'More personalized:' West Allis clinic eliminates waiting room with new technology

WEST ALLIS -- Eliminating the waiting room from the doctor's office is a reality at a new clinic in West Allis. A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was held Tuesday, March 20 for the new Aurora Health Center Six Points in West Allis near Greenfield Avenue and Six Points Crossing.

The health center features patient location, self-rooming technology that allows patients to enter the clinic and go straight to an exam room, avoiding the germs that may be present in a waiting room.

Aurora Health Center Six Points

"I think for sure there's a little less spreading of germs without that sick waiting room. Especially in the winter months, here in Wisconsin, so that's something we appreciate and I'm sure our patients appreciate as well," said Christina Crumbliss, family medicine physician.

The new technology is changing how the system works. Patients at the health center will be provided a badge and assigned a private room to wait for a care provider.

Aurora Health Center Six Points

Aurora Health Center Six Points

Tom Zilavy

Real-time location technology embedded in the badge shows physicians and staff when and where patients are roomed, enabling them to see patients as quickly as possible.

As a result, all doctors, nurses, and specialists come to the patient instead of the other way around.

"It makes it more personalized, and it makes it more efficient," said Tom Zilavy, assistant vice president of clinic operations.

Even with all the changes -- the doctors said one thing remains the same.

Aurora Health Center Six Points

Aurora Health Center Six Points

"The care is still the same. We're the same compassionate providers," said Crumbliss.

This model has been in use in the Children’s Health Clinic at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay since 2016 and has been well-received.