First Pst after migration to Cloud in Health care Blog

When it comes to healthcare, patient access is the top priority for most individuals. When patients are surveyed on what they value most, timely access to their doctor rises to the top. Experian Health's State of Patient Access 2023 survey found that patient satisfaction hinges on efficient scheduling. Many believe that patient access has improved in recent times due to the ability to book appointments more quickly. On the contrary, those who think otherwise attribute slow booking systems to the decline in accessibility. However, delivering a high-quality patient intake experience isn't always straightforward. Meeting the needs of an aging population – many of whom are managing multiple chronic conditions – is an increasing challenge in the context of ongoing shortages of clinical and administrative staff. With financial performance dependent on attracting and retaining both patients and staff, balancing supply and demand in patient access is a high-stakes equation for providers. Breaking down the key opportunities and challenges can help providers identify appropriate strategies for optimization. Specifically, what role can digital patient access services play in ensuring patients get the care they need when they need it? What is patient access, and why is it critical to the patient experience? Patient access is the cornerstone of the healthcare system. It encompasses the systems and strategies that make or break a patient's access to care. Can they find a suitable provider in their area? How easy is it to book appointments and register for care? Can they understand and pay their bills without too much difficulty? While logistical elements such as geographic location and transportation certainly factor into how easily a patient can get care, patient access tends to focus on the administrative processes involved in scheduling and registration, verifying insurance coverage, appointment management, patient billing and payments, and patient communications. If these services are clunky, slow and disjointed, healthcare providers will fail to deliver high-quality and timely care to those who need it. Top key performance indicators (KPIs) for patient access services Getting patient access right can improve patient outcomes, increase patient satisfaction and reduce healthcare costs over time. But quality is often subjective. What should providers seek when striving for “high-quality” patient access? Common metrics might include: Wait times for appointments, diagnostic tests and procedures Speed and accuracy of the appointment scheduling process Percentage of patient access-related inquiries resolved on first contact No-show rates, which might indicate communication or scheduling issues Efficiency and accuracy of insurance verification, coding and billing Revenue collected before or at the point of service Staff performance and productivity Tracking these metrics can help providers find new ways to optimize patient access services. How to improve patient access services (and why) Monitoring and improving these KPIs is easier with digital and data-driven systems. But the benefits of digital patient access services go far beyond efficient data reporting. Offering patients online, digital and self-service options for scheduling, pre-registration and payments leads to a better patient experience while improving operational efficiency. Improved patient experience Alex Harwitz, Vice President of Product, Digital Front Door, at Experian Health, explains that “For patients, the digital front door results in more convenience, choice and control over their patient access experience. For example, online self-scheduling streamlines the appointment process, so patients can schedule, reschedule, or cancel appointments whenever it is convenient for them, which is often outside provider office hours. We can make sure they're only shown available appointments with the right specialist, and then send them helpful reminders so they're less likely to miss the appointment.” He says, “Digital systems can simplify the booking process for patients with complex medical needs. By incorporating automated scheduling protocols and business rules, navigating specialist appointments becomes more streamlined.” Similarly, digital pre-registration means patients can complete paperwork from home, where they have access to their medical records and insurance information. Tools like Registration Accelerator can pre-fill much of this data, saving time and preventing errors. Patient portals and secure messaging platforms also allow patients to communicate directly with their providers safely and easily. They can seek advice and clarify doubts, fostering a stronger patient-provider relationship. Increased operational efficiency Many providers have hesitated to turn to automation in lieu of human staffing, but implementing automation yields immediate and significant benefits. This includes reduced manual labor, improved workflows and communication, and increased profitability. Self-service tools like Patient Scheduling Software and Registration Accelerator reduce the administrative overhead, so staff can focus on critical tasks that need a human touch. In Experian Heath's survey, 36% of providers said these types of technological improvements have helped to offset staff shortages. By incorporating accurate data from patients' medical records, there's also less risk of data entry errors, which speeds up downstream services and reimbursement. Digital patient access software can also generate performance reports, to drive further operational improvements against the KPIs listed above. What are the main obstacles in implementing patient access solutions?  