As patients demand virtual, personalized care and the industry continues to deal with workforce shortages, the American Hospital Association outlined six strategies July 18 for hospitals and health systems to optimize their operations via digital.
The AHA article summarizes digital health advice from management consulting firm Oliver Wyman.
1. Rethink the front door of care. Give patients the ability to self-schedule appointments online and access virtual care both synchronously and asynchronously.
2. Improve health administration operations. Automate patient and staffing workflows — with real-time scheduling adjustments for cancellations and no-shows and smart capacity planning for flex staffing — and insurance verification.
3. Optimize value-based care analytical functions.
4. Prioritize digital investments that can have an outsized impact on enterprise strategy.
5. Deliver an omnichannel experience. Understand how health IT vendors will integrate with your EHRs because patients want their data to follow them to nonacute and specialized care.
6. Use digital investments to accelerate critical operating model changes.