Chesterfield, Mo.-based Mercy, which operates more than 50 hospitals, is leveraging its partnerships to create a unified dataset on provider-level data.
The system’s collaborations with Axuall, Microsoft and Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic have enhanced this validated dataset, according to Chad Smith, MD, former chief medical officer at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City and its ministry medical staff leader.
“We are getting the data much faster than we ever did,” Dr. Smith, who led this effort before leaving Mercy in April, told Becker’s. “Once we get that data, it’s much more accurate. We’re having to spend less time and resources on scrubbing the data, reworking the data, and we’re now able to parlay that into completely revamping our onboarding process.”
Mercy is exploring several uses with this dataset, including credentialing, privileging, reappointment processes and onboarding.
For example, historically it would take 120 to 140 days to fully onboard a new physician. The process includes a contract signature, a full template schedule and credentialing with all payers. Mercy’s goal is to shorten that process to 90 days.
With Axuall’s AI-powered technology removing repetitive, manual steps from the onboarding process, the system is periodically meeting that threshold of 90 days. Internally, Mercy is working with its recruiting, technology services and human resources departments to more consistently reach the goal, Dr. Smith said.
Besides technical hiccups and regulatory challenges, achieving buy-in was a roadblock during this endeavor.
“To a certain extent, we are talking about taking work away from people and putting it in the hands of AI,” he said. “That can create fear and anxiety, but it’s really about messaging the ‘why’ with those individuals.
“It’s really just about shifting the mentality of, ‘This is my work, and now you’re taking it away. What will I do?’ and it’s getting back to, well, what’s the purpose of the work to begin with? It’s really to create a best-in-class process for the end users, and that’s our providers.”