Implementing patient access software may seem daunting due to resource limitations, outdated technology, and cost concerns. However, with the increasing demand for remote access to digital services, healthcare providers cannot delay any longer. Fortunately, those who have already taken the initiative are experiencing a significant long-term return on investment that outweighs the initial costs. For more complex challenges, a trusted third-party partner can help guide the way. Lack of standardized policies Patient pricing estimates are an essential piece of the patient access experience. However, insurance and reimbursement policies are constantly changing and vary by payer, so delivering accurate estimates is a tough ask. Many hospitals have struggled to comply with new federal price transparency rules. With Patient Payment Estimates, patients can be given an accurate, personalized breakdown of their financial responsibility, sent directly to their phone. Research by Experian Health and PYMNTS suggests that such tools can boost patient satisfaction by 88% and reduce the risk of missed payments. To help providers comply with broader requirements around price transparency, Experian Health has joined forces with Cleverley + Associates to offer a standardized solution. Interoperability and integration with existing systems The lack of compatibility between electronic health records and hospital management software can result in significant errors in patient information. These inaccuracies can lead to miscommunications with patients and payers, as well as delays in providing care and missed opportunities for reimbursement. To avoid this, providers should choose automated patient access tools that integrate with their existing systems. For example, Experian Health clients that already use eCare Next® can integrate additional patient access solutions, such as Eligibility Verification, through the same interface. There's no need for staff to access multiple systems and patient intake is much faster. Comprehensive data analytics give a better overview of operational performance. Safeguarding privacy and data security are also easier with integrated solutions from a single vendor. The future of patient access solutions in healthcare  Rapid technological advancements, evolving policies, and changing patient expectations can make the future of healthcare hard to predict. However, certain patient access trends look set to continue: Patients will increasingly seek out easy-to-use digital platforms for accessing and paying for care, especially as younger generations age and increase their utilization of healthcare services. Patients will increasingly seek personalized care – extending to tailored patient access experiences that reflect individual needs and communication preferences. The use of data analytics and AI will grow exponentially across healthcare services, helping providers identify patterns and automate workflows. Digital patient access services have become an integral part of the healthcare landscape as providers recognize their role in improving patient outcomes and overall business success. In today's healthcare landscape, these services are essential elements to success. Find out more about how Experian Health's patient access solutions can help providers improve patient satisfaction, increase operational efficiency, and future-proof their revenue cycle for years to come.

According to Experian Health's State of Patient Access 2023 survey, providers think recent efforts to improve the patient financial experience are paying off. But do patients agree? The survey, carried out in December 2022, suggests a disconnect between how patients and providers view the patient collections process. Many providers rate their collections services favorably, having invested in pre-service estimates, flexible payment options and tailored payment plans. However, patients see room for improvement and a chance for providers to improve patient collections. Many say they feel anxious about managing medical expenses, with uncertainty prompting some to consider canceling care or switching providers. Could a more compassionate and personalized approach to healthcare billing help patients navigate their financial obligations more easily? Here are 4 ways providers can improve patient collections and create a patient experience that attracts long-term loyalty. 1. Provide proactive price transparency Patients want to know how much their care will cost before they receive it: almost 90% of patients said receiving a price estimate before care is essential. Providers recognize this, and 67% believe their organization is doing a good job of providing clear, understandable estimates prior to care. Unfortunately, only 29% of patients say they actually received one. Easing Digital Frictions in the Patient Journey, a collaborative survey of 2,333 consumers from Experian Health and PYMNTS, found that 82% of patients living paycheck to paycheck with issues paying their bills consider it “very” or “extremely” important to preview out-of-pocket costs before treatment. Among patients who received surprise bills, 40% spent more on healthcare than they could afford, compared with 18% of patients who did not receive surprise bills. Giving patients early clarity with precise pricing estimates helps them plan so they're less likely to avoid care or struggle with unexpected and unaffordable bills. Payments can also be collected faster and more efficiently. Despite the implementation of price transparency regulations, the incorporation of cost estimates into healthcare billing is not yet standardized, presenting a significant gap in the industry. Healthcare providers who prioritize accurate and easy-to-understand cost estimates are more likely to boost patient satisfaction ratings and increase improve patient collections. 