For many healthcare organizations, mobile check-in was a major leap forward. But even with a mobile-first strategy in place, some practices continue to have patients who do not complete self-service intake before arriving. Enter multi-modal patient intake.
Giving patients more than one way to complete self-service check-in may remove barriers to completing intake. Phreesia’s internal data suggests that higher self-service utilization is associated with less manual work from staff and stronger point-of-service collection.
Below, we’ll explore the limitations of a mobile-only strategy, how an in-office option may support higher self-service utilization and how utilization is associated with operational and financial outcomes.
Mobile transformed intake—but patients still need options
Mobile check-in can make intake more convenient for many patients. Patients can complete forms on their own time, update information before they arrive and spend less time at the front desk. For healthcare organizations, that means fewer manual tasks and a smoother start to each visit.
But even the best mobile experience has limits. Some patients may not have reliable access to a smartphone or internet connection, may need accessibility or language support or may prefer to complete intake after arriving. Others may begin mobile intake but not finish it before their visit. When mobile is the only self-service option, these patients may require staff-assisted check-in, which can increase manual work and reduce opportunities to review information and request applicable payments before the visit.
A multi-modal patient intake strategy helps close that gap by offering patients another convenient way to complete intake.
Utilization helps organizations measure the value of self-service intake
Healthcare organizations often evaluate patient intake through the lens of technology: mobile adoption, tablet usage or kiosk adoption.
But those metrics only tell part of the story. Another number worth watching is self-service utilization: the percentage of eligible check-ins patients complete through a self-service workflow. To get a meaningful read on it, organizations should be consistent about which check-ins count as eligible and what counts as completed.
That’s because every successful self-service check-in creates a ripple effect. Each completed self-service check-in can improve staff efficiency by reducing the amount of information your front desk team has to enter manually. And when payment requests are included in the workflow, there are more consistent opportunities to collect copays and outstanding balances. As patient self-service utilization increases, those individual gains add up.
Put simply, the goal is to remove as many barriers to self-service as possible while preserving staff-assisted options for patients who need or prefer them.
What changes when you add an in-office option
A 2026 Phreesia analysis found that organizations with an in-office option had an average self-service utilization rate approximately 14% higher than practices without one.
The same trend appears when organizations add an in-office option. In a separate Phreesia analysis, new clients using Phreesia PadX (an app that turns a provided iPad into an in-office self-service check-in device) had a 17% higher self-service utilization than mobile-only clients. And among existing clients, utilization increased by 6% after adding PadX.
Client stories help explain why those numbers matter.
At Casper Orthopaedic Associates, 90% of patients complete self-service, with nearly half of all check-ins (49%) happening on an in-office device. The in-office option gives patients another way to check in after they arrive. Depending on an organization’s device setup, patients may also be able to request staff assistance or use the device while seated.
Evergreen Family Medicine has seen similar success. Today, 93% of patients complete self-service, with about 40% checking in using an in-office device.
“Allowing multiple options to complete the check-in process allowed us to make the change from paper while giving patients the agency to choose which option works for them,” said Beth Bunt, occupational health manager at Evergreen Family Medicine.
Higher utilization, stronger collections
Higher self-service utilization may affect several operational and financial steps in the patient check-in process.
For instance, organizations have more chances to collect before the visit when patients review their balances and copays as part of the intake process. Across many appointments, these additional payment opportunities may contribute to higher point-of-service collections.
Phreesia’s internal data reflects that pattern. The analysis found that practices with an in-office option performed better across every point-of-service collection measure evaluated. Compared with organizations that relied on mobile alone, they saw:
- An 11% higher time-of-service collection rate
- A 14% higher copay collection rate
- A 9% higher balance collection rate at the time of service
Phreesia’s findings also line up with broader industry research. In a 2020 study of more than 28,000 patient visits at an orthopedic clinic, researchers found that self-service check-in kiosks reduced average check-in times by nearly three minutes and increased daily point-of-service revenue by about $532—all without negatively affecting patient satisfaction. Although the study looked at a different organization and technology, it reinforces the same idea: Removing friction from the check-in process pays off (literally).
