Many hospitals and doctor practices are offering patients the convenience of signing up for appointments and even reservations to be seen in the emergency room, right from their smartphone or laptop. This brings them new patients and retains existing ones wanting to avoid hassles and long waits. At the same time, it helps doctors fill slots from last-minute appointment cancellations and hospital ERs shift patients with non-life-threatening conditions to slower times of the day. Companies providing the online signups, and doctors and hospitals using the services, say most patients are seen within 15 to 20 minutes of their ER reservation or doctor appointment.
