When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the reality quickly became apparent that many healthcare organizations were ill-equipped to fight the COVID-19 battle. Healthcare has been stretched to new limits in inpatient volume, equipment shortages, and the sheer number of calls, emails, and inquiries coming from the patients/members, media, and government.
So what has helped healthcare clients most rapidly respond to COVID-19?
Omnichannel, digitally centric interactions that draw upon the real-time power of AI. Additionally, virtual visit adoption and usage have increased exponentially across healthcare providers.
Digital health technology has quickly proven itself powerful in a wide range of use cases:
- Triage – Critical care needs demand priority attention. AI-enabled chatbots and interactive voice response (IVR) have helped redirect the brunt force of phone calls and emails going in and out of medical offices and call centers, allowing staffing reallocations to what matters most: rapid and nimble health delivery.
- Care – Virtual and televisits, follow-ups, and consults redirect the number of in-person visits for patients with non-urgent symptoms. This proves particularly helpful when patients can be effectively treated at home, thus limiting exposure. Additionally, remote monitoring and support of high-risk populations such as the elderly, immuno-compromised, obstetric patients, and those with comorbidities reduce the risk of virus spread.
- Communication – Gathering and analyzing critical information is essential in prioritizing those who are high-risk and providing adequate resources where necessary. The pandemic also heightened the need to automate the distribution of educational materials, guidelines, and frequently asked questions (FAQ) to patients, healthcare members, and communities – not to mention providing real-time communication and informative updates to healthcare professionals on the latest hospital protocols and policies.
As the new normal emerges, there will be a broader role for digital coordination and management in healthcare, encompassing more than just virtual visits. The capabilities and technologies discussed in our new guide can support you with the deployment of rapid-response digital health solutions while in the reactive phase of COVID-19.
Learn more by downloading our guide, Rapid Response Technology Solutions for COVID-19. In it, we explore ways you can:
- Automate user interactions with chatbots
- Meet call center demand… at scale
- Cultivate rapid, tailored outreach powered by CRM.
- Boost existing resources with powerful enhancements
- Promote better health… delivered.
- Leverage technology for “extra hands” support
