Introduction
According to statistics1, 79% of patients are more likely to choose a healthcare provider with online, mobile, and self-service omnichannel interactivity. Further, patients describing their relationship with their healthcare provider as “collaborative” are three times2 as likely to find value in technology-assisted communications.
In the dental industry, the trend is no different. Dental patients are increasingly expecting more personalized communications and have higher service expectations. Artificial intelligence (AI) is breaking new ground across the patient experience by turbocharging communications automation and significantly saving on operational costs.
This whitepaper reviews the impact of AI-powered Communications Automation Platforms (CAP) in the dental patient experience, and the benefits for dental providers when implementing AI solutions.
What is an AI-powered Communications Automation Platform?
A Communications Automation Platform (CAP) is a technology solution that uses AI-powered automation to streamline dental patient communications and processes. These platforms layer over the top of existing communications infrastructure, allowing dental practices to modernize without ripping and replacing. CAPs streamline dental practices and revenue cycle management (RCM) by applying AI-powered automation across the entirety of the revenue cycle, beginning when the patient makes the initial appointment through final patient payment and insurance claims. They’re designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of communication, both internally and externally, by automating repetitive tasks and ensuring consistent, timely communications.
CAPs support omnichannel communications including voice, SMS, social media, chat, and more. This allows dental practices to reach their patients and target audience through various channels, guaranteeing they connect with them on the channels they prefer most.
CAPs enable the creation of automated workflows that can trigger communications based on pre-defined rules or events. For example, sending a welcome text to new patients or triggering follow-up messages after a dental visit are ways CAPs improve the patient experience. Dental providers that implement CAP solutions can quickly and easily customize messages and tailor content to their patients.
By automating and optimizing communications processes, dental providers can improve patient engagement and satisfaction. This can lead to increased loyalty, new patient referrals, and more revenue.
The critical value of generative AI
Combining automation with generative AI can transform patient interactions while streamlining staff workloads and increasing efficiency.
Generative AI can create highly personalized content based on the specific needs, preferences, and behaviors of individual patient interactions. This personalization can lead to more engaging and relevant communications, ultimately improving patient satisfaction and loyalty, while increasing efficiency within the dental practice.
Generative AI can handle a high volume of communications. It can generate content for numerous patients simultaneously, ensuring that every patient receives timely and relevant information 24/7, improving response times and patient satisfaction while also reducing time and costs related to staff training and hiring. By offsetting human agent interactions with virtual agent interactions, generative AI also helps businesses right-size their organizations.
Generative AI can adapt based on patient sentiment; some patients may prefer formal language, while others may appreciate a more casual and friendly tone. Generative AI can tailor its responses to match the patient’s preferred style based on how the patient engages, making the interaction more effective.
Generative AI’s sentiment detection also offers a unique competitive advantage when dealing with service and support. When patients express frustration, disappointment, or even anger, generative AI can adapt to negative sentiment and respond empathetically to de-escalate situations and resolve conflicts effectively, leading to more positive experiences.
It is critical for dental practices looking to implement AI-powered automation solutions to look for platforms that leverage generative AI.
Dental practices that adopt an holistic approach using CAP and generative AI gain a significant competitive advantage by delivering more personalized, efficient, and engaging patient interactions.
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Optimizing the the dental patient experience using AI-powered automation
Automating communication interactions across the patient experience has a significant impact on patient satisfaction and dental providers’ ability to manage their operational costs.
AI-powered automation streamlines administrative revenue cycle tasks such as billing, insurance claims processing, and appointment reminders. It also offers the unique opportunity to deliver an omnichannel, self-service environment to patients.
Dental providers can leverage automation with a CAP to provide personalized information to the patient before, during, or after the appointment without staff assistance. The platform pulls information from the dental practice’s CRM and patient records to trigger custom communications that help the patient more easily engage.
With the implementation of AI, dental providers can benefit from:
- True omnichannel experiences across voice, messaging, chat, and email interactions.
- Virtual assistants that harness built-in NLP and generative AI, allowing staff to focus on high-priority tasks.
- Automated appointment scheduling, confirmations, reminders, and rescheduling capabilities for both new and existing patients.
- Easy integration to CRMs and other dental practice applications.
- Self-service features including automated bill payment.
- Dental practice-specific FAQs along with generative AI to enable robust, fast, and accurate responses to thousands of questions.
Automating pre-appointment communications and processes
Automating the first stage of the patient experience streamlines several manual tasks, increasing efficiency for the entirety of the dental practice.
Automated workflows can be used to send out insurance forms for patients to fill out and more information to help the patient prepare for the appointment before they walk in the door. Then, the patient receives an automated response via SMS or voice to confirm the date and time.
To reschedule, patients can connect with an AI-powered interactive voice response (IVR), which will answer their questions, instead of waiting to speak to an available staff member. The platform uses self-service functionality combined with each patient’s patient data to determine the reason behind the call, allowing them to quickly reschedule or cancel an appointment by themselves. This streamlines and automates the rescheduling process, so staff can focus on higher-priority practice responsibilities.
