Healthcare customer service satisfaction lags behind almost every other industry, and the COVID19 pandemic highlighted an immediate need for transformation.
Healthcare customer service satisfaction lags behind almost every other industry. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted an immediate need for transformation. During that time, hospitals and clinics faced a rapid increase in demand for information and resources that overloaded their phone systems. Switchboard operators and patient access center agents were stretched thin.
Even now, when consumers call a health system, they often hear, “Please be patient. Due to staffing shortages, you may experience extended hold times.” There is significant pressure on executives to quickly deliver solutions. The best solution is an all-encompassing system overhaul that includes AI and automation initiatives.
Here are 4 ways to effectively speed up a digital transformation in healthcare:
- Get immediate relief – offload PBX calls with an automated speech solution. Conversational AI technologies like conversational interactive voice response (IVRs) and intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs) reduce call volume to support staff, stabilize operations, and improve patient experience with easy self-service. This generates significant ROI and creates breathing room to further optimize the contact center.
- Reduce expenses and save IT effort – choose a subscription-based service like Parlance that handles system implementation and upkeep! While a one-time software purchase may seem appealing, adopting the technology takes valuable time your IT staff can’t spare. However, synthesizing and maintaining an authoritative data directory is necessary to automate more calls over time. Offloading management to the expert Parlance team who does the back-end work is a strategy that guarantees performance and saves money. Read this article to learn more about taking the heavy lifting off your IT team.
- Avoid costly, time-consuming mistakes – work with a vendor that has extensive experience in healthcare. Start-ups with deep venture capital pockets don’t bring the decades of wisdom that Parlance offers. Trust a vendor who knows what works in the realm of patient access! Since 1996, Parlance has delivered successful results to thousands of hospitals and clinics!
- Eliminate consumer frustration – maintain a balance of automation and human support. While many patients and caregivers are ready and able to self-serve, health systems must streamline access to human agents for individuals who struggle to engage with technology or require complex support. Conversational AI assists callers with routine inquiries and reduces hold times for people waiting for a live agent.
Parlance delivers conversational IVRs and IVAs to improve the caller experience for leading organizations nationwide. We modernize call handling and call routing, minimize caller effort, and reduce operational costs. Helping manage appointments and automating FAQs further optimizes healthcare operations. Health systems specifically subscribe to Parlance to enable their patients to speak naturally and connect directly when they call. We provide more than industry-leading technology. It’s a partnership, a team of tenured experts who make your system work, take ownership of day-to-day performance, and guarantee ROI. No complicated fees, no extra charges, and no long contracts required.
By Annmarie Block