- Intake
- Virtual Onboarding
- 4 mins
“Please come in 15 minutes early prior to your first appointment so you can fill out some paperwork for us.”
If you have booked an appointment with a new health service provider in the past, you’ve undoubtedly had this line directed at you. And that paperwork they’re referring to? It’s an intake form—a questionnaire that’s typically used to collect general client information such as contact methods and address. Plenty of practitioners also use it as an opportunity to gather more detailed, treatment-specific knowledge about their client, such as pertinent history and their reason for visiting.
- New clients are asked to come in 15 - 30 minutes early so they can fill out the form.
- They are forced to rush through the questions due to time constraints.
- Detailed information, even if requested and provided, rarely gets more than a cursory glance as clients head into their appointment.
- Once the client signs up for your services, they receive an onboarding package from you through a secured virtual platform.
- They have plenty of time to fill out the paperwork in advance and provide detailed responses.
- Practitioners have time to familiarize themselves with the client file before the client walks into their office.
As a therapist who wants to grow their practice and develop positive relationships with clients, you should be using these online onboarding platforms to your advantage by taking things digital. Here’s why:
It gives patients confidence in your professionalism.
Grabbing client information last minute and going into that first appointment “blind” can leave your new clients with a sour taste in their mouth. They are investing time and money into bettering themselves (with your help) and they are looking for a professional experience where they feel valued and respected.
You can set yourself apart from other therapists in your area by creating a streamlined experience from the get-go. They’ll appreciate the consideration and thought, and you’ll enjoy having a client who is confident in your professionalism and expertise.
It gives patients the opportunity to provide meaningful responses.
Ideally, you won’t just be seeking basic information about incoming clients; you’ll take the time to ask some detailed questions about what they’re going through and what they’d like to get out therapy. Why, you may ask? Because it allows you to make the most of that critical first appointment—but more on that later!
It’s important to note that you do not want your patients rushing through questions about their past history and goals. You want them to sit back and take a moment to really think about their responses. By sending the intake form well in advance, you’ll put them in a position to do exactly that. Giving concrete form to their thoughts and opinions can also help mentally prepare them for the therapy process and get them in the right headspace, which is a substantial benefit.
You can make the most of that first appointment.
Whether you specialize in a certain area or your practice is more general, developing a thorough understanding of your client pre-session will prove beneficial. It will guide your approach during those critical first appointments and allow you to delve into core issues they are experiencing sooner rather than later. You won’t have to spend your time on questions that are ultimately irrelevant, and can gently pluck at perspectives and statements that have significance. As a result, clients won’t feel like you’re wasting their time with shots in the dark.
If you’re ready to implement a new intake process after hearing about all the benefits, we salute you. You’re making a great decision for both your practice and your clients. But we do have a couple of caveats that we want you to keep in mind:
Make sure you choose a platform that is fully secured and confidential. You don’t want sensitive client information to be jeopardized for both moral and legal reasons. There’s a variety of HIPAA-compliant platforms that you can check out, including NexHealth, JotForm, and FormAssembly.
While client responses will provide a good sketch of the individual, it isn’t a full picture by any means. Don’t make any definitive assumptions that could cause tunnel-vision when it comes to client treatment.
Along with a detailed intake form, we encourage you to include a link to our virtual onboarding course. Our materials are designed to provide clients with greater insight into the therapy process, so they can walk into their first appointment feeling prepared, confident, and ready for personal breakthroughs. Throughout our six modules, we discuss everything from client-therapist confidentiality to effective goal setting. Get in touch with us today to learn more!