2. Create personalized payment plans Personalized financial pathways are essential in healthcare. Patients have unique financial situations, and a one-size-fits-all approach won't suffice. Some patients may prefer to pay their bill upfront so they know it's taken care of, while others may need to spread out the cost into more manageable installments. Advanced data analytics can help providers create a more positive payment experience by assessing each individual's ability to pay and assigning them to the appropriate financial pathway. For example, Collections Optimization Manager scores and segments patients according to their propensity to pay, and automates the presumptive charity process so accounts are handled sensitively and efficiently. Using automation helped the University of California San Diego Health (UCSDH) deliver better patient experiences, maximize collections and reduce the cost to collect. Between 2019-20 and 2020-21, UCSDH increased collections from around $6 million to over $21 million with Collections Optimization Manager. UCSDH's Systems Director explains that automation allowed them to maximize staff resources to support patients to understand their bills, as well as provided valuable insights into each patient's situation: “We serve our patients well when we can spend time explaining their bills, what's been covered by their insurer and what payment options they have, so they feel confident in what is owed and why.” Terri Meier, CHFP, CSMC, CSBI, CRCR, System Director of Patient Revenue Cycle at UC San Diego Health, explains how automation helped their organization optimize patient collections and improve patient satisfaction. 3. Provide support to those in need A topic on many providers' minds is Medicaid redetermination, following the loss of Medicaid coverage for millions of patients. Many may be eligible to re-apply, but in the short term, millions could be left floundering financially. Providers can support patients in this situation to sort through coverage, navigate charity eligibility and offer suitable payment plans to keep bills out of collections. Mindy Pankoke, Senior Product Manager at Experian Health, says this is both a challenge and an opportunity for providers: “For providers, this may be a hard situation to navigate. At the same time, it gives providers an opportunity to come through for patients in a moment of need. Being able to identify patients who need assistance and offer them help can be powerful.” What can providers do as patients lose Medicaid coverage? The priority should be to identify patients who need charity assistance and connect them to any available support. Using credit data and other demographic data points, Patient Financial Clearance screens patients who may still be eligible for Medicaid and finds self-pay patients who may qualify for charity assistance. It also assigns patients to the appropriate pathways and even auto-enrolls them in financial assistance programs so they feel confident they're on the right path. 4. Offer flexible ways to pay Finally, a compassionate billing experience will involve as little friction as possible when the patient comes to making payments. According to the patients who participated in Experian Health's survey, payment experiences should be convenient, transparent and flexible, with 72% expressing a desire for online and mobile payment options. These features are essential to younger generations, who are less tolerant of inflexible, manual systems. Providers should offer a range of payment options that include in-person, telephone, mobile and online patient portals, so patients can pay in a way that's most convenient for them. This also frees up staff to help those patients who may need a little extra help understanding their statements. Experian Health offers a suite of patient payment solutions that enable consumers to make secure payments at any point in their healthcare journey, through multiple channels. From customizable patient statements to mobile-enabled payment methods, these tools support a compassionate and convenient approach to patient billing, turning what can be a confusing process into one that is more efficient for both parties. Improve patient collections with automated solutions Consumers are the cornerstone of healthcare and providing a consumer-friendly payment experience can make a huge difference. Money is often a sensitive topic for patients, but with a consumer-centric payment experience, financial matters can be handled compassionately. Patients will be more satisfied and more likely to pay in full and on time, and providers can improve cash flow. With the right tools, healthcare billing and collections can become seamless and clear, and patients can pay their balances with ease. See how Collections Optimization Manager and other patient payment solutions can maximize and improve patient collections.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the healthcare industry. From disease detection to chatbots, AI is having a significant impact on the way healthcare providers operate and deliver care to patients. Additionally, AI is transforming the revenue cycle management process by automating tasks, such as claim denials management. By leveraging AI tools, healthcare providers can reduce the time and resources required for manual claims processing, ensuring that claims are paid faster and with greater accuracy. As claim denials continue to rise by 10-15%, healthcare organizations continue to grapple with the adverse effects on their finances. That's why Experian Health created AI Advantage™ – an innovative solution that helps providers with better claim denial management. The first component, AI Advantage – Predictive Denials, proactively identifies claims that are at high risk of being denied, so providers can edit the claim prior to submission. The second component, AI Advantage – Denial Triage, steps in after claims have been denied to identify those with the highest potential for reimbursement. Schneck Medical Center is one example of a healthcare organization that has seen significant results from implementing AI Advantage. After just six months, they successfully reduced denials by an average of 4.6% each month. Corrections that would previously have taken their organization 12 to 15 minutes to rework could now be processed in under 5 minutes. With AI Advantage, healthcare organizations can improve their claim denials management processes, increase efficiency, and reduce administrative costs. The solution's ability to prevent and reduce claim denials in real time can help healthcare providers maximize revenue while delivering high-quality patient care. As healthcare organizations continue to face mounting financial pressures and staffing shortages, AI-powered solutions will be increasingly important in helping them navigate these challenges and achieve long-term success. Learn more about how healthcare organizations can begin their journey towards improving efficiency and reducing claim denials with AI Advantage.