Healthcare CRM

Last updated

Healthcare CRM, also known as Healthcare Relationship Management, [1] is a broadly used term for a Customer relationship management system, or CRM, used in healthcare.

Contents

There are three (3) generally recognized forms of CRM: Sales, Marketing, and Service [2]

Healthcare CRM Similarities and Differences from other CRMs

A Healthcare CRM shares the underlying components and structure of other CRMs [3] This includes communication automation and analysis across email, telephone, and social/internet mediums. It integrates emails, documents, jobs, faxes, and scheduling. Likewise, newer CRM entrants provide software-as-a-service platform and are hosted in the cloud (see Salesforce.com and Keona Health).

The differences from traditional CRMs are based on fitting a healthcare organization’s unique requirements and structure:

Service Automation

Healthcare CRM service automation focuses on the provisioning and delivery of services to patients. Through service automation, patients are supported across multiple channels for self-scheduling, communication, facilitate intake and registration, navigation, care coordination with remote monitoring, and other patient-driven service coordination.

Contact Center Automation

The goal of healthcare contact center automation in healthcare is to increase quality, decrease cost, and track key performance indicators (KPI). This is accomplished by step-by-step scripting and call handling guidance combined with EHR integration and Practice Management (PM) integration that presents the caller’s complete history and context to users. The KPIs collected are user performance and industry customer experience metrics. [5]

Safety and Escalation Automation

Because so many health issues have the potential of providing health and safety risk, a variety of clinical decision support (CDS) tools are needed to help maintain safety. Before an appointment is scheduled or a refill service is provided, a review of patient symptoms is needed to validate that the actions being taken are likely safe for the patient or those around them (e.g. COVID screening [6] ). At the simplest end, “red flag lists” are simple checks that patients and non-clinical agents can use to screen for potential emergent or urgent scenarios. [7] More sophisticated natural language symptom checkers incorporate natural language processing with clinical guidance for patients or non-clinical agents who are scheduling. Nurse Triage guidelines assist nurses with completing medical assessments and arriving at a disposition.

Scheduling Automation

The goal of scheduling automation is to reduce scheduling errors and improve the provider and patient experience with smooth visits, while reducing costs. [8] Scheduling automation typically works by embedding visit criteria into the software and removing the underlying complexity from the view of the end-user. This automation allows centralization of scheduling functions without forcing standardization (i.e. elimination of individual provider requirements) from scheduling. [9]

Intake and Registration Automation

The goal of intake and registration automation is to make registering with a provider by a patient easier and smoother. Patient intake and registration are processes whereby patient demographics, health history, legal consents, and payment means are collected so the patient can be “registered” with a healthcare provider.

Location-based Services

Location-based services assist in locating the closest provider, navigating to the appointment, and can also facilitate in emergency services to the client’s location. The goal of incorporating these into the CRM is to smooth the delivery of service and increase patient safety.

Messaging Automation

The goal of messaging automation is to maintain professional standards, automate next steps and reminders, and reinforce care advice and health education while lowering the communication burden on users. Messaging automation in a Healthcare CRM includes HIPAA compliant secure messaging over email, fax, SMS, and web chat.

Remote Monitoring

The goal of remote patient monitoring is to supplement remote care with remote data collection and also to incorporate alerts for better care, health, and safety of patients. Remote monitoring is the collection of data.

See also

Related Research Articles

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a process in which a business or other organization administers its interactions with customers, typically using data analysis to study large amounts of information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health informatics</span> Computational approaches to health care

Health informatics is the study and implementation of computer structures and algorithms to improve communication, understanding, and management of medical information. It can be viewed as a branch of engineering and applied science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telehealth</span> Health care by telecommunication

Telehealth is the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies. It allows long-distance patient and clinician contact, care, advice, reminders, education, intervention, monitoring, and remote admissions. Telemedicine is sometimes used as a synonym, or is used in a more limited sense to describe remote clinical services, such as diagnosis and monitoring. When rural settings, lack of transport, a lack of mobility, conditions due to outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics, decreased funding, or a lack of staff restrict access to care, telehealth may bridge the gap as well as provide distance-learning; meetings, supervision, and presentations between practitioners; online information and health data management and healthcare system integration. Telehealth could include two clinicians discussing a case over video conference; a robotic surgery occurring through remote access; physical therapy done via digital monitoring instruments, live feed and application combinations; tests being forwarded between facilities for interpretation by a higher specialist; home monitoring through continuous sending of patient health data; client to practitioner online conference; or even videophone interpretation during a consult.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telenursing</span> Nursing care through telecoms

Telenursing refers to the use of information technology in the provision of nursing services whenever physical distance exists between patient and nurse, or between any number of nurses. As a field, it is part of telemedicine, and has many points of contacts with other medical and non-medical applications, such as telediagnosis, teleconsultation, and telemonitoring. The field, however, is still being developed as the information on telenursing isn't comprehensive enough.

