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Digital health company HealthShare, in partnership with HCF, has launched BookNow, a tool designed for dental providers to streamline and increase bookings.

Available from October, the tool integrates two health platforms聽鈥� HCF鈥檚 Find a Provider and the HealthShare website聽鈥� allowing dental practices to streamline the booking process.

BookNow was developed after HealthShare identified a shift in Australian dental patients鈥� preferences, with increasing demand for convenience and speed when booking appointments. Online dental bookings have risen steadily, with a third of bookings now occurring after hours and 35% from new patients.¹

The tool securely captures appointments 24/7 through the HealthShare website, HCF鈥檚 Find a Provider tool and the HCF mobile app. By replacing manual processes requiring patients to call around to find an available dentist, it helps provide dental practices with streamlined booking workflows that improve overall practice efficiency.

Ongoing cost-of-living challenges have driven many Australians to delay essential dental care, with 43% of women and 35% of men admitting they鈥檝e avoided or delayed a dental visit.² 45% of Australians don鈥檛 have a regular dentist, with nearly a quarter admitting they refrain from check-ups due to out-of-pocket costs.³ The BookNow tool helps HCF members find dentists who participate in HCF鈥檚 More for Teeth network, minimising patient out-of-pocket costs.

Dentists are also facing increased operational costs, with 83% anticipating higher expenses this year. As a result, dental practices are prioritising improvements in systems and processes to help boost booking demand and enhance the patient experience.⁴

Julie Andrews, HCF鈥檚 Chief Officer Member Services, said, 鈥淲e know that regular dental care is essential for maintaining overall health, and BookNow helps our members take charge of their oral health by simplifying the appointment process. The partnership with HealthShare allows us to provide members with easier access to care, while also supporting dental providers with technology that reduces administrative burdens. In a time of increasing cost-of-living pressures, we hope this tool will encourage patients to prioritise their oral health, which plays a vital role in preventing more serious health issues.鈥�

<sup>1. HealthShare internal data
2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, November 2023, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dental-oral-health/oral-health-and-dental-care-in-australia/contents/costs
3. Australian Patients Association, November 2022, https://www.patients.org.au/more-than-half-of-australians-are-forced-to-skip-the-gp-due-to-cost/
4. Commbank and Australian Dental Association, April 2024, https://www.commbank.com.au/articles/newsroom/2024/04/dental-insights-report.html</sup>

Image credit: iStock.com/Alexander Shelegov