Online Intake Forms: Reversing the Chiropractic Carbon Footprint

Environmentally Friendly Patient Intake & Why Patients Want You to Ditch Paper

Online intake forms are an inexpensive, convenient, and environmentally friendly result of the many changes shaping society today. Eco-conscious efforts, technological advances, and rising costs are causing businesses to reconsider how they approach their service offerings.

In particular, eco-friendly companies are becoming the standard as more investors seek businesses prioritizing sustainability. But it’s worth noting these mainstream efforts to reverse environmental damage didn’t happen in a vacuum. They’re backed by younger generations choosing to address long-fought issues surrounding climate change.

As a result, more chiropractors are adapting to modern patients and working alongside them to achieve their eco-driven goals. One simple way they’re doing so is by going paperless.

If you’re thinking about ditching your practice’s paper patient intake process and going green, you’ll give patients what they want. Here’s why.

The Dirt on Paper Patient Intake

Eliminating your chiropractic practice’s paper intake forms may seem inconsequential. However, the waste increases if you compare your office’s paper usage to chiropractic offices nationwide.

To put it into perspective, nearly a quarter of chiropractic offices still rely on paper. Currently, there are over 68,00 chiropractors in the U.S. If these practices regularly see a dozen or more patients each day, they’re using more than enough paper to destroy acres of trees and use thousands of gallons of water.

It’s also important to consider the tremendous amount of energy that goes into paper production. The paper industry accounts for four percent of the world’s energy use, and it’s the overall fifth-largest consumer of energy.

However, even though recycling paper minimizes your carbon footprint, it’s not as effective as abstaining from printing paper altogether. In fact, even though recycled paper requires half the water virgin paper does, it still requires 12,000 gallons of water per ton to create.

For chiropractic offices, from now on, choose the most sustainable course of action. Recycle the paper you do have and begin offering digital alternatives. Moreover, this route is financially sustainable. Just think of the money you’ll save on supplies and storage.

Generations with a Cause

These sustainable actions can go a long way toward attracting today’s patients. One result of climate change is the generational shift toward progressive, green-forward solutions. Millennials and Gen Z-ers are more likely to advocate for environmental policies.

According to a survey, 59% of millennials and 69% of Gen Z-ers stated they feel anxious about climate change. To add to this generational worry, 61% of millennials feel personally responsible for making the changes they want to see.

Moreover, most of these younger generations want brands to share this responsibility. Many actively support businesses dedicated to solving societal problems. This is important to note due to your shifting customer base.

Given the number of millennials and Gen Z-ers choosing chiropractic care, aligning with their sustainable values can be an effective way to stand out. Even something seemingly small—like switching to environmentally friendly online intake forms—demonstrates a willingness to work with your community to address a much larger issue.

The Ease of Online Intake Forms

Along with being cause-driven, your patients are used to accessing most services online. From ordering takeout to booking appointments, virtually everything patients want is available online. Your chiropractic practice should be no exception.

To the point, having easily accessible online intake forms that patients can submit remotely will automatically win their favor. One survey noted that 81% of patients prefer to fill out online forms from anywhere instead of the more tedious paper alternative. And with everything paper forms entail, it’s understandable.

By allowing patients to fill out their intake paperwork online ahead of time at their own pace, they’ll feel less rushed to fill out their forms, make fewer mistakes, and have a less stressful experience. Ultimately, that means a better patient experience.

Moreover, if your front desk isn’t manually transcribing intake forms, they can be more attentive to patients. It also allows you to provide higher-quality care. You can review records ahead of time, understand patients better, and prepare detailed treatment plans.

A Society on the Go

In addition to gaining more time with patients, your office’s lighter workload also makes visits more productive. This is a significant benefit, particularly now, since shorter appointments are viewed more positively in today’s fast-paced society. This could partly be due to patients working more hours, leaving them little time to allot for appointments.

An efficient practice allows busy patients to prioritize their health without adding unnecessary stress to quickly get back to what’s important to them.

Plus, letting patients know you respect their time is always a good thing. They're more likely to return when they encounter fewer obstacles to your practice.

ChiroSpring Welcomes You to the Greener Side

Today’s environmental issues, rising costs, and changing customer demands drive many businesses to restructure their operations. Given these variables, going paperless is an easy way to adapt and make a real difference.

In this case, ChiroSpring’s Online Intake Forms eliminate the energy-draining paperwork that repels patients. With these 100% digital forms, your practice can check all the boxes today’s patients are looking for:

·       Sustainable: You’ll contribute to positive change by reducing paper waste.

·       Convenient: Patients can fill out forms and sign them from anywhere, granting patients the flexibility they need in their busy lives.

·       Better patient care: You can monitor and review forms, letting you fully prepare for appointments beforehand.

The outcomes of switching from manual to paperless patient intake are manifold. Instead of resisting change and ignoring environmental issues, you’re embracing modern solutions to the problems affecting everyone. You’ll save money, reduce energy usage, attract cause-driven patients, and sustain both the environment and your practice’s growth.

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References

Himelfarb, I. (2020). Practice Analysis of Chiropractic 2020. National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. https://www.ok.gov/chiropracticboard/documents/Practice-Analysis-of-Chiropractic-2020-3.pdf

Paper Waste Reduction | Sustainability | University of Illinois at Chicago. (n.d.). Sustainability.uic.edu. https://sustainability.uic.edu/green-campus/recycling/paper-waste-reduction/

Polman, P., & Winston, A. (2022, April 13). Yes, Investing in ESG Pays Off. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2022/04/yes-investing-in-esg-pays-off

Tyson, A., Kennedy, B., & Funk, C. (2021, May 26). Gen Z, Millennials Stand Out for Climate Change Activism, Social Media Engagement With Issue. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2021/05/26/gen-z-millennials-stand-out-for-climate-change-activism-social-media-engagement-with-issue/

Xie, Z., & Or, C. (2017). Associations Between Waiting Times, Service Times, and Patient Satisfaction in an Endocrinology Outpatient Department: A Time Study and Questionnaire Survey. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 54, 004695801773952. https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958017739527