Appointment scheduling software or meeting scheduling tools allows businesses and professionals to manage appointments and bookings. This type of software is also known as appointment booking software and online booking software.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telepsychiatry</span> Mental-health care by telecommunication

Telepsychiatry or telemental health refers to the use of telecommunications technology to deliver psychiatric care remotely for people with mental health conditions. It is a branch of telemedicine.

Home automation for the elderly and disabled focuses on making it possible for older adults and people with disabilities to remain at home, safe and comfortable. Home automation is becoming a viable option for older adults and people with disabilities who would prefer to stay in the comfort of their homes rather than move to a healthcare facility. This field uses much of the same technology and equipment as home automation for security, entertainment, and energy conservation but tailors it towards old people and people with disabilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Open Dental</span>

Open Dental, previously known as Free Dental, is an open-source dental practice management software licensed under the GNU General Public License. It is written in the C# programming language compatible with Microsoft .NET Framework and was first released in 2003. Current versions of the software require Microsoft Windows, but earlier versions supported other operating systems, including Linux. The full function version is only available under the commercial license because it includes royalty-bearing, licensed materials from the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT) of the American Dental Association (ADA).

Patient portals are healthcare-related online applications that allow patients to interact and communicate with their healthcare providers, such as physicians and hospitals. Typically, portal services are available on the Internet at all hours of the day and night. Some patient portal applications exist as stand-alone web sites and sell their services to healthcare providers. Other portal applications are integrated into the existing web site of a healthcare provider. Still others are modules added onto an existing electronic medical record (EMR) system. What all of these services share is the ability of patients to interact with their medical information via the Internet. Currently, the lines between an EMR, a personal health record, and a patient portal are blurring. For example, Intuit Health and Microsoft HealthVault describe themselves as personal health records (PHRs), but they can interface with EMRs and communicate through the Continuity of Care Record standard, displaying patient data on the Internet so it can be viewed through a patient portal.

Medical equipment management is a term for the professionals who manage operations, analyze and improve utilization and safety, and support servicing healthcare technology. These healthcare technology managers are, much like other healthcare professionals referred to by various specialty or organizational hierarchy names.

Connected health is a socio-technical model for healthcare management and delivery by using technology to provide healthcare services remotely. Connected health, also known as technology enabled care (TEC) aims to maximize healthcare resources and provide increased, flexible opportunities for consumers to engage with clinicians and better self-manage their care. It uses readily available consumer technologies to deliver patient care outside of the hospital or doctor's office. Connected health encompasses programs in telehealth, remote care, and disease and lifestyle management. It often leverages existing technologies, such as connected devices using cellular networks, and is associated with efforts to improve chronic care. However, there is an increasing blur between software capabilities and healthcare needs whereby technologists are now providing the solutions to support consumer wellness and provide the connectivity between patient data, information and decisions. This calls for new techniques to guide Connected Health solutions such as "design thinking" to support software developers in clearly identifying healthcare requirements, and extend and enrich traditional software requirements gathering techniques.

An automated dispensing cabinet (ADC), also called a unit-based cabinet (UBC), automated dispensing device (ADD), or automated dispensing machine (ADM), is a computerized medicine cabinet for hospitals and healthcare settings. ADCs allow medications to be stored and dispensed near the point of care while controlling and tracking drug distribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remote patient monitoring</span> Technology to monitor patients outside of conventional clinical settings

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a technology to enable monitoring of patients outside of conventional clinical settings, such as in the home or in a remote area, which may increase access to care and decrease healthcare delivery costs. RPM involves the constant remote care of patients by their physicians, often to track physical symptoms, chronic conditions, or post-hospitalization rehab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical image sharing</span> Electronic exchange of medical images

Medical image sharing is the electronic exchange of medical images between hospitals, physicians and patients. Rather than using traditional media, such as a CD or DVD, and either shipping it out or having patients carry it with them, technology now allows for the sharing of these images using the cloud. The primary format for images is DICOM. Typically, non-image data such as reports may be attached in standard formats like PDF during the sending process. Additionally, there are standards in the industry, such as IHE Cross Enterprise Document Sharing for Imaging (XDS-I), for managing the sharing of documents between healthcare enterprises. A typical architecture involved in setup is a locally installed server, which sits behind the firewall, allowing secure transmissions with outside facilities. In 2009, the Radiological Society of North America launched the "Image Share" project, with the goal of giving patients control of their imaging histories by allowing them to manage these records as they would online banking or shopping.

