It is no secret that healthcare providers are experiencing a crisis of resources. They are finding themselves caught in between rising costs and increased demand from a consumer base increasingly frustrated with exorbitant prices. In this environment, any provider that can decrease costs without decreasing quality of service stands to “win big” in terms of customer loyalty and retention.
However, in the midst of a rising labor shortage that puts skilled medical personnel in high demand, decreasing costs without decreasing quality is a difficult task. However, many healthcare providers can realize significant costs savings with workflow automation and self-service portals for both their partners and their patients. Furthermore, if implemented correctly, automation and self-service can actually improve the quality of service, by ensuring higher consistency and greater ease of use for patients and partners.
The savings from automation go beyond replacing human resources with technological ones. Skilled personnel are freed from mundane tasks, allowing them to devote more time and resources to tasks suited to their training and expertise. This focus improves efficiency and employee morale, creating a virtuous cycle leading to even more savings. In addition, the consumer is given a means of control as these processes are pushed back to them; the mundane in an employee’s eyes is quite relevant in the consumer’s eyes. While one party relinquishes an “unimportant task” and regains time and satisfaction, the other party regains control, visibility and empowerment. All in all, this develops a win-win situation.
