Check-in Kiosks in the Outpatient Clinical Setting: Fad or the Future?

Check-in kiosks are increasingly used in health care. This project aims to assess the effects of kiosk use upon check-in duration, point of service (POS) financial returns, and patient satisfaction.

Six kiosks were implemented in a large academic orthopedic clinic, and check-in duration for 8.5 months following implementation and POS returns for 10.5 months before and after implementation were analyzed. Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Clinician and Group survey and self-devised surveys recorded patient satisfaction.

Cumulatively, 28,636 kiosk-based patient encounters were analyzed. Compared with historical norms, check-in duration decreased 2 minutes, 47 seconds (P < 0.001). Daily gross and individual POS returns increased $532.13 and $1.89, respectively (P < 0.001). Satisfaction surveys were completed by 719 of 1376 consecutive patients (52% response rate), revealing 12% improvement (P < 0.001), but Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Clinician and Group survey responses demonstrated no change (P = 0.146, 0.928, and 0.336).

Kiosks offer to reduce check-in duration and increase POS revenue without negatively affecting patient satisfaction.