Automation as a concept is a lot older than some may think… automatic control has been around for a long time. We can date it back to the 17th century with the creation of temperature control, steam engines and more! 

Obviously, living in the 21st century we have advanced a lot more. With great new technologies, we are not only able to create practical living situations, but also save lives within the health care sector. Today, we’ll be looking at how automation is changing the lives of many all over the world. 

The Healthcare Industry Summed Up

Before jumping into the tasks automation does, it’s important to understand how the healthcare industry has been functioning. Innovation in technology has helped to establish new and effective medicine, technological solutions for non-life threatening surgeries, and improved diagnostic aids. Of course, this is just a few great achievements within the masses of technological healthcare equipment. 

With every success though comes a challenge. One of the most prominent ones being quality and affordable healthcare, even in developed countries. The reasons for this are: 

Rising expenditures 

One of the largest portions of investments within the healthcare sector goes towards drug research and facilities, which results in massive hospital bills that make their way down to the patients. 

A study was conducted by Research Gate which showed that supply expense per patient in the United States was approximately a little over $4,000! This would be fine if each person had a health insurance plan or even a proper insurance plan for that matter, but unfortunately, this is not the case. 

With more complex procedures, the demand for medical devices increases while also increasing the bills. As mentioned, identifying research and development opportunities for medicinal drugs requires lots of cash. This is mainly due to the fact that large quantities of data need to be assessed and in turn, this requires lots of time and money. 

To be able to establish a balance between cost and health results, a consideration of multiple data variables must come into play. 

Appointment Scheduling 

Nearly 500 healthcare workers lost their income earnings due to canceled appointments. 

Other problems that occur are: 

• Lack of time to call patients

• Keeping patient contact information up to date

• No efficient ways to contact patients via text messaging applications 

• Lack of resources for reminders 

Security 

Patients willingly give up their private information to health care providers, including financial statuses and social security numbers. However, hackers are able to steal this information, causing a terrible security breach. 

Some of the highest data breach solutions cost around $400 for each patient record. In order to identify and restrict a breach from occurring, the time needed is a significant loss for the sector. Not to mention, the loss of reputation and trust from patients which can ultimately result in a loss of revenue. 

So, what is data automation? 

Data automation essentially replaces manual tasks with the use of information technology. Tasks that are repetitive in nature and require the least amount of human intervention ultimately benefit the most from automation. 

Data automation is a form of programming which handles storage, assimilation, and analysis of data. This process most often involves:

• Extraction: open data sources are evaluated and analyzed for relevant information. 

• Transformation: the data is converted into a program which is usable by machines.

• Loading: the data is put into the system to take place of raw material for the automation.

But wait...there’s more!

Big data automation (BDA) uses innovation and IT tools to create value. It assists with the reduction of manual labour during the process of collection and data analysis. Also, it reduces administrative work and improves patient healthcare.

Let’s Solve Your Problems with Data Automation 

So we’ve discussed data automation, BDA, and now we’re going to look at the robotic process automation (RPA), which is the next level within the automation realm. RPA uses machine learning and AI to complete tasks which would otherwise be done manually. It has immensely helped the healthcare industry. 

We mentioned above the 3 main challenges, now we’re going to provide you with solutions for all three: 

Rising Costs Solved 

A large sum of financial burdens within the health sector are due to growing demands for medical equipment and innovation costs for drug research. Scott Gottlieb (FDA commissioner) revealed a new budget plan which focused on modernizing drug and device production and using innovative practices to lower costs while advancing health needs. 

Data automation helps with this as it provides assistance in fast-tracking the assessment of safety and efficacy of medical drugs and devices. The data collection and analysis also plays a crucial role in drug discovery and new product functions. 

Appointment Scheduling Solved 

Do you know how much money and time would be saved if tasks like scheduling appointments and reminders were to be part of an automated process? Lots and lots of savings! There are multiple applications available which automate these tasks and have in turn given more time towards staff and resources allowing them to focus on the patients. 

The greatest features available on these apps: 

• Scheduling, booking, and cancelling appointments

• Feedback 

• Email or text message appointment notifications 

• Reporting to decrease cancellations and refine processes 

Security Issues Solved 

Most times, a manual error is the root cause for security breaches. However, when you replace manual work with data automation, the healthcare industry can ensure that these errors are minimal. Healthcare providers are now able to enable alerts, prioritize abnormal behaviour, and focus on monitoring all with the help of AI and automation. 

What else?

By using automation for diagnosis, predictive analysis, and recommendations, you’re able to ensure that the system will continuously operate in a way to detect and eliminate security issues. 

Although these three challenges are prominent within the healthcare world, they are not the only ones that arise. With that said, there are various forms of resolutions using data automation. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how you can save lives with data!