Connected Innovation Delivers Better Solutions for Patients and Providers

Innovation happens when new thinking is applied to old problems. Case in point: artificial intelligence. It’s now being used in healthcare for everything from operational optimization and disease prediction to population health management, value-based care and patient/member engagement. In fact, a new survey has found that many healthcare organizations plan to invest in all these innovations during the next two years.

Forward-looking healthcare organizations—and their vendors—continuously pursue innovation to improve the patient experience, reduce costs and strengthen the bottom line. It’s happening today in exciting new ways, particularly when providers find ways to link innovation on the front-end through patient powered solutions that connect with backend operations. One leading urgent care provider in Texas is doing just that.

Houston-based Next Level Medical recently adopted comprehensive technology solutions that enable connected digital engagement through the entire patient journey, from preservice to post-service payments. The company is leveraging everything from price estimates, insurance determinations and co-pays, to self-service pre-registration and appointment scheduling, a virtual waiting room and digital forms that simply and accurately automate forms completion using Optical Character Recognition (OCR).

OCR technology—which allows patients to take photos of their drivers’ licenses and insurance cards, combined with digital forms that patients can complete using their own digital devices—is reducing data errors and the number of front office staff needed.

OCR saves staff considerable time and effort since data automatically populates the PM. Claims are approved and “out the door” by the very next day—freeing up staff to focus on higher level revenue cycle work instead of data entry associated with patient data, validating insurance or collecting copays.

ChatGPT is another innovation beginning to gain traction in healthcare. This technology uses artificial intelligence to create bridges between current communication methods and powerful new and cost-efficient ways to engage with patients and members.

Conversational messaging illustrates this power. Patients simply text or call their provider’s office, such as to arrange an appointment, and conversational messaging powered by AI collects patient preferences and facilitates communication that feels completely natural without involving human employees. This is innovation on the front-end involving patient-powered solutions connecting with systems on the backend to deliver benefits for patients and providers alike: convenient and flexible self-service that reduces staff pressure.

Healthcare innovation means continuously thinking and engaging in creative new ways. As technology evolves, forward-thinking providers can take advantage of ever-more patient-powered solutions that integrate with backend systems to reduce effort, cost and time, all while improving the patient experience.