Patient Admission & Onboarding
The Problem: A large multi-specialty hospital with a high number of daily patient admissions spent a lot of manual efforts in patient admission and onboarding processes, leading to inefficiencies, delays, and potential errors. They faced issues like –
- Manual Data Entry: The hospital staff had to manually enter patient information, leading to data entry errors and longer admission times.
- Documentation and Verification: Gathering and verifying patient documents and insurance information was time-consuming and prone to errors.
- Communication Delays: Patients often had to wait for their information to be processed and for room assignments due to manual coordination.
- Resource Allocation: Staff members spent valuable time on administrative tasks, which could have been utilized for patient care.
The Solution: The hospital collaborated with us to design and implement an RPA solution to streamline and automate their Patient Admission & Onboarding processes. The RPA bots were set up to retrieve patient information from electronic health records (EHR) systems, referral forms, and online patient portals. The bots entered the data accurately into the hospital's admission system. The bots cross-checked patient identification, insurance details, and medical history by interfacing with databases and insurance portals. The bots generated admission forms, consent documents, and insurance claim forms based on predefined templates. The bots coordinated with the bed management system to assign rooms based on availability and patient’s needs. Automated messages were sent to patients informing them of their room assignments and appointment times via email. The bots scheduled follow-up appointments and tests based on the doctor's recommendations and patient’s availability.
The Outcome: Total 15+ bots were deployed to complete the Patient Admission & Onboarding processes within a period of 10 months. The company realized below benefits after the successful RPA implantation: Efficiency Improvements: Patient admission times were reduced by 40%, leading to improved patient flow and reduced waiting times. Data Accuracy: RPA eliminated data entry errors completely, resulting in accurate patient records and reduced potential medical errors.
- Enhanced Patient Experience: Patients received timely communication, clear instructions, and faster room assignments.
- Staff Productivity: Hospital staff were able to dedicate more time to patient care and clinical tasks.
- Compliance and Documentation: RPA ensured that all necessary documents were collected and stored appropriately, improving compliance.
- Manual Efforts Saved: Total manual efforts were reduced by 60% per month.
- Cost Savings: Total dollars saved were ~325K per year.
By implementing RPA for Patient Admission & Onboarding, Hospital successfully addressed the challenges associated with manual processes. The streamlined processes resulted in improved patient experience, reduced administrative burden on staff, and increased operational efficiency. This case study illustrates how RPA can be effectively utilized in healthcare to enhance patient care and optimize resource utilization.