Automation can also simplify the insurance verification process. AI can collect, access, and verify patients’ insurance information, ensuring that coverage details are accurate and complete before the patient’s visit. This reduces unnecessary administrative time and helps prevent billing issues.
Implementing AI in the pre-appointment stage also allows dental providers to collect and update patient information before the appointment, such as medical history, dental concerns, treatment preferences, and contact details. This data can be used to prepare for the patient’s visit, aiding in proactive treatment planning, saving valuable time as a result.
Automating the patient check-in process
Automating the check-in process can have a profound impact on streamlining administrative processes, enhancing patient care, improving the overall patient experience, and ensuring efficient operation of dental practices.
With automated check-in, patients can complete pre-appointment check-in paperwork and provide necessary information online or via SMS before arriving at the dental clinic. This streamlines the check-in process and reduces waiting times. AI-driven systems can send automated appointment reminders and confirmations, reducingthe likelihood of no-shows and ensuring that patients arrive as scheduled and do not exceed their allotted appointment time.
Automated patient engagement channels can also provide patients with information and guidance after their visit, including post-treatment care instructions and what to expect during the appointment.
Automated post-care communications and processes
Using AI-powered automation as part of a dental patient’s check- out and post-care can have several significant impacts, enhancing patient care, communication, and the overall experience.
AI-powered platforms can automate the delivery of post-visit instructions, ensuring that patients receive clear and personalized guidance on caring for their oral health following their specific procedures. Patients may receive automated reminders for any prescribed medications, pain management instructions, or prescription fulfillment status, enhancing timely adherence to treatment plans.
Using AI-powered automation, dental providers can schedule and send reminders for follow-up appointments, ensuring that patients stay on track with their treatment plans and preventive care — all without human interaction. Further, AI-powered telehealth consultations for post-operative or follow-up assessments can be scheduled, allowing patients to connect with their dental providers remotely and discuss their progress or concerns.
In summary, the use of AI-powered automation post-care check-out for dental patients contributes to better patient recovery, follow-up care, and timely engagement with the dental practice. Patients receive the necessary information and support they need to maintain their oral health and continue their relationship with the dental provider. This leads to improved patient satisfaction, better adherence to treatment plans, and more effective communication between patients and dental professionals.
The value of AI and automation in dental practices
Streamlining the dental patient experience using automation with AI offers dental providers several benefits in terms of operations, staffing, and costs. Automation reduces the burden of routine administrative tasks, such as appointment scheduling, data entry, and appointment confirmations, allowing staff to focus their time on more complex and high-value activities. By reducing manual, routine work and improving operational efficiency, dental providers can allocate resources more effectively, right-size their organization, and improve practice management.
An additional significant benefit of implementing intelligent automation across the dental patient experience is reduced staffing labor costs. Advanced automation allows dental providers to minimize staff and tackle manual tasks with fewer workers. Providers do not need to augment headcount and conduct trainings to efficiently handle all the increasing number of interactions
with patients.
Further, the adoption of standard automation in dental offices can result in 5x increase in ROI, whereas advanced automation with customized implementation has the potential to generate a 10x boost in ROI. Automation allows dental practices to re-think their need for costly staff members, resulting in higher in-quarter returns.
AI-powered automation allows dental providers to catch up with undeniable industry trends. Patients want more digital interactions and streamlined communications; automation is the key to unlocking ultimate patient satisfaction.
Conclusion
The transformative impact of AI-powered CAPs in automating the dental patient experiences offers a valuable opportunity. By streamlining administrative tasks, enhancing patient engagement, and improving overall clinic operations, dental practices can realize greater efficiency, improved patient experiences, and reduced labor costs.
Moreover, the implementation of AI-powered systems position dental providers at the forefront of innovation in their industry, ensuring that they can provide top-tier care and convenience to their patients.
The value of AI-powered automation, delivered via a CAP, is evident in the seamless experience they create for patients, from appointment scheduling to post-care check-out. These platforms enable personalized communication, offer real-time support, and promote timely patient participation in their oral health. They also contribute to the clinic’s operational efficiency, freeing up valuable staff time.
As the dental industry continues to evolve and embrace digital transformation, providers who leverage these platforms are well- positioned to provide exceptional care, reduce costs, right-size their practices, and stay competitive in an increasingly patient-centric world. The future of dentistry is here, and it is automated, efficient, and patient-centered, thanks to AI-powered automation.
Achieve automation with IntelePeer’s Smart Automation Communications Automation Platform
With IntelePeer’s AI-powered Smart Automation Communications Automation Platform, you can automate your dental practice and benefit from a new era of efficiency and patient satisfaction.
The IntelePeer platform is designed with dental providers in mind, offering a tailored solution that streamlines your processes, saves costs, and delights your patients.
- Source: Meditab, Patient Engagement Stats Your Practice Should Know, Nov. 14, 2022. ↩︎
- Source: Updox, Top Patient Engagement Statistics and Trends, 2022. ↩︎