Bringing AI and Human Engagement Together for Improved Patient Care

Alan Saint is a patient-centric healthcare operations leader who has made significant contributions within the broad healthcare sector, where he focuses on optimizing operations and implementing strategic initiatives. His experience extends into large health systems, integrated delivery networks, and health plans, where he spearheaded quality and process improvement initiatives and innovative compliance projects, while overseeing day-today operations. Alan has proven his acumen in B2B settings, particularly within healthcare consulting, where he enhanced operational efficiencies while ensuring regulatory compliance. Currently serving as the Director of Process Improvement at Providence Health & Services, Alan leads the charge in advancing ROI-centric initiatives, working closely with a diverse set of stakeholders. He plays a critical role in pinpointing and addressing process inefficiencies and initiating significant operational transformations.  

Through this article, Alan discusses the essential need to find the balance between leveraging technological advancements and maintaining human interactions within the healthcare BPO industry. He highlights how his team at Providence integrates automation and AI to streamline operations and improve patient experiences, while ensuring personal touchpoints remain a core aspect of patient care.

What Does A Typical Day Look Like For You?

My day-to-day activities revolve around the healthcare process and quality improvement within Providence, one of the largest hospital systems in the U.S. On a typical day, our team conducts a top-to-bottom evaluation of the hospital’s procedures, covering everything from pre-service to post-service patient billing. We aim to identify patient pain points by analyzing patient experience feedback and billing process data. This helps us pinpoint where patients struggle to comprehend their bills, enabling us to improve communication and facilitate better claim processing with insurance providers.

What Recent Developments Have You Observed In The Healthcare Bpo Industry, Particularly In Response To Covid-19, And What Trends Are Significantly Shaping The Sector?

In recent years, the healthcare BPO sector has been significantly leveraging technology and leaning toward robotic process automation to enhance efficiency. This shift is beneficial as it streamlines tasks with low variability, resulting in a more efficient operational framework. However, it is equally important to maintain a balance by adopting a compassionate and empathetic approach to patient communication. This ensures patients don’t feel like just another statistic within the healthcare system.

Our focus has been in implementing strategies that combine the efficiency of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) with a personal touch in patient interactions, aiming to enhance both operational efficiency and patient satisfaction.

How Do You Maintain A Balance Between Automation And Personal Interaction In Your Strategy?

We identify opportunities to integrate automation and technology while pinpointing gaps that necessitate a personal touch. For instance, dealing with claim denials represents a prime scenario where human intervention is crucial. Despite the advanced technology available in the healthcare sector to address and resolve payment issues, some situations, such as claim denials, require direct communication between a human representative and the patient. This approach helps patients understand the specifics of their issue in a way that current AI and robotic process automation technologies cannot fully replicate. By prioritizing human interaction in these cases, we enhance patient experience and satisfaction and increase revenue from such engagements. This dual-benefit strategy underscores the importance of targeted, personal outreach to patients amid a broader context of automation.

What Technological Developments Do You Think Will Significantly Disrupt The Healthcare Bpo Industry In The Future?

Looking ahead, it is evident that AI will play a crucial role in changing the face of the healthcare BPO landscape, enhancing communication between physicians and patients and streamlining many administrative tasks. It will transform areas such as clinical notes management, denial analysis and prior authorizations by harnessing vast amounts of data to increase efficiency within the healthcare sector.

Despite this shift toward a more technologically advanced ecosystem, the importance of human interaction remains relevant. As AI becomes more ingrained in our daily lives, there is a growing appreciation for the unique value that personal contact and understanding bring to the patient experience.

People may begin to show reluctance toward overreliance on AI for communication, which throws light on the significance of maintaining human connections within healthcare. The balance between leveraging technological advancements to save time and retaining the personal touch that fosters deeper patient relationships will become even more crucial.

How Do You Approach Introducing New Technology To Resistant Staff And Ensure Effective Change Management?

When introducing new technology that meets resistance among staff, it is crucial to engage in open dialogue to understand their concerns and aspirations. By creating an environment of transparency about the intended goals of technological adoption, we aim to build a collective vision that addresses both the organization’s needs and the staff’s apprehensions. This process involves navigating the fine line between consensus and compromise, aiming for a solution that, while not perfect for either party, is agreeable and beneficial for both. Establishing this mutual understanding and agreement paves the way for a trusting relationship with staff members.

Embracing a shared vision facilitates smoother implementation of change, meeting stakeholders’ needs while acknowledging the inherent challenges and apprehensions associated with change, particularly with the rapid advancements in AI. It is essential to highlight the importance of using these technologies as tools to enhance, rather than fully replace, human input in order to secure staff commitment and effectively manage change.

What Advice Would You Offer To Your Peers In The Industry?

I would advise my peers to embrace change, especially given the rapid technological advancements expected in the next five to ten years. The key to navigating these changes is to continuously educate oneself about emerging technologies. Understanding how to leverage these innovations can mitigate fear and resistance, benefiting you, your team, and the broader organization. Those who proactively learn about and integrate new technologies, ensuring they align with their organizational frameworks and effectively communicate their advantages to their workforce, are the ones who will excel in the coming years.

Embracing change, rather than fearing it, will be crucial for thriving in the evolving healthcare landscape.