Health care analytics is the health care analysis activities that can be undertaken as a result of data collected from four areas within healthcare: (1) claims and cost data, (2) pharmaceutical and research and development (R&D) data, (3) clinical data, and (4) patient behaviors and preferences data. Health care analytics is a growing industry in many countries including the United States, where it is expected to grow to more than $31 billion by 2022. It is also increasingly important to governments and public health agencies to support health policy and meet public expectations for transparency, as accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenway Health</span>

Greenway Health, LLC is a privately-owned vendor of health information technology (HIT) including integrated electronic health record (EHR), practice management, and revenue cycle management solutions. Intergy, Greenway’s cloud-based EHR and practice management solution, serves ambulatory healthcare practices. The company has offices in Tampa, Florida; Carrollton, Georgia; and Bangalore, India.

Kathleen B. Mooney PhD, RN, FAAN is an American scientist, currently the Louis S. Peery and Janet B. Peery Presidential Endowed Chair in Nursing and Distinguished Professor of Nursing at the University of Utah. She is one of two co-leaders of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Her research focuses on palliative care symptom management for cancer patients and their family caregivers, clinical cancer outcomes, and technology aided interventions and telehealth.

Doxy.me is a web-based telemedicine platform designed specifically for healthcare providers to conduct video consultations with patients. Doxy.me is known for its simplicity and ease of use.

This list of telemedicine services providers is for notable telemedicine, telehealth, and mobile health providers and services. This includes virtual care facilities for remote care, services or platforms used for specific steps within the healthcare industry, and clinical navigation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the telehealth industry</span> Impact of coronavirus on telehealth

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth adoption was gradually increasing. With the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, healthcare professionals reduced in-person visits to minimize exposure. This led to an increase in the use of telemedicine. with a concomitant increase in publications.. Telehealth has since remained widely utilized in healthcare services.

References

  1. "Can software solve our healthcare crisis?". ZDNet .
  2. Tavana, Ali Feizbakhsh.; Fili, Saeed.; Tohidy, Alireza.; Vaghari, Reza. & Kakouie, Saed. (November 2013). "Theoretical Models of Customer Relationship Management in Organizations". International Journal of Business and Behavioral Sciences. 3 (11).; Gartner Glossary: Customer Relationship Management url=https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/customer-relationship-management-crm
  3. Tavana, Ali Feizbakhsh.; Fili, Saeed.; Tohidy, Alireza.; Vaghari, Reza. & Kakouie, Saed. (November 2013). "Theoretical Models of Customer Relationship Management in Organizations". International Journal of Business and Behavioral Sciences. 3 (11).
  4. "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) | CDC". www.cdc.gov. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 21 February 2019.Rights (OCR), Office for Civil (28 October 2009). "HITECH Act Enforcement Interim Final Rule". HHS.gov.
  5. "Measuring the patient experience: Lessons from other industries | McKinsey on Healthcare". healthcare.mckinsey.com. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2021. "25 Healthcare Metrics & KPIs To Begin Tracking Today". ClearPoint Strategy. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  6. Yombi, J.C.; De Greef, J.; Marsin, A.-S.; Simon, A.; Rodriguez-Villalobos, H.; Penaloza, A.; Belkhir, L. (2020). "Symptom-based screening for COVID-19 in healthcare workers: the importance of fever". The Journal of Hospital Infection. 105 (3): 428–429. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2020.05.028. PMC   7242924 . PMID   32450193.Turner, Josh. "The Importance of Symptom Screening". www.modjoul.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  7. "Telehealth: The Right Care, at the Right Time, via the Right Medium". NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery. 30 December 2020. doi:10.1056/cat.20.0564 (inactive 2024-09-18). Retrieved 28 January 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of September 2024 (link)Ramanayake, R. P. J. C.; Basnayake, B. M. T. K. (2018). "Evaluation of red flags minimizes missing serious diseases in primary care". Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. 7 (2): 315–318. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_510_15 . PMC   6060920 . PMID   30090770.
  8. Org, Healthmanagement. "Radiology Management, ICU Management, Healthcare IT, Cardiology Management, Executive Management". HealthManagement.
  9. "Automation of Scheduling in Healthcare". Managed Healthcare Executive. 23 May 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2021.