Leveraging Tech to Enhance Healthcare Provider Network Dynamics
Like many other medical processes nowadays, healthcare provider management is heavily dependent on technology. Besides improving the administrative processes, such as provider onboarding, advanced solutions can also boost the overall service quality. Through technology, insurance companies can cut their expenses, while quality doctors can acquire more patients.
According to Andros, a top-tier network management agency, not using high-tech solutions is a fool’s errand. Although you might need some time to get accustomed to some of these platforms, the end results are more than worth it. Alternatively, you can always hire external service providers to manage the network’s performance.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the traditional provider network dynamics and how tech can improve the process.
1. Easily accessible data
Whether we’re talking about provider networks or, in general, the biggest benefit of advanced technology comes in the form of easy data access. Long gone are the days when clinics and hospitals stored thousands and thousands of paper records; nowadays, you can assess each patient’s state from your phone.
The best thing about digitalized solutions is that the data can be shared across the board. As soon as you make a change to a patient’s record, another specialist can access this data and continue treatment. This makes it crucial for complex cases where clients have to visit several specialists during a visit.
What’s better, all the changes are made in real time. That way, there are no errors or data duplication. While this might not be a big deal for patients who visit just one hospital, it is invaluable for all those who visit several network providers during a single treatment.
2. Fewer errors
As bad as it might sound, errors are very common within the medical profession. Whether we’re talking about human error, equipment malfunction, or complications, there are lots of things that might go awry during a single visit. According to data, approximately 400,000 people are harmed in these situations, out of which 100,000 patients die.
Aside from the catastrophic loss of human lives, medical organizations also need to consider massive malpractice costs. Clinics, hospitals, and practitioners cost about $20 billion each year, which is why proper education and credentialing are crucial if you want to have an efficient business.
Luckily for us, tech companies have introduced numerous solutions as of late that would prevent unwanted deaths. Perhaps the best example is CDS or Clinical Decision Support technology, which provides practitioners with relevant, real-time data regarding patients’ health. Through the power of technology, professionals can significantly boost their success rates while reducing mishaps.
3. Faster credentialing
Credentialing and re-credentialing are a big deal for provider networks. These processes are vital for insurance companies as they ensure that practitioners and medical institutions have the required know-how and education. Not only that but during credentialing, you establish if there are pending claims against a medical provider.
Despite its importance, credentialing is quite an arduous process. A person in charge needs to go through practitioners’ degrees, certificates, prior work experience, and all other relevant documents. The process usually takes at least two months, but it might be longer than six months.
During this time, the employer is obliged to pay money on wages, which is another burden. Through faster credentials verification, networks can ensure faster onboarding while reducing the impact on employee turnover. By having more specialists at their disposal, patients can receive better, faster care.
4. Improved communication
Communication is another major issue for provider networks. In fact, the larger the network, the bigger the issue becomes. Through technology, providers and insurance companies can stay in touch at all times. Having an open channel of communication is also important when sharing information with other providers or delegating tasks.
5. Better patient education
Most people don’t think about this, but patient education is crucial for any treatment. This is especially true when a person is asked to abide by a specific diet, to administer the drug regularly, or to implement other precautionary measures while out of the hospital.
With modern software, providers can create knowledge bases and other educational content customized for specific patients. For example, a person with diabetes can access website content curated by the clinic’s experts to learn more about food they can and can’t eat.
Recently, we’ve noticed a spike in AI-driven solutions. Companies rely on artificial intelligence to provide customer support services and to simplify other processes that require massive data processing. Whatever the case, through proper education, you can improve patients’ health, increase satisfaction rates, and reduce labor.
6. Better personalization
We’ve already mentioned that technology can boost patient care, but let’s get a bit deeper into it. Specifically, by assessing the demographic traits of the local population, you can create networks that are best suited for their needs. Insurance companies can cherry-pick professionals based on the average patient’s age and proclivity toward specific conditions.
The enhanced personalization can also assist clinics and hospitals as it can help them allocate resources toward the ideal patient profile. That way, they don’t have to stack inventories with drugs and equipment they’ll never use.
Software reliance is also great for tracking patients’ progress and prescribing customized treatments. Even when a person steps out of the office, a doctor can still monitor their state to tweak the process and suggest alternative course of action. With the right digital platforms, practitioners can be more proactive without investing additional time.
Last thoughts
Based on what we’ve mentioned in this article, sophisticated technology can assist a provider network from its early inception to its developed phases. You can use modern programs to create a perfect team of providers that would efficiently cover a specific geographic region. The same tech is also invaluable during arduous administrative tasks, which would otherwise take days and even months to complete.
Most importantly, by relying on databases and artificial intelligence, you can monitor all providers and patients in real time. Every member of the team will be notified about the changes as soon as they occur, allowing users to be more proactive and efficient.