Jim Higgins

Technology has impacted society in countless ways-and the healthcare industry is no exception. One emerging area of technological advancement is artificial intelligence (AI). We all know that it is being used in the medical industry in ways that seem like the science fiction novels of days gone by. From the use of AI in medical research to robot-assisted surgery or even with systems that can detect cancer, there are a variety of benefits derived from AI in the clinical setting. In fact, 

 that by 2021, healthcare’s investment in AI will reach $6.6 billion. This is a growth of more than 10 times over a five-year period!

Not all of this is going to address clinical aspects of the healthcare industry though. We are also seeing AI transform the way patients and healthcare systems interact and communicate with one another. Using the technology in patient communications has the potential to fuel a more meaningful connection between patients and providers.

 will be with some form of technology. You know those chat windows that pop up on a website you may be visiting? There’s a pretty good chance that you may have actually been speaking with an AI-fueled chatbot rather than a human. And if it’s done right, you may never realize you were actually talking with a computer. Artificially intelligent chatbots are basically talking robots. These chatbots are incredibly smart and adaptive-and becoming more so each year. Chatbots are helping everywhere, including taking your Chinese food order, reserving your hotel room, or-yes-helping you with your healthcare needs.

Artificial intelligence drives organizational efficiency

Through the help of AI, mundane issues that take up too much time on the part of healthcare workers can be greatly reduced. While their chatbots are busy answering questions from patients about things such as facility hours, appointment times, medication issues, symptom checks, nutrition, and so on, medical professionals are able to spend their time where it really matters. Additionally, with AI, patients will be able to get their questions answered without ever needing to speak with someone, reducing pressure on overstretched healthcare systems, where the 

 is expected to double in the next decade. In fact, it’s estimated that by 2022, the 

adoption of chatbots in healthcare will lead to global savings of $3.6 billion

AI delivers the “wow” factor to patients

While people act differently in when it comes to making decisions as a patient compared to a consumer, they do have one commonality at heart. They want AI and other cutting-edge technology as a part of their healthcare experience. In fact, consumers are 

 to view AI as having a positive impact than a negative and 70 percent say they want AI when interacting with companies. So, beyond making life easier for healthcare organizations, a big goal of chatbots is to meet this consumer-fueled demand. There are times when visiting the doctor or the hospital is either difficult or just plain unnecessary for patients. Chatbots are an effective way to address these issues. Using artificial intelligence helps healthcare organizations give patients the quickest and most comprehensive answer to problems. Through the use of AI-driven technologies, patients can easily analyze symptoms, ask questions, book physician appointments, set reminders, and so on.

Artificial intelligence does not negate the need for the human touch                                                                             

Some healthcare professionals are leery to jump into the AI realm, fearing that the loss of the human element could lead to dissatisfied patients. This is why it’s important when implementing any technology to find the right balance between automation and human interaction. At some point in the healthcare process, many patients will need to speak with an actual person within the healthcare organization. Obviously, there will be patients who need to be seen, questions that can’t be easily resolved virtually, and people who just need the soothing touch of humanity.

To achieve this balance, when leveraging AI as part of the patient experience, try to use the technology to automate those tasks and questions that unnecessarily take healthcare professionals away from the patients in front of them and not to replace needed patient interactions. Wondering which interactions require the human touch? The key is to always keep the patient and their needs at the forefront of your processes. This will help ensure that you are always giving your patients the best experience possible. 

Artificial intelligence in healthcare is not an innovation that we may see someday in the future. It’s here now. Healthcare organizations need to recognize that the implementation of AI technology is not only a great way to streamlines processes and deliver great care, but it is critical to keeping up with the competition now-and for years to come. 

. You can follow him on Twitter: @higgs77

Articles

Artificial intelligence is not an innovation that we may see someday in the future. It’s here now

Unexpected uses for AI: patient communications

Anyone who has been around for a while will remember how different healthcare was just 20 years ago. Go back 40 or 50 years and it would be unrecognizable. Those were the days when most people saw a family physician for everything. Specialists worked at the local or regional hospital. You only went there when it was really serious. Billing was simpler. There were no EHRs.                                                                              

That is a very different picture than the healthcare of today. We know more and can diagnose and treat more conditions than ever before. As a result, healthcare has expanded with everything from independent practices to large group and multi-specialty practices and networks of physician groups in addition to large hospitals and health systems. The trend is towards consolidation. A new 

report from the American Medical Association

 showed that employed physicians outnumber independent for the first time.

This trend has had a big impact on patient experience. Back in the day, patients had a very personal relationship with their doctor and his or her staff, who were likely part of their community. That’s rare today. Changes to reimbursement and organizational structure mean that people often don’t see the same person. Even in smaller practices, there may be a Physician’s Assistant or Nurse Practitioner as well as the primary physicians. There may be several front desk people or nurses. You might not see the same doctor, nurse, assistant, or front desk person twice in a row. It’s part of why larger healthcare organizations have 

It’s also why patient relationship management (PRM) is playing a growing role in healthcare. From patient communication to education and reviews, PRM can help automate to save time while also helping to personalize and customize to improve the patient’s experience. PRM has been around for just about 20 years. So, what has the impact been as PRM vendors look to help improve the experience in an ever-more complex healthcare system?

, sought to answer that question. More than 700 providers and practice staff across several specialties were surveyed. Their responses showed some clear trends-Three main priorities for PRM stood out:

·       Improve patient communication

At the same time, the majority of practices had the same two concerns about implementing PRM technology-lack of time and lack of budget.

The data shows that PRM has been able to effectively help practices meet their goals while also addressing their concerns. The key insights from the report include:

 83 percent of those using PRM technology said they can communicate better with patients.

62 percent said that patients were more engaged when PRM was used.

 81 percent had a no-show rate of 10 percent or less and 41 percent had a no-show rate under five percent.

 83 percent use automated recall and 55 percent of those said it generates $5,000 or more in revenue each month, with 14 percent saying it adds over $20,000 a month.

 76 percent said they spend less than two hours a day on the phone and 33 percent spend less than one hour.

 76 percent say they spend less than one hour on reminder tasks each day and 68 percent said they spend less than one hour on recall tasks per day.

This is in contrast to practices that said they had no PRM technology in place. Those practices were more likely to have a no-show rate over 10 percent and to have staff spending more than two hours on the phone. In addition, they were far less likely to have a recall program in place, with 39 percent saying they conducted no recall of any kind.

All healthcare organizations face challenges around time and budget when it comes to patient engagement. However, those using PRM technology are able to mitigate that by meeting their PRM goals, including:

·       Decreasing time spent on the phone

For organizations or networks trying to create a better experience for patients while watching the bottom line, PRM may be one solution.

Addressing the concerns physicians have in using PRM tech

Patient relationship management technology: What’s the impact so far?

Anyone who has been around for a while will remember how different healthcare was just 20 years ago. Go back 40 or 50 years and it would be unrecognizable. Those were the days when most people saw a family physician for everything. Specialists worked at the local or regional hospital. You only went there when it was really serious. Billing was simpler. There were no EHRs                                                                                              

Has this kind of technology made a difference for physician practices?

Author | Jim Higgins

Articles

Unexpected uses for AI: patient communications

Patient relationship management technology: What’s the impact so far?

Patient relationship management technology: What’s the impact so far?