QR Codes in Healthcare

So since we pretty much discussed almost all areas where QR codes are used, we left out one major facet where they are being used quite frequently…healthcare! Ever meet someone who knows a doctor or is a doctor and you ask for their contact information. Usually they either don’t have it or you have to copy it off of a business card. Well, not anymore! Now they have created QR codes that allow you to download contact information such as email addresses, phone numbers, addresses and so on.

Another way that physicians can use these QR codes is by creating QR codes that when scanned, will give you a physician’s profile or a video that tells the prospective patient about themselves. That way, they can see what kind of doctor they are, their personality and choose whether or not to make an appointment with them. They can also have QR codes that link to special promotions such as free screenings, seminars, and gifts. They can even link to forms online that you may need to fill out prior to a visit.

Ever wonder what some of the equipment does in these hospitals? I do! Well, another way that QR codes can be utilized is by scanning it to load a video right on your phone that shows the patient how the equipment is used and what it is used for. You can also create QR codes that can link to a Google maps so that typing in the address is no longer necessary.

Health tips can be loaded into a QR code so that when scanned it will link to blogs, videos, podcasts and other health related information. This allows for an instant connection between you and your patient. Post-operative instructions loaded onto a QR code can also be useful. Just scan and, voila!, you can get post-op instructions, physical therapy videos and so much more! Physicians can also use QR codes to network and communicate with each other by using QR codes to store contact information, videos of procedures, referral information and much more!

I think that QR codes in the medical field can be very beneficial. I can’t tell you how many times I have had simple questions that could be answered quickly but instead I need to wait for a doctor or nurse to answer them. Pretty soon you will be able to scan a QR code that will allow you to check in on your phone. I know that at my doctor’s office they have kiosks that will allow you to check yourself in rather than wait in line to see the receptionist. They also have a website that allows you to use internal messaging. If you send the office a messages, they will get back to you the next business day with an answer.