8, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?