6 Myths about re-enrollment

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Magnus Health
March 4, 2014
Blog
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6 Myths about re-enrollment

What if I told you re-enrollment could be easier? What if I said you don’t have to be buried by paperwork this year? That’s exactly what these six myth-busting tips are designed to do: make your life less complicated, and shrink the ever-growing pile of forms sitting on your desk. When you discover the truth behind these myths, you’ll not only be amazed, but you’ll also breathe a long sigh of relief.

Re-enrollment_paperworkMyth #1: All student health information should be collected

Convenient? Maybe. Safe? Not so much. Conditions such as asthma or food allergies can develop between the time parents turn in forms and the start of school. Requiring all health information during re-enrollment can actually backfire, creating the need for some parents to re-file health forms, or resulting in new conditions being undocumented. 

Myth #2: Every form is necessary

Only four percent of parents answer “yes” to a conditional health question (such as, “Does your child have diabetes?”). But, the accompanying action plans represent nearly fifty percent of re-enrollment paperwork.

Fifty percent.

Can you even imagine what it would be like if re-enrollment forms were reduced by half? Let’s say your school has 500 students, and re-enrollment packets account for 8 pages per student. By asking conditional questions, and not including medical action plans unless needed, you could save roughly 2,000 pieces of paper each year. Not only does that save a few trees, but it also saves several headaches – for parents, and for the school. 

Myth #3: Parents have to fill out new forms every year

Form fatigue is a real thing, and just about every parent suffers from it during re-enrollment. When parents are sitting at home filling out two, three, maybe even five, sets of forms – while simultaneously cooking dinner, doing laundry, and planning tomorrow’s carpool – information may get left out. By using electronic forms, parents are simply prompted to review and update information each subsequent year.

I know what you’re thinking: “Won’t electronic forms lead to incorrect data?” I’m glad you asked! When parents are free from the usual form fatigue, they actually provide better data. The necessity to review and confirm information means parents look closely, and turn in forms on time.

Myth #4: Physicals need be due at the start of the year

If Johnny went to the doctor to get a physical in February, and the school is requiring a new physical to be turned in when school starts in August, things can get a little confusing – and maybe even frustrating. Parent’s don’t get overly excited about returning to the doctor and paying for another visit

The solution to a two-physicals-in-one-year problem is requiring forms like physicals (and also immunizations) to be turned in based on each student’s form expiration date. Or as we call it, the “next action date.” In Johnny’s case, his next action date would be the following February. Talk about a simple solution, right? No phone calls from parents asking why they have to go back to the doctor in August, and no redundant forms being completed.

You can even take next action dates to the next level by automating the entire process with email reminders sent to parents based on their child’s next action date. Email reminders are easy, and they work.

Myth #5: Electronic forms are unsafe

This is the great age of technology, and that includes school health forms. At Magnus Health, we take our security and privacy measures seriously, because protecting student information is our priority. We have multiple measures in place to keep student health data safe and secure. But how secure are paper health files? When a paper airplane can contain private student health information, a school might have to re-evaluate their procedures, and take the risk of paper health information seriously.

Myth #6: Parent signatures have to be on paper

Parents can now sign school forms from just about anywhere, without teachers and nurses needing to print off a single thing. From field trip permission slips to consent to treat forms, schools have the ability to make parent signatures more simple, and to validate them from multiple data points – meaning no forged signatures, and no ripped or lost forms. Electronic signatures (when complying with the ESIGN Act and UETA) are the secure alternative to pen and paper.

Ready to uncover more about the re-enrollment process?

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