Software, AI, and Technology to Optimize Your Healthcare Practice

Billing AI, automated text reminders, procurement software, and more–modern technology has the potential to streamline many of the processes in your healthcare practice. The right tech can handle administrative tasks quickly, consistently, and automatically. With so many powerful options, the only question is where to start? In this article, we discuss integrating software, AI, and technology into your practice, choosing the right one, and striking a balance between tech and human resources. 

What technology is available for healthcare practices? 

First, let’s cover the possibilities. Beyond your practice management system, what tasks can technology automate within your healthcare practice? Here are just a few examples: 

• Revenue Cycle Management (Zentist)
• Billing AI
• Phone answering AI
• Marketing automations, including text messages, email, and more (Liine)
• Appointment scheduling
• Insurance verification (Airpay)
• Google My Business reviews (automations to collect more 5-star reviews from patients)
• Inventory Management (Method)
• Membership Management Platforms
• Dental Diagnostic AI (Overjet, Pearl)

Considerations for Integrating Technology 

Just like hiring a new employee, integrating a new tech platform is an investment that requires intention. What will be the software’s job? Here are some considerations for choosing a technology that can sustain (and propel) your growth. 

Find Opportunities to Propel Internal Growth and Profitability

Technology offers a sustainable path to scaling and internal growth. For example, as you plan to open four new practices, a billing AI system could be far more efficient than hiring multiple new billing departments. An individual has limited time and bandwidth, requires training, and has the potential to leave, but technology will continue to scale as your business does. As you look for the right technology, look for revenue-driving automations that can grow alongside your business. For you, that might look like: 

• Improving operational flow (in a previously inefficient process, like billing or insurance collection)
• Expanding bandwidth for lead follow-up and outreach
• Decreasing a staff member’s time spent on tedious tasks (so they can focus on case acceptance and patient relationships)
• Reducing appointment cancellations and increasing bookings

Depending on your industry, your motivation for growth may differ. In dental, for example, as markets have shifted away from M&A growth and EBITDA, technology offers a path for internal growth and scaling. In medical aesthetics, advanced tech systems add value to your practice and make it more attractive to potential buyers. Regardless of the industry, the right software can free up your staff to allow them to focus on patient connection and improve the patient experience (which we’ll discuss later in the article.) 

Find Efficiencies to Reduce Overhead

As you scale, technology’s streamlined processes reduce costs. When you’re identifying which technology to integrate, look for the inflection points or inefficiencies in your business that are preventing it from moving forward. 

Is your front desk staff so busy on the phone that patients are waiting unattended? Phone answering AI can free up time they can allocate elsewhere. 

Is a staff member entering patient data in multiple programs? A program like Dental Intelligence can save hundreds of hours every month by connecting your practice’s multiple systems. 

Is high turnover in a position costing time and money as you backfill, replace, and train staff? Designate a time consuming task like insurance verification to a software program you won’t have to retrain. 

Reduce Friction in the Patient Experience

Great technology has the power to reduce points of friction in the patient experience. (Just like poor technology, like an inconvenient appointment process, has the power to add friction.) When you’re looking for problems technology can solve, find ways to make every touchpoint in the patient’s journey more convenient. This might include: 

• Text reminders for appointments
• Call recording software that can follow up quickly (and with detail) with online or phone leads
• Online or app bill pay
• Easy data entry 
• Two-way text communication
• Wait-free access to your staff (who are not bogged down with other tasks)

Where Human Capital Meets Tech Automation

We can’t discuss technology without discussing human capital. It’s true–in some ways, technology is more efficient than a person can be. But that doesn’t mean technology can replace your entire staff. No matter how powerful artificial intelligence is, it can’t replace the human connection that earns a patient’s trust and builds a long-lasting relationship. 

When choosing which technology to integrate into your practice, ask yourself, “What can only a person do?” A marketing platform can’t create funny Instagram reels of your staff, but it can automate the posting and scheduling. Revenue Cycle Management software can’t encourage a patient to accept a treatment plan, but it can collect billing.

Rather than replacing your staff with software, reallocate which tasks staff members manage (reception, patient care, personalized follow up), and which can be automated. With the right software, AI, or technology in place, you’re able to free up your staff from tedious tasks so they can better focus on culture and building patient connections.

Integrate the Right Technology in Your Healthcare Practice with Skytale Group’s Management Consultants

Skytale Group management consulting team has extensive experience helping practices and large healthcare organizations successfully integrate technology solutions. Reach out to our team to learn more about how we help practice owners grow, reduce inefficiencies, add value to their businesses, and more.