It's 8:00 PM. Your patient remembers they need to book an appointment. Are they clicking a button and getting it done in seconds? Or are they stuck on hold, pressing numbers, leaving voicemails, and hoping someone calls them back tomorrow — before they decide to find a practice that lets them book online? At Elite GYN Care of the Palm Beaches, Dr. Maureen Whelihan's team decided they would pass the 8PM test, every time. Here's how they did it.
Before using Qure4u, what challenges was your team facing?
"We've been on EMRs since 2006, and over the years, we tried piecing together different tools," Dr. Whelihan explained. "We used Epion for pre-visit check-ins and PatientPop for online booking, but we were paying for each separately while still missing the seamless workflow we needed."
Online booking, in particular, was non-negotiable for the practice. "Everyone is missing the money on online booking. It's shocking how many practices still don't have it," Dr. Whelihan shared. "It should be mandatory because you're missing revenue every time your phones are off."
At the same time, managing paperwork and patient outreach was slowing down operations, with the team needing a more unified approach to keep up with patient expectations and busy schedules.
What made Qure4u the right choice for your practice?
For Dr. Whelihan and Gina, the decision came down to customer service, fair pricing, and continuous innovation.
"Bethany is fantastic. She's responsive and makes it easy to get new features up and running," Dr. Whelihan shared. "You're constantly improving the product to meet practice needs, and so far, the value has matched what we pay."
Gina added, "When we added the secure texting feature, it was worth every penny. Now, with BulkText on the horizon, it's going to be a game-changer for our workflow."
You've reached an 85% pre-visit check-in rate. What impact has that had on your practice?
"Having paperwork completed before the appointment is critical for us," Gina explained. "If patients are sitting in the waiting room filling out forms, it backs up the schedule, especially for the first appointment of the day or after lunch."
The team actively uses Qure4u's automated reminders and secure texting to encourage patients to complete check-ins, driving rates higher over time.
"It's not optional in our office," Dr. Whelihan emphasized. "We tell patients that if they're not going to do it online, they need to arrive 30 minutes early. It's about respecting our time and theirs."
And for patients who resist digital forms? "It's often not the older patients that struggle; it's the younger ones who say they're 'done with computers' after work. We still require it, because it's about keeping our day running smoothly," Dr. Whelihan said.
How has secure texting helped streamline operations and improve patient experience?
Before implementing secure texting, the team spent countless hours contacting patients to confirm appointments, often with limited response rates.
"LOVE LOVE LOVE this feature. We would call and call and call, and people wouldn't answer. But the minute we switched to texting, patients responded immediately."
They discovered that many patients couldn't take calls or check email during work hours, but a quick text allowed them to reply with a simple "Yes" or "No" to confirm or cancel. This quick communication helped prevent no-shows while keeping the schedule moving.
"Texting has helped us keep our schedule full," Gina shared. "Sometimes it takes that last-minute text the day before to prompt a patient to say, 'Oh no, I can't make it,' and then we can fill that appointment with someone else who needs care."
How will BulkText improve this workflow?
Currently, the team sends secure text messages one by one, a process that, while effective, takes up valuable staff time. With BulkText, they'll be able to simplify this workflow significantly.
"Instead of sending individual texts, we'll be able to send one message to 20, 30, or 50 patients at once who haven't been confirmed," Gina shared.
Using Qure4u's filters, the team will be able to select patients by provider, appointment date, or visit type, and send targeted reminders in just one click. Patients can quickly respond if they can't make it, giving the team enough time to fill those slots without last-minute scrambling.
"It's about keeping the schedule full while saving hours of staff time each week. We're excited to start using it."
You've had nearly 3,000 appointments booked online by patients. How has that changed patient access?
"Online booking is essential. When we first began online booking, we captured an additional 75 patients a month," Gina emphasized. "Our phones are off Thursday afternoons and Fridays, but patients still need to schedule. With online booking, they can do it on weekends and evenings when it's convenient for them."
Even though the team still follows up with a call to gather additional details, the initial online booking is a key step in reducing call volume and improving patient access.
Dr. Whelihan added, "When I need to book appointments for myself, I only pick practices that have online booking. Patients expect it now, and practices that don't offer it are missing out."
What would you tell another practice considering Qure4u?
"Doctors, be considerate of the tasks piling up at the front desk," Dr. Whelihan said. "Stop duplicating work and streamline the process. Let patients do the documenting themselves."
She emphasized that allowing patients to complete their own intake not only reduces the burden on MAs and LPNs, but also improves liability protection. "When patients record their own Review of Systems in their own words, it's more accurate and defensible."
Dr. Whelihan continued, "Every practice needs online booking tools, it's the only way to truly restructure the workflow and meet today's patient expectations." She added that texting is now a must-have for better and faster communication. "Patients respond quicker to texts, and it keeps your schedule moving."
"And we've found the telehealth platform incredibly easy to use," she shared. "Qure4u has kept the pricing fair, and that makes all the difference in keeping our team excited and committed to using the tools."
About Elite GYN Care of the Palm Beaches
Elite GYN Care of the Palm Beaches offers the most advanced care options for patients of all ages from puberty through menopause, including well-woman visits and routine pelvic exams, teen gynecology services, menopause care, hormone therapy, treatment for pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain treatment options, and treatments for low libido and sexual dysfunction.
The entire team at Elite GYN Care of the Palm Beaches is committed to providing patient-centered, compassionate care aimed at supporting optimal health and wellness, relieving symptoms, and diagnosing and treating diseases.