The healthcare industry is in the midst of a major transformation. Patients are no longer content with merely receiving passive care; they now expect a higher level of engagement and personalized services from their healthcare providers. In the past, patients would have received standard treatment plans and periodic check-ups. The focus was on the clinical aspect of a patient’s journey. However, in today’s healthcare environment, patients expect more. They want a healthcare journey tailored to their specific needs, with regular communication and guidance from their healthcare team.
Customer experience in healthcare encompasses every touchpoint and interaction a patient has with your healthcare system; from the moment they seek medical assistance to their post-treatment follow-ups. Patient experience goes beyond just the clinical aspects of treatment; it involves the emotional, psychological, and practical aspects of a patient’s healthcare journey. This holistic view of patient experience highlights the need for a comprehensive and patient-centric approach to healthcare delivery. One powerful tool that has emerged to meet these changing needs is Business Process Management (BPM). In this article, we will explore how BPM can be leveraged to revolutionize healthcare services, making them more patient-centric, efficient, and responsive to the evolving expectations of healthcare customers.
One of the most significant challenges in healthcare is coordinating patient care as a team from the patient’s arrival to the end of treatment. BPM for healthcare services is designed specifically to streamline and automate processes across business departments, ensuring that everyone involved in the healthcare process is on the same page. BPM tools and platforms lead to more transparency in patient journey management, maximizing the efforts of medical professionals.
BPM solutions offer automated approval processes for document evaluation, electronic forms, integrations, and other enablers that help patients experience better healthcare with minimal effort from the medical staff. Everyone operates to an agreed standard and can review the previous steps of the patient journey, making the entire process more patient-centric.
The administrative burden on healthcare professionals is significant, with primary care physicians needing an impossible 26.7 hours per day for documentation and inbox management, according to a recent study. This is where BPM takes center stage, reducing the load by automating healthcare business processes. These processes encompass a wide range of activities, including patient registration and appointment scheduling, medical billing and claims processing, electronic health records, and insurance-payer interfaces.
BPM platform helps healthcare facilities by automating tasks such as document management, where it captures information in physical documents and allows for easy file sharing among staff. It also automates billing report creation by extracting patient information from hospital databases and inserting it into forms to generate invoices. BPM also helps with optimizing staff scheduling workflows. Additionally, BPM makes appointment scheduling more user-friendly with online booking systems and automated reminders and notifications. BPM applications also play a significant role in equipment procurement, supporting the entire procurement pipeline from contract management and supplier tracking to invoicing creation and inventory management.
BPM platform helps healthcare facilities by automating tasks such as document management, where it captures information in physical documents and allows for easy file sharing among staff. It also automates billing report creation by extracting patient information from hospital databases and inserting it into forms to generate invoices. BPM also helps with optimizing staff scheduling workflows. Additionally, BPM makes appointment scheduling more user-friendly with online booking systems and automated reminders and notifications. BPM applications also play a significant role in equipment procurement, supporting the entire procurement pipeline from contract management and supplier tracking to invoicing creation and inventory management.
Compliance with regulations is a critical aspect of healthcare operations. Failing to meet these regulatory standards can result in penalties and, more importantly, could compromise patient care. The business process management (BPM) approach aids healthcare organizations in staying compliant by analyzing existing processes for compliance issues and recommending improvements to reduce risks and enhance efficiency.
BPM tools can help with reminding compliance due dates for each process and ISO audit dates. This ensures that you attend compliance events in a timely manner. This not only helps in adhering to regulatory standards but also enhances the overall quality of healthcare services.
Effective patient care often involves multiple healthcare professionals across various departments working in tandem. BPM systems excel in creating a framework that streamlines these complex operations and ensures efficient communication. By automating workflows and facilitating information sharing, healthcare providers can ensure that patients receive a seamless and coordinated healthcare journey.
For example, when a patient undergoes a diagnostic procedure, BPM can automate the process of sharing the results with the relevant specialists, scheduling follow-up appointments, and notifying the patient about the next steps in their care plan. This not only saves time but also reduces the likelihood of errors and oversights in patient care.
The healthcare industry is continuously evolving, with changes in regulations, technological advancements, and shifting patient demographics. BPM solutions offer the flexibility and scalability needed to adapt to these changes. Whether it’s the adoption of new electronic health record systems, the integration of telemedicine solutions, or the incorporation of remote patient monitoring, BPM can be customized to accommodate these shifts seamlessly.
BPM allows healthcare providers to quickly respond to surges in patient demand, such as those seen during public health crises. By automating processes and optimizing resource allocation, healthcare organizations can efficiently scale their operations to meet evolving needs.
Patient engagement is a key component of modern healthcare, and BPM solutions offer numerous tools to facilitate it. Through automated appointment reminders, secure patient portals and personalized communication, healthcare providers can actively involve patients in their care journey. For example, a BPM-enabled software system can send automated reminders for upcoming appointments, deliver educational materials about a patient’s condition, and allow patients to securely communicate with their healthcare team.
By actively involving patients in their care, healthcare providers not only improve patient satisfaction but also empower individuals to take a more active role in managing their health. This can lead to better treatment adherence and overall health outcomes.
Read More: Customer Journey Mapping and BPM: Unlocking the Potential for Enhanced Customer Experiences
Patient expectations have evolved significantly; they now seek a healthcare experience that is not only clinically sound but also personalized, efficient, and engaging. BPM has emerged as a powerful tool to meet these changing needs by streamlining clinical processes, automating administrative tasks, promoting compliance excellence, and facilitating seamless coordination and communication.
BPM also enables healthcare providers to harness the power of data, enhance patient engagement, and adapt to the ever-changing healthcare environment. By leveraging BPM, healthcare organizations can revolutionize their services, align with evolving patient expectations, and ultimately deliver high-quality, patient-centric care. As the healthcare industry continues to transform, BPM stands as a cornerstone for meeting the demands of modern healthcare and ensuring a healthier future for all.
