IPA in Hospital and Healthcare Industry

One of the fields that have dramatically changed due to the boost of modern technology adapting to Intelligent Process Automation is healthcare. The Intelligent Process Automation enables hospitals to build models to improve patient experience along with improving the nursing and doctor’s daily operations. Many hospitals and healthcare institutions have migrated mundane and time-consuming tasks to Automated based platforms and put client comfort as a priority along with quality medical service as obligation and responsibility. On the other hand innovations and R&D in the past few decades have contributed to more effective medicines, improved diagnostic aids, and technological solutions to non-invasive procedures. These are naming just a few of the accomplishments in the healthcare industry.

However, developed countries are struggling to meet the need of the Human Development Index (HDI) – availability of quality and affordable healthcare. Automations providers have gone beyond the Robotics Automation scope and are coming up with Innovative Intelligent Process Automation Frameworks using AI, ML, RPA and related smart tools to address some of the Key Challenges faced regularly by Hospitals, who struggle to keep up the pace but they don’t have any data or analysis to identify a surge in condition and volume to address them by making decisions before they occur. But the Good News is – Automation providers are working with industry-leading OEMs like Google, IBM, Microsoft, Automation Anywhere, UiPath ( to name a few ) in addressing the need.

Today we see Automation Providers talking about innovative frameworks to take on the mission-critical challenge of helping Hospitals saving more lives by implementing Intelligent Process Automation which combines the power of AI, ML, Advanced Visual Analytics and many more such smart technologies.

Reports and Data were taken from institutions like CDC, National Academy of Medicine, The U.S. Justice Department, Doctor-Patient Rights Project (DRPP) and others indicate, to publish a few of the extensive list:

• 250,000 cases of Patient mortality rates associated with CLABSI – central-line associated bloodstream infections due to Healthcare or Hospital Associated Infections or HAIs are reported annually which adds up to $36,000 per episode.
• Waste in healthcare is estimated at a staggering cost of $765 Billion Annually.
• 3% of Fraudulent Healthcare Claims in the United States, is almost $100 Billion.
• Studies estimate a diagnosis error rate of 10% – 15%
• An estimated $471 billion in extra healthcare costs annually due to Paperwork for third-party payers which constitutes about 18% of the country’s total healthcare expenses
• Supply expense per patient admission in the US was estimated to be $4,470 which is a disproportionate constraint of health insurance reimbursements
• The United States hits the highest data breach resolution cost which typically cost an average of $408 per record in event of Data Theft

Hospitals and Healthcare industries have moved on the curve from Digitization to implementation of Intelligent Process Automation. They are experiencing the benefits of implementing the right symphony of Intelligent Tools like RPA, AI, ML, and Smart Workflows to address their responsibilities and obligation to people. Advancement from using smart tools in silos to creating an Intelligent Process Automation framework approach has not only enabled the industry to manage operations at a reduced cost but also enable them to address the most critical mission of Saving Lives using Data Automation to build predictive models by using patient medical records, laboratory results, and vital signs from patients to find early warning signals of deteriorating condition. A huge relief to the people when they required adequate Luck to meet the treatment window in a time of an Emergency. Intelligent Process Automation not only manages the Operational aspects of the Hospitals but the right usage of the AI and ML extends the benefits to patients by arranging the best window of treatment to save lives.

It is a key aspect to look at end problem statement from a 4D view rather putting major stress from Technology view:

1. People Management
2. Process Management
3. Technology and Infrastructure Management
4. Compliance and Regulatory Management

To demonstrate a simple Use Case of how Intelligent Process Automation has brought in significant changes and benefits to the industry,  let’s look at Appointment Booking or Scheduling Management:

Problem at Large

A survey of nearly 500 healthcare professionals on the Top Challenges for Medical Practices showed that lost revenue from broken appointments was the top challenge with 49.5% of respondents voting for this.

Here is how survey participants responded along with some additional thoughts on the top three ranked answers:

AI, ML-based Solutions developed in an Intelligent Process Automation by Automation Providers: Chatbots and RPA BOTs

Chatbots unlike traditional websites where patients can only navigate on a time and date can provide a much more personalized experience. Provide details about available physicians, symptom-based suggestions. Collect information needed to pre-fill patient information forms prior to the appointment. It allows hospitals to seamlessly manage the incoming patients and also create bandwidth to address to any incoming emergencies. Chatbot also extends to enable Voice interfaces which can eliminate the need to login to a portal and key in the required information. A helpful feature to those with physical disabilities. Integrating with AL and ML can provide preliminary counselling and also helping hospitals with required inputs for any pre-arrangement to be done. The chatbot will be an essential solution to empower patients to not only schedule appointments but set up reminders or make changes as required. Patients are not limited to access the target website but can fire up a voice assistant ( like Siri, Google Assistant, etc..) to process the task from their mobile phones.

Summary

Implementing just set of smart tools are not enough in present days to meet people demand and delight. Identifying end statement and solving through framework approach like Intelligent Process Automation brings a significant difference in Management of Effort, Operations, Cost and most importantly saving more Lives.

Some more key attributes of Intelligent Process Automation Framework can also be in the areas of:

• Availability and Management of health care facilities
• Cost and speed of Service
• Managing, Analysing, Reporting of massive volumes of patient-related data to useful Information
• Wastefulness and Optimized supply chain management
• Systems integration, communication and data sharing
• Enhancing the patient experience, pre and post-treatment
• Streamlining Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement
• Automating Discharge Procedures
• EHR (Electronic Health Records) Data Warehousing and Visualization
• Inventory Management and Supply Chain Management

Know About Arges Global – Intelligent Process Automation (Automation with Human Touch) – https://www.argesglobal.com/intelligent-process-automation