RPA or robotic process automation is an emerging technology that has the potential to revolutionize how healthcare is delivered. RPA can help address some of the most pressing issues facing the healthcare industry today, including quality and access to care disparities.

RPA automates repetitive, manual tasks that are often error-prone and time-consuming. Doing so can help improve care delivery accuracy and efficiency while freeing clinicians to focus on more complex and important tasks.

RPA has already been successfully implemented in several industries, including banking, insurance, and manufacturing. And as always, healthcare is a little late to the party but can begin to benefit from RPA optimization now that we’ve arrived.

There are many potential applications for RPA in healthcare, from automating administrative tasks to providing decision support to clinicians. RPA can also improve patient engagement and empower patients to take a more active role in their care. Let’s look at ways RPA can be optimized to impact health equity.

Healthcare Systems

Manual healthcare operations hugely impact the efficiency and completely ruin the patient experience. Since healthcare businesses operate in real-time, the precision and turnaround times play a crucial role in garnering efficiency. Moreover, staff and patient experience also matter in this process. Hence performing healthcare operations manually leads to higher healthcare operational cost, and longer turnaround time in offering healthcare to patients.

To eradicate these challenges RPA technology and automation tools can be the vital solution to offer value-based care. RPA in healthcare can automate the repetitive process like patient registration, data verification and many others to give healthcare professionals ample time to use their skills in patient care.
RPA in healthcare market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.4%, reaching a valuation of $88.9 billion by the end of 2028 due to growing concern of affordable healthcare access..
So let’s see what else hyperautomation can do for the healthcare segment and benefits it beings to the healthcare professionals.

Trends in Healthcare Automation that are Affecting the Future of Healthcare

• Rapidly Evolved Patient Requirements: Patients expect 24/7 assistance for their health checks and diagnosis, which paved the way for automation and AI across the organization.

• AI-infused Healthcare: To emphasize patient choice, healthcare organizations worldwide utilize AI to create a personalized experience.
• Bridging the Healthcare-Technology Gap: RPA in healthcare and AI have proven to be the sure-shot solution to bridge the technology and healthcare gap.
• Intelligent Apps: Apps with ML, and NLP can augment human activity to collect insights that lead to better virtual care, homecare and patient care
• Smart Data Management: Application of RPA in healthcare leads to better management of electronic health records and share data access to patients, providers, and suppliers.
• Internet of Things (IoT): IoT leverages human-machine interaction with wireless trackers that help to perform and monitor real-time healthcare operations.

RPA can also improve patient engagement and empower patients to take a more active role in their care. For example, RPA can be used to automatically send reminders to patients about appointments, medication refill deadlines, and other important health information. RPA can also help patients navigate the often-complex healthcare system, providing them with the knowledge and support they need to make informed decisions about their care. Here are my favorite uses for RPA in healthcare:

• Discharge coordination
• Medicaid eligibility
• Claims management
• Patient pre-registration and check-in
• Remote consultations

The benefits of RPA in healthcare

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) offers several benefits in the healthcare industry

Increased Efficiency: RPA can automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as data entry, appointment scheduling, claims processing, and report generation. By automating these tasks, healthcare providers can free up valuable time for staff to focus on more complex and critical activities, ultimately increasing overall operational efficiency.

Enhanced Accuracy: RPA reduces the risk of human error by eliminating manual data entry and other manual processes. RPA robots follow predefined rules and algorithms, ensuring consistent and accurate data processing. This helps minimize errors, improve data quality, and reduce the potential for costly mistakes in areas like billing and patient records.

Cost Savings: By automating routine tasks, healthcare organizations can significantly reduce costs associated with manual labor. RPA eliminates the need for additional staff or outsourcing, as software robots can perform tasks around the clock without the need for breaks or supervision. This results in substantial cost savings over time.

Improved Patient Experience: RPA streamlines administrative processes, allowing healthcare providers to enhance the overall patient experience. For example, automated appointment scheduling systems can provide real-time availability, reduce waiting times, and enable patients to conveniently book appointments online. RPA can also automate patient onboarding processes, making it smoother and faster.

Enhanced Compliance: RPA ensures adherence to regulatory guidelines and industry standards. Software robots can consistently follow compliance rules and protocols, reducing the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties. RPA also provides an audit trail by logging all activities, which can be beneficial during compliance audits.

Integration with Existing Systems: RPA can integrate with existing healthcare systems, such as electronic health record (EHR) systems, billing systems, and insurance portals, without the need for significant modifications or replacements. This allows organizations to leverage their current IT infrastructure while enhancing efficiency through automation.

The future of RPA in healthcare

The future of RPA in healthcare is promising. As more and more organizations begin to see the potential benefits of RPA, its use will become more widespread. This will help to address some of the challenges associated with its implementation, such as lack of awareness and expertise. In addition, as RPA technology continues to develop, it will become more affordable and easier to use, making it accessible to even more organizations.