Even before the incidence of virtual visits exploded with Covid-19, the term, “the digital front door” had started to appear in healthcare literature. The digital front door has been defined as an integrated digital strategy for engaging patients first with digital intake and then at all of the major touchpoints of their healthcare journey. The goal is to offer patients a more connected experience –that allows them to more easily initiate engagement, obtain information, communicate with care providers and obtain the care they need via technology.

For health systems and hospitals, the digital front door can deliver a framework for better utilization of resources, improved productivity, improved customer satisfaction and retention and reduced costs. Touchpoints can include: online self-scheduling, mobile preregistration and checkin, web and mobile payments, a patient portal, online self-help and screening tools and telehealth interactions. Although all of these technologies exist today, the next generation of the digital front door will need to be easier to use, more intuitive and completely integrated to provide patients with a connected patient experience and health systems with results they seek.

Concerns that arise as organizations explore a digital front door strategy include:

• How do we execute on excellent virtual patient engagement?
• How do we address the interoperability needs that may come from this approach?
• How do we measure the effectiveness of our digital front door?
• What about security as patients get more access to our systems?
• How do we implement this kind of solution when costs are up and revenues are down?
• Will patients really adopt our digital front door when they have the option to come back to our facilities?
• Will this deliver on the promises of improved productivity or lower costs?

During this Virtual Think Tank, Frost & Sullivan's Greg Caressi, will moderate a discussion and the contents of your collective conversation will feed an article Frost & Sullivan is writing titled "The Digital Front Door". Based on past experiences, we expect you to leave with a ton of great takeaways and new connections with industry peers.