Van Diest Medical Center.

According to a Monday news release, Van Diest Medical Center announced a new online appointment scheduling process has been launched at Van Diest Family Health Clinics and in specific departments within the hospital.

This process allows patients to self-schedule appointments online from their own device (any smartphone or personal device), laptop or desktop computer, to optimize patient access for an improved experience.

The software solution integrates directly with the practice management module of the electronic medical record (EMR) system and provides patients access to provider schedules 24/7.

The hospital and clinics have partnered with DocASAP, a part of Optum, Inc. to offer this convenient, efficient process to save patients time when scheduling appointments. Patients may now schedule an appointment with their choice of provider on a date and time of their preference.

Patients may match to a provider based on demographics, insurance, the clinical reason for the appointment, scheduling and availability. If a provider isn’t available, other alternative providers that meet the patient’s criteria within their search will be offered.

Patients may use this process for appointments with all family practice providers in all medical clinic locations in Webster City, Jewell, Stratford and Fort Dodge.

The process is also available for appointments with behavioral health providers, and for appointments made with General Surgeon Dr. Gayette Grimm, in the Surgery Clinic at the hospital. Patients can access the online appointment scheduling feature by going to the Van Diest Medical Center website at www.vandiestmc.org.

With the click of a button, patients can begin the online appointment scheduling process.

Appointments can also be made by doing a specific provider search on the website and clicking on the scheduling button, located in each provider bio. Additionally, a step-by-step video tutorial is available on the homepage of the hospital’s website to walk patients through the process.

The online appointment scheduling is the second of a two-step process Van Diest Medical Center is offering to patients for ease and convenience with appointment scheduling.

The first part was an automated pre-registration process patients could complete from their own devices ahead of their scheduled appointment. The online pre-visit registration platform launched in November of 2022.