Interoperability

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting migration to remote services have ramped up the pressure on healthcare organizations to retain existing patients and attract new ones, as well as to reduce the burden of manual paperwork on clinicians. DocuSign has conducted research on the challenges, opportunities and costs involved in streamlining the intake and consent processes. Adopting e-signature is a major step towards reimagining the patient, clinician and staff experience.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation across every industry, including healthcare. As more organizations adapt to a remote work environment, they are replacing time- and labor-intensive manual processes, particularly agreement processes, with modern digital solutions that can be effectively used by anyone, anywhere. DocuSign has studied how business leaders are using e-signature technology and other digital tools to meet new challenges.

Healthcare organizations need to be nimble and efficient to recruit the best talent in today’s competitive market. Upgrading to a fully digital staffing process can make the recruiting and onboarding process more efficient, reduce search time and costs and delight candidates.

MIMIT Health, a multispecialty group of independent providers based in Melrose Park, Illinois, was slowed by manual processes and data silos. Because patient forms were still being stored in paper form and EMR data was inaccessible for most employees, collaboration between staff was almost impossible, which affected efficiency. MIMIT Health chose the DocuSign Agreement Cloud because it integrated with its existing systems to create a better experience for staff and patients alike.

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has presented significant challenges to public health departments to enroll and onboard providers. In turn, local healthcare facilities needed to develop processes to manage and distribute vaccines. Automating and digitizing forms and workflows for obtaining patient consent, verifying eligibility and managing vaccine records creates a faster, safer and more efficient patient experience that maintains compliance with HIPAA and PHI regulations.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have announced their initiative to turn healthcare offices into “fax-free zones” in favor of automated systems. Both payers and providers spend large amounts of time reviewing prior authorization paperwork and communicating via phone, fax and snail mail, which can cause significant delays in patient treatment. By digitizing their systems of agreement, payers and providers can dramatically reduce their cost structure, as well as lower the risk of errors and treatment delays so patients get the care they need when they need it.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many healthcare organizations to shift workflows to keep patients and staff safe. This has led to a reduction in revenue as elective procedures are postponed and organizations struggle with staff reductions and budget cuts. Many organizations are responding to these challenges by increasing their agility and streamlining workflows with digitization. Digital solutions from DocuSign can help healthcare providers digitally transform their day-to-day work while increasing care options for patients both on- and off-site.

The digital transformation of healthcare includes a trend toward “data-driven” healthcare. But what does that mean for your practice and your patients? To become truly data-driven, your organization will need to overhaul and digitize outmoded paperwork-based operations. Although digitization may seem like a large and complex project, it’s a necessary step to establishing a source of verifiable, trustworthy data that can help streamline internal management, improve the patient experience and potentially save patients’ lives.

Patients have come to expect a seamless digital experience from healthcare providers. Exceed those expectations by eliminating paperwork and presenting simple digital forms that improve HIPAA compliance, help patients get seen sooner and get providers paid faster.

As healthcare organizations strive to improve the patient experience and reduce regulatory risk, legacy agreement processes can sometimes stand in the way of delivering on those goals. Waiting for responses from a patient’s care team takes an average of 30 minutes, which can raise care costs by an average of 75%. Legacy agreement processes can also lead to errors in data, which can contribute to providing a poor patient experience. Digitizing core processes can deliver a higher standard of care to patients, boost staff productivity and improve adherence to compliance requirements.