Time is one of the most valuable resources in healthcare, equally important for both patients and providers. Yet, many clinics still rely on outdated paper intake forms, leading to long waiting times, inefficiencies, and frustrated patients. In contrast, using a digital patient intake form is quickly becoming the gold standard in modern healthcare.
But which method truly saves more time and offers the best experience for patients and providers?
In this article, we compare digital patient intake forms with paper patient intake forms, examining their impact on efficiency, accuracy, and the overall healthcare experience. We also provide examples of how Cortico’s healthcare workflow automation solutions streamline the intake process for patients and providers.
What Is a Patient Intake Form?
Patient intake refers to the process of collecting a patient’s personal, medical, and insurance information before their appointment. It typically includes:
- Personal and contact details
- Insurance information
- Medical history and allergies
- Consent forms
Like most processes in healthcare, clinicians generally use a dedicated form to record intake details. This document is usually referred to as a patient intake form or patient intake form template.
Patient intake forms can be digital or paper-based. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each.
The Case for a Paper Patient Intake Form
Paper-based patient intake forms have been the traditional method for decades. Clinics hand patients a clipboard and pen to complete their details when they arrive. Upon completion, staff manually process the information in the new patient intake form.
In some situations, the treating clinician, nurse, or clinical assistant will continue adding to the patient intake form during the assessment or consultation.
Advantages of paper patient intake forms:
- Familiar to patients and clinicians.
- No need to utilize a new digital system.
- Paper-based record as a single source of truth.
Challenges with paper intake forms:
- Patients must arrive early to complete intake.
- Increased errors from illegible handwriting.
- Staff must manually enter information into EMRs.
- Frustration from repetitively entering the same details.
- Storage and printing costs can build over time.
The Case for Digital Patient Intake Forms
Digital forms allow patients to complete their information online — at home, on their smartphone, or via a tablet or medical clinic kiosk at the practice.
Research across a variety of healthcare settings suggests that electronic patient intake forms are well-tolerated and can improve the quality of medical records.
Providers can easily add to a digital patient intake form during the initial consultation via the EMR or a dedicated patient engagement platform.
Advantages of digital patient intake forms:
- Patients can complete digital forms before arrival (via patient intake software), saving time in the waiting room.
- Structured fields reduce errors and ensure all required details are filled in.
- Data flows directly into patient scheduling software and EMRs.
- Customizable in multiple languages.
- No printing or storage required.
Challenges with digital patient intake forms:
- Requires initial setup and integration.
- Can be a learning curve for clinicians and support staff
- Some patients may require assistance using the form.
Time Savings: Digital vs Paper Patient Intake Form
Average patient completion time:
Paper forms: 15–20 minutes in the waiting room.
Digital forms: 5–10 minutes, either at home or in clinic.
Staff processing time:
Paper forms: 10–15 minutes per patient for manual data entry.
Digital forms: 0–2 minutes with automatic syncing.
Error corrections:
Paper forms: Frequent missing or unclear fields, requiring follow-up.
Digital forms: Minimal errors thanks to required fields and clear formatting.
Overall efficiency:
Paper patient intake form: Prone to causing delays, bottlenecks, and frustration.
Digital patient intake forms: Promote smooth, efficient self-registration and check-ins, resulting in happier patients.
On average, well-designed digital patient intake forms save 20–30 minutes per patient. This is a huge gain when multiplied across dozens or even hundreds of daily appointments.
Benefits of Digital Intake for Patients
- Less waiting, as patients head straight to their appointment.
- Reduced stress, with no juggling clipboards and paperwork in crowded waiting rooms.
- Fewer repeat visits for missing info, as everything is completed correctly the first time.
- Easier to remember appointments, especially when combined with automated reminders.
Benefits of Digital Intake for Clinics
- Increased efficiency, with staff focusing more on patients rather than paperwork.
- Streamlined scheduling, as digital intake forms seamlessly integrate with online appointment booking to minimize bottlenecks.
- Reduced operating costs, because clinics can operate with less support staff.
- Improved privacy and security, as digital signatures and HIPAA/PIPEDA compliance protects patient data and minimizes the risk of mishandling.
The Future of Patient Intake Forms
Already, the humble patient intake form has become deeply integrated with the EMRs and other digital platforms that power many healthcare practices.
Over time, clinicians can expect digital intake to integrate with more advanced tools, offering improved functionality such as:
- AI-powered form assistance that pre-fills based on patient history.
- Integrated online and kiosk-based intake systems that allow patients to commence intake at home and then continue in the clinic.
- Multilingual support for diverse patient communities.
- Predictive automated healthcare workflows that anticipate care needs.
The paper patient intake form will continue to exist in some settings. However, for most providers, digital intake is already here and a core part of daily operations.
Automated Patient Intake with Cortico
Cortico is a leading provider of patient engagement and healthcare workflow automation solutions for medical practices and clinics in Canada and the USA.
Our suite of digital patient intake products include digital forms, a medical clinic kiosk, and patient intake app—all of which integrate seamlessly with popular EMRs.
To see how Cortico can help your practice automate time-consuming tasks like patient intake, appointment scheduling, and collecting payments, contact us to book a demo today.
