Six critical solutions for reducing operational disruptions in healthcare

To say that these past several years were not kind to the healthcare industry would be a gross understatement. In particular, because of internal organizational changes, cost pressures, regulation constraints, compliance requirements, funding, and evolving patient demands, 63% of healthcare providers have endured severe business and operational disruptions. (Gartner, 2023)

With all projections indicating that there are even more challenges on the horizon – namely, mass physician retirements, an aging population, obesity, and a mental health epidemic, etc. – it is paramount that healthcare organizations implement communications automation solutions today to mitigate future disruptions.

The state of healthcare disruptions 

Digital transformation and communications automation solutions are critical to preventing disruptions and, by extension, improving patient engagement and experience. Nevertheless, only 40% of healthcare organizations are ready for future disruptions. (Emids, 2022) Likewise, only 22% of providers have initiated an automation journey. (Gartner, 2023) Considering how slow the sector moves, these numbers can be encouraging from a glass-half-full perspective. However, the reality is that the majority of healthcare organizations have not undergone digital transition or deployed communication automation solutions, making them vulnerable to disruptions.

One common disruption that can halt operations and endanger patients is a data breach. These incidents can cost a healthcare provider, on average, $6.45 million, which is 60% higher than the cross-industry average. (Fierce Healthcare, 2019) These costs can be disastrous – especially in light of the over $24 billion worth of expenses incurred from staffing shortages due to the pandemic. (American Hospital Association, 2021)

Six critical solutions for minimizing disruptions  

By implementing no-code communication automation solutions, healthcare organizations can lessen operational disruptions, saving money and time while empowering their workforce to deliver a consistent, best-in-class patient experience. In particular, here are six such solutions:

1. Appointment management: Automated voice and SMS text reminders will lighten workloads and reduce costs from last-minute cancellations and no-shows.
2. Payment processing: Automated payment reminders sent to the patient’s preferred device will keep their data safe and decrease late or missed payments.  
3. Doctor/Patient/Staffing alerts: Enhance communication and productivity through automated voice recordings and SMS text notifications regarding procedures, safety protocols, updates, etc.
4. Prescription management: Cut down on tedious tasks by automating prescription requests, questions, instructions, and notifications via pre-recorded voice calls and SMS text.
5. Patient surveys: Conduct automated surveys through voice calls that intelligently process, store, and transcribe patient responses, helping increase customer satisfaction and survey engagement.
6. Non-emergency hotline: Self-service hotlines permit patients to access frequently asked questions, ensuring patients don’t have to wait on hold.

Features of ideal communications automation solutions 

Ideally, best-in-class communications automation solutions should allow healthcare providers to easily create custom communication workflows without extensive technical experience. They should utilize pre-built, patient-preferred voice and SMS text tools designed with security in mind. Scalability is also important and will help support millions of patient interactions – particularly as practices face a growing number of older patients. Additionally, communications automation solutions should utilize generative AI and other emerging technologies.

Prepare for inevitable disruptions with IntelePeer

Concerning the severity of healthcare disruptions, the benefits of communications automation technology are not simply “nice-to-have” but essential to protecting patients and ensuring the highest quality of care. Contact IntelePeer and prepare for inevitable disruptions by modernizing your strategy with our Smart Automation solution today.