Robotic Process Automation For Healthcare

Today, healthcare organizations manage various repetitive tasks and manual integrations to optimize appointment scheduling, digitize patient documentation and accelerate claims processing. With the increasing needs of new-age patients, organizations must consider the digital transformation route to drive growth and efficiency.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has emerged as the new medium to create value throughout the healthcare provider supply chain. The implementation of RPA involves task automation with the integration of business processes across technologies and business functions.

It helps automate the business processes and improve patient care. But are you wondering which tasks need to be optimized with RPA? Patient-facing, managerial and back-office tasks are critical areas for automation. With Robotics Process Automation in the healthcare industry, healthcare providers can offer customized and interactive patient care with increased efficiency and reduced costs. While providers are only beginning to consider automating processes, the potential to transform is enormous.

Through this blog, we’ll cover the below topics;

• Implementation of RPA in Healthcare
• Benefits of AI-Powered RPA in Healthcare
• RPA Use Cases in Healthcare
• Challenges in Implementing RPA

So, let’s get started by first understanding the essentials of RPA.

RPA helps build a robust digital workforce where workers can interact with smart software robots that replicate human actions. It automates both front and back-office operations while eliminating manual processes. RPA in hospitals helps reduce healthcare inefficiencies while offering better care delivery – important for both the industry and the public.

With automation and fast implementation projects enabled by RPA, healthcare providers can avoid costly, long-running digital transformation implementation projects allowing them to channel more healthcare delivery resources.

The healthcare sector is diverse and complex. And it has multiple players spread across the value chain. Today, the industry is evolving even faster than ever. This transformation goes beyond just streamlining and automating processes. There are much larger advantages of RPA implementation that healthcare companies must realize.

Let’s look at how it can impact the industry;

Data Entry and Migration:
The healthcare space is rapidly evolving mainly because of technology. Additionally, it is also due to government regulations and mandates. Executives realize the importance of doing away with paper charts to digitize patient information. Both patient and doctor can easily access this data at any time. RPA plays a critical role in transferring this data from legacy systems to newer ones.

Billing and Claims Processing:
Billing and claims processing is another critical part of the healthcare sector. A patient that visits a doctor will file a claim. And the remaining amount is payable by the patient. Account receivables help to keep track of all payments. However, this is a time-consuming process and prone to errors. RPA in healthcare claims processing eliminates these problems. It helps in increasing efficiency, time management and reduced human errors.

Patient Scheduling:
When patients schedule appointments with doctors, it can also result in occasional cancellations. This can be expensive for healthcare providers. When RPA comes into the picture, it reduces human intervention and increases engagement with patients.

Are you wondering what are the benefits of RPA implementation for your business? Have a look at how it can have an impact on your business.

Let’s also look at some of the examples that will provide you valuable insights into how businesses have transformed their processes.

Case 1:

RPA Platform for Efficient Processes
One of Asia’s largest healthcare chains that deals with patient transaction data daily had manual processes in place. They had to streamline claims processing, customer detail recording and reconciliation of data for government schemes. The client wanted to optimize their existing processes to reduce human errors and turnaround time. By identifying areas where RPA could be adopted, the solution resulted in an efficiency of:

• Claims Processing
• Data Reconciliation for Central Government Scheme (CGHS)
• Data Reconciliation for Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS)

As a result, the healthcare chain reduced TAT by 50% while CGHS & ECHS reduced time consumption by ~70%.

Case 2:
Appeal Processing Automation for Healthcare Coverage Administrator
A healthcare administrator had to review cases each time a member wanted to appeal or submit a policy complaint. However, the appeals came through various channels like fax, phone, email, or a web form. Member details had to be manually entered from multiple channels before the appeal process. This was a time-consuming process and often resulted in delays and errors. The company wanted to solve their pain points. The adoption of an RPA solution helped extract data from emails through OCR and Robotics. These machine learning models would route requests into queues. The entire solution resulted in:

• 85% reduced manual work right from data extraction to policy approval
• Reduction in routing time from 15 mins to 3 mins

There are also specific RPA implementation challenges that you will face. These difficulties can surface when you integrate new technology into your current architecture. However, when you partner with an experienced software development company, these temporary hurdles will be eliminated. Here are some of the top challenges we feel could stand in your way.

1. Employee Resistance and Onboarding
   Implementation of new technology requires a massive shift in responsibilities. The change in tasks can make the entire transition stressful for employees. For successful adoption, executives and team leads must ensure clear communication across departments throughout the implementation phase. Expected goals, responsibilities and outcomes need to be clearly addressed across teams. This will drive faster adoption and reduce challenges associated with changes.
2. Technical Ambiguity
   Though RPA offers ease of installation, the technical staff needs to research the answers to satisfy technological and operational issues.
3. Infrastructure Issues
   When implementing RPA, an essential element to consider is the need for an interconnected system that keeps on-premise or cloud infrastructure updated in real-time. A centralized infrastructure team would play a crucial role in expediting the RPA implementation process.
4. Process & Efficiency Mapping
   Process Mapping or Business Process Mapping in RPA helps communicate how a task is accomplished. Human errors are susceptible if the instructions are not standardized and rules not defined.

As healthcare organizations begin to explore the benefits of RPA, leaders must define the right path to digitization. Robotics Process Automation will help you deliver a better customer experience, expedite processes, drive productivity and streamline business operations all through a cost-effective approach.

Rishabh Software is experienced in formulating the right fit RPA solution through our agile project management approach. As a result, we have developed a strong portfolio to help healthcare organizations digitally transform.