With a fully staffed and productive revenue cycle organization, the hospital or health system can get paid, compensate providers, and care for their patients promptly. With revenue and patient experience at stake, people become central to the mission.
A multi-pronged people strategy is essential when an aging workforce and a shortage of qualified candidates threaten the quality and continuity of revenue cycle output. In addition to giving workers flexibility, recognition, and a voice in the day-to-day operation, leaders should look at how technology can empower them to do their best work. With the right tools, they can have higher job satisfaction as they see their direct impact on the patient experience and business performance.
Front-line revenue cycle work can be tedious and challenging. The pressure to provide the best customer experience while navigating the complexities of billing and payer requirements can be a burnout-inducing slog. Fortunately, there are ways to eliminate the mundane and reduce the pressure so workers can be more confident and proactive. We’re referring, of course, to automation.
Automation can:
- Unburden workers from mundane, repetitive tasks that eat into their workday
- Help them submit clean claim submissions
- Reduce the amount of re-work and troubleshooting in the back-end
- Give them time to focus on complex cases that require critical thinking
- Allow workers to learn new skills
- Help stave off employee burnout
- Give leaders more opportunities to create an enticing work environment
Automations can’t fix everything. You need to get the team on board and committed to success.
Listen, learn, and lean.
Listen to what the team has to say. Look for what’s vexing them in their day to day. People want to be heard; when they are, they are more engaged in solving problems. Identify an internal spokesperson and champion to help identify vendors and deploy new tools.
Learn from the people and data that comprise your operation. When trying new things, take the time to learn from each experience. If you haven’t developed a process intelligence strategy, look at Janus Operational Insights. It will be a master class about your rev cycle operation and a roadmap for empowering workers.
Lean into technology to fill gaps and improve outcomes. The right tools will propel workers to improve the quality of their output and make them more productive. Technology is available to empower, not replace, the experienced and qualified worker. Technology is only as good as its maker and user.
A positive work environment improves staff satisfaction and makes you an employer of choice. Workers are happier and more engaged when they understand the value they bring and have more control over their time. A multi-pronged effort to transform the work environment and the work itself is possible when people and technology work together to improve the patient experience and make the business prosper.
Janus is a partner for the long haul — technology and expertise guide every step along the path. We’d love an opportunity to tell you more.