That benefit becomes even more apparent as utilization grows. In Phreesia’s internal analysis, clinics with approximately 10% to 20% of eligible check-ins completed through an in-office device tend to see more consistent improvements in collections.
“Using PadX for check-in has increased our collection of copays and balances owed with great success,” said Bunt. “Patients enjoy the security and ease of paying during their check-in process. We have had feedback that patients feel more comfortable making a partial payment when they don’t feel like they must explain why they can’t afford a full payment.”
How an in-office option can address different patient needs
Mobile check-in works well for many patients. But practices also see people who benefit from having another option, such as:
- Patients who prefer an in-office option: Some patients may be more comfortable completing intake after arriving or may want staff nearby if they need assistance.
- Patients who did not complete mobile intake before arriving: An in-office device provides another opportunity to finish the process.
- Patients without reliable smartphone or internet access: An in-office option doesn’t require patients to have a charged smartphone or mobile data connection.
- Patients who need accessibility, language or caregiver support: Depending on the device and workflow, organizations may offer accessible positioning, language options, caregiver or proxy participation and staff assistance.
Age, insurance status or disability alone don’t determine how comfortable someone is with technology or how they prefer to check in. That’s why organizations should keep staff-assisted options available and make sure in-office devices are both physically and digitally accessible.
At Evergreen, for example, an in-office option has been particularly useful for its Medicare population—though Bunt notes that every patient’s comfort with technology is different.
“With visits that are 51% Medicare, we had to take into consideration that those patients may be less tech-savvy,” said Bunt. “The PadX is the mode of choice for those patients because they can ask for help if they get stuck or even have a staff member walk them through the process. We are spending less time processing paperwork and more time having meaningful interactions with our patients.”
A flexible approach to patient intake
As healthcare organizations continue investing in their digital front door, they should pair technology with workflows that account for different patient needs and preferences.
That’s why the health systems achieving the highest levels of self-service utilization tend to have one thing in common: They combine mobile and in-office options to meet patients where they are.
That shift reflects a broader way of thinking about patient intake. Rather than asking patients to adapt to one workflow, organizations are building workflows that adapt to different patients, appointments and circumstances. This approach gives more patients an opportunity to complete self-service while allowing staff to focus on patients who need assistance. It may also reduce manual data entry and create additional opportunities to review patient-entered information and request applicable payments.
Ultimately, every barrier removed gives another patient an opportunity to complete self-service. That can lead to higher utilization and, in turn, stronger operational and financial results (though outcomes will vary based on the organization, patient population, implementation and workflow).
Frequently asked questions
A multi-modal patient intake strategy gives patients more than one way to complete registration and check-in. For example, patients may be able to complete forms on their smartphone before arriving or use an in-office self-service device when they get to the clinic. The goal is to make self-service accessible to more patients by offering options that fit different needs and situations.
Mobile check-in can make intake more convenient for many organizations, but it may not meet every patient’s needs. Some patients may lack reliable smartphone or internet access, need accessibility or language support, prefer an in-office option or arrive without having completed mobile intake. Offering an in-office device may reduce these barriers, while staff-assisted check-in should remain available.
Phreesia’s internal data found that organizations with an in-office option had an average self-service utilization rate of 68%, compared with approximately 60% among organizations without one—a 14% lift. New clients using PadX also saw 17% higher self-service utilization than mobile-only clients, while existing clients increased utilization by 6% after adding an in-office option.
Phreesia’s observational data found that organizations with an in-office option had collection rates that were 11% higher for time-of-service collections, 14% higher for copays and 9% higher for balances at the time of service. A single-site orthopedic study also reported shorter check-in times and higher gross point-of-service returns after implementing self-service patient check-in technology.
An in-office patient check-in option may be helpful for patients who prefer to complete intake after arriving, lack reliable access to a smartphone or internet connection or did not finish mobile intake before their visit. It may also be useful for patients with mobility, vision, cognitive or other accessibility needs.
Conclusion
Every patient arrives with different needs, preferences and circumstances. Giving them more than one way to complete intake may help reduce barriers to self-service. And when more patients complete self-service, the benefits extend well beyond check-in, supporting stronger operations, healthier revenue and a better experience for patients and staff alike.
