Most of us read (and love) the Dilbert cartoons. Scott Adams captures classic workplace inefficiency so masterfully. There’s one that comes to mind, about keeping things simple. It goes like this:
Dilbert: “The secret to success is to keep things simple.”
Alice: “Do you mean simple in the absolute sense or relative to the alternatives?”
Dilbert: “It depends on the situation.”
Alice: “That sounds complicated.”
Like Dilbert and Alice, we tend to make things more complicated than they need to be in healthcare and HealthIT. We create workarounds, we release software with bugs to be “fixed in a later iteration,” we make EHR systems proprietary and difficult to interact with and then we don’t provide adequate training. Subsequently, people spend copious amounts of time inputting data only to be corrected later, unable to connect critical information, or trying to correct duplications of time and effort, over and over, expecting different results each time. If you work in healthcare, you understand the quandary.
Automation Simplifies Technology Hurdles
Automation can fix a lot of healthcare’s pain points. Automation tools like Boston WorkStation fit into existing IT architectures, without the need to disrupt things. Boston WorkStation makes it easier to connect, compare, and contrast information in multiple disparate systems, while removing the burden from people. As the only company with a pure focus in healthcare automation for over 30 years, we can lessen claims challenges, speed “dollars in the door,” and reduce denial rates by ensuring accuracy. We can speed processes in Human Resources by onboarding employees and clinicians faster, without a human burden. Healthcare teams are tired and resources are tight. Automation technology can simplify tasks in the following areas:
- Claims Processing
- Human Resources Tasks
- Scheduling and Follow-up
- Data Transfer
- Supply Chain Management
- Invoice Processing
And so much more…
We Have The Tools To Simplify Healthcare
Information is power, but sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. Information overload affects healthcare workers in a major way, increasing burnout rates and dissatisfaction scores. There’s still an inordinate amount of manual work that goes into accessing data that is siloed and unstructured. Too much information is still on paper, even when it has been migrated to the EHR, lab systems, practice management, and so on. By automating tasks, healthcare teams are free to spend time on higher value work that requires human skills. The beauty of healthcare automation is in the ability to empower humans, by improving digital access, reducing workloads, and seamlessly maximizing revenue. A survey by the research company Black Book, showed that 86% of CFOs and senior finance leaders who automated key financial processes at their hospital or health system reported a “substantial” return on investment (ROI). Automation just makes it easier for healthcare to get things done.
Simply Prevent Burnout
Healthcare is still at a breaking point. Stress levels are at an all-time high for employees and clinicians. Given the challenges of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic for the last three years, staffing challenges, and limited resources, it’s easy to understand why burnout levels are elevated. Most healthcare facilities continue to rely on a patchwork of spreadsheets, manual data entry, and legacy systems that make information sharing difficult, and cause duplication in documentation, increased tasks, and mounting frustrations. Automation is a key enabler of change, redesigning the way people work, for maximum benefit and personal satisfaction.
We’ll leave you with this Dilbert cartoon, because many times it feels like no one is acting fast enough to change the paradigm:
Dilbert: “When will we upgrade our internal networks?”
Mordac: “We were just having a conversation about that.”
Dilbert: “That doesn’t help me at all.”
Mordac: “Note the pattern.” (lots of talk but no action)
Why Boston Software Systems?
Boston Software Systems understands healthcare. For over 30 years, and with consistent, 5-star support rankings, Boston Software Systems has been creating efficiencies in hundreds of hospitals, healthcare organizations, and technology partner offerings. Schedule a call today to discuss the best projects with the greatest ROI. Take your automation ideas to the next level with Boston WorkStation.