BRIDGEWATER, NJ--(Marketwired - October 25, 2016) - OmniJoin®, the web conferencing division of Brother International Corporation, today announced the launch of the OmniJoin Waiting Room feature to improve the patient experience during telehealth interactions, addressing rising patient expectations, and a growing need for remote, on-demand care. The interactive feature allows providers to queue up, and meet with, patients efficiently and effectively. The feature can also be used for other applications within education or learning & development, such as academic advisor office hours or human resource training sessions.

A recent study found the average length of an in-person medical visit was 84 minutes, not including travel time. Only 20 minutes of that time was actually spent face-to-face with a doctor, leaving 64 minutes spent waiting. Further, researchers estimate the average opportunity cost of a medical visit is $43. With OmniJoin's online Waiting Room, patients can enjoy a healthcare visit with reduced cost, wait and travel times.

Healthcare providers can also benefit from the new feature. A key goal for providers is increasing efficiency, especially as the industry faces an anticipated shortage of 61,700-94,700 physicians by the year 2025. Providers are taking advantage of video conferencing to help increase their reach, augment in-office care and improve patient access to care, particularly in remote, underserved areas. By leveraging the OmniJoin Waiting Room, providers can expand their telehealth offering and increase their ability to see more patients in less time, further growing their business.

"As the telehealth industry grows and more patients experience virtual care, the need for an improved online experience is critical to keeping patients satisfied," said Bill Henderson, Brother OmniJoin vice president of marketing. "In fact, telehealth interactions have the power to improve satisfaction by reducing overall wait time compared to in-person visits. The OmniJoin Waiting Room feature was designed with healthcare providers in mind, but we also see the use of this feature carrying over to many other areas of business."

Specifically, the OmniJoin Waiting Room allows users to:

• Admit or expel meeting room attendees with one click - The owner of the Waiting Room can view people waiting in queue, and admit or expel them through their online attendee management window.
• Track amount of time spent waiting - Providers/meeting hosts can easily track how long those in queue are waiting and view archived results to assist with reimbursement if it is needed.
• Provide a personalized experience - Meeting room owners can customize an in-waiting message and logo, letting attendees know their host will be with them soon.

For more information about OmniJoin Waiting Room, please visit OmniJoin at the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) 2016 Annual Conference from October 30 - November 2 in San Francisco, at booth #538, or visit the OmniJoin website.

Other Web Services from Brother

For decades, small office / home office, small and medium sized businesses, and corporate workgroup customers have depended on Brother for high-quality, value-packed business machines. By launching the Brother Online suite of smart, web-based business services, Brother has expanded beyond simply offering great hardware products. OmniJoin® web conferencing was the first such major service offering. The Brother Online suite additionally has a variety of scanning and workflow solutions, which complement and expand the value of Brother scanners, printers, and Multi-Function Center® devices. For more information on Brother Online services, visit www.brothercloud.com.

About Brother

Brother International Corporation (www.brother.com) is an industry leading provider of small and mid-sized business printing and imaging solutions developed to help increase productivity, improve workflow, and enhance organizational efficiency, all while helping to reduce costs. Brother is also a leader in electronic labeling and provides the number one line of facsimile machines in the U.S. The U.S. corporate office in Bridgewater, NJ was established on April 21, 1954 and currently markets many industrial products, home appliances and business products manufactured by its parent company, Brother Industries, Ltd. of Nagoya, Japan. For more information, visit www.brother.com.