Medermis Kiel and practice manager Nicol Onur
The medermis Kiel practice emerges from the oldest dermatological practice in the city — an integral part of dermatological care in Kiel for decades. Today, the practice is part of the medermis clinics group. Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Axel Hauschild (President of the Melanoma World Society) and Dr. Stephan Lischner, the focus is on dermato-oncology, the treatment of skin cancer. The spectrum is complemented by classic dermatology, outpatient operations, and aesthetic, cosmetic and laser-based procedures.
As practice manager, Nicol Onur is responsible for the entire organization and control of processes at medermis Kiel. Her aim, in close coordination with Prof. Dr. Hauschild and Dr. Stephan Lischner, is to relieve the team and doctors as much as possible by creating efficient structures and optimizing administrative processes. This leaves more time for what really counts: attentive, individual care for patients
The growing administrative burden as a challenge for dermatologist practice
As in most medical practices, everyday life at Medermis Kiel is also characterized by an increase in administrative tasks. Nicol Onur reports:
“Bureaucracy is an enormous challenge - in particular due to the fundamentally reasonable but tightened data protection and the strict requirements of the associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians.”
For the dermatologist practice, this meant a considerable amount of time spent manually managing patient documents. Until now, forms, medical history sheets and declarations of consent had to be processed, scanned and archived on paper. This cost valuable resources and slowed down work processes considerably. An efficient solution was needed to optimize practice operations.
Obstacles to digitization
The digitization of analog structures is considered the basis for automating processes. But complex software and systems are quickly met with skepticism among employees. This applies to both older employees and young colleagues who have grown up with smartphones but are still afraid of contact with less familiar technologies.
“Digitalization has picked up speed in the last two to four years, but no one wants to make mistakes when it comes to our patients' sensitive data.” - Nicol Onur
Successful digitization in practice can only be successful if all team members accept the new systems and can use them efficiently. That is why a practical and understandable user interface is essential. In addition, training, clear documentation and regular feedback options help to promote acceptance.
How did Medermis Kiel find out about Nelly?
Digitalization was already a central topic at medermis Kiel. Manually typing and scanning important patient documents took a lot of time every day and created unnecessary additional effort — an inefficient process that urgently needed to be optimized.
As part of the medermis clinics group, the Kiel practice was able to draw on their resources and contacts — and benefit from the positive experiences that other practices in the group had already had with Nelly.
Smart patient management with Nelly — a real game changer
In autumn 2024, medermis Kiel decided to introduce Nelly. The aim was to streamline patient registration, optimize documentation processes and make everyday practice smoother overall.
With Nelly, patients receive their forms (digital anamnesis, declaration of consent to data processing, clarification forms, etc.) now digitally before the appointment and can fill them out conveniently at home. Alternatively, you can scan a QR code when you check in and complete the documents directly on your own smartphone in the waiting room.
The completed documents are then available in the system in real time and can be immediately viewed by employees. This eliminates the need to manually scan and archive documents.
Nicol Onur reports:
“With Nelly, we have complete documentation and we definitely save 10 minutes per new patient. That's a great thing.”
The changeover was uncomplicated. At first, there were occasional fears of contact within the team, but with close support from Nelly's experts, these were quickly dispelled. After just a few days, employees recognized the benefits of the new system and didn't want to miss it anymore.
Noticeable improvements for team and patients
Since the introduction of Nelly, everyday working life at medermis Kiel has noticeably improved. An overview of the most important benefits:
- More time for the essentials: Digitizing documents saves time, which is now available for actual patient care.
- Increasing efficiency in everyday practice: Documents are immediately available in the system without the need to manually scan and archive them. As a result, the registration processes were significantly streamlined.
- Less paper usage: Digital processing saves large amounts of paper, which not only reduces costs but also makes a valuable contribution to sustainability. At the same time, less space is required, as stacks of paper no longer burden the work area.
- Secure and transparent documentation: Thanks to seamless digital storage, all information can be retrieved at any time. Incorrectly typed information, lost or illegible forms are a thing of the past.
- Better patient journey: Patients benefit from a smooth registration process and can easily fill out their forms in advance. This reduces waiting times and ensures relaxed preparation for a doctor's visit.
A look into the future: Where is the journey heading?
Inspired by the noticeable simplifications made by Nelly, practice manager Nicol Onur sees further potential in automation. Whether it's more efficient processes, better networking or the use of innovative technologies such as AI — the potential for further developments is enormous. Nicol Onur is open to new digital solutions and is excited to see how modern tools can further simplify everyday practice in the future.
Conclusion: A smart step towards a more digital future
By choosing Nelly, medermis Kiel has taken an important step towards digitization and process automation. Everyday practice has become noticeably more efficient, registration has been relieved and patients benefit from better organization. Medermis Kiel is an example of how change can be successful — with the willingness to break new ground.
Now you too can create a digital workflow in your practice. We advise you free of charge and without obligation.
