# Installing trust: What Intelligent Automation can do for the healthcare sector
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-08-09
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: Revolutionising Healthcare with Intelligent Automation
Meta Description: Discover how Intelligent Automation is revolutionising the healthcare sector, tackling staff shortages and backlog problems caused by COVID. Learn more!
URL: https://financedigest.com/installing-trust-what-intelligent-automation-can-do-for-the-healthcare-sectorhtml

![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/istock-1333401752-1736815495738-compressed.jpg)

_![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/430-1736815495719-compressed.png)_

_By_ **_Neil Parker,_** _GM EMEA, Laiye_

Healthcare organisations worldwide are due a revamp. As a result of COVID backlogs, the healthcare sector is desperately trying to catch up with those patients who were unable to secure appointments. A recent report from Institute for Public [Policy Research states that more than one in 10 people in England](https://www.financedigest.com/what-to-make-of-the-headlines-brexit-and-bank-of-england-policy-eba-bank-stress-tests.html "What to make of the headlines? Brexit and Bank of England policy, EBA bank stress tests") are waiting to receive care. This was caused by a range of issues that have been only exacerbated by the pandemic. These primarily include unbalanced budgeting due to poor funding and growing staff shortages as everyone from GPs to heart surgeons opt for [jobs with higher pay](https://www.financedigest.com/best-paying-jobs-in-natural-gas-distribution.html "Best paying jobs in natural gas distribution") and shorter working hours. These factors starkly bring to light the pressing need for innovation in the [healthcare sector](https://www.financedigest.com/new-healthcare-market-review-reveals-elderly-personal-care-sector-creating-exciting-investment-opportunities-and-defying-brexit.html "New Healthcare Market Review reveals elderly personal care sector creating exciting investment opportunities and defying Brexit"). The answer may lie in Intelligent [Automation as a way to address the vacancies that need to be filled to provide support in roles](https://www.financedigest.com/10-ways-automation-has-changed-the-role-of-the-cfo.html "10 ways automation has changed the role of the CFO") that have many repetitive IT processes, which today number over 40,000 within NHS Digital!

**The next stage for healthcare: Automation**

In some respects, it can feel like [technology has advanced](https://www.financedigest.com/how-an-advanced-manufacturing-technology-can-make-your-business-more-3-dimensional.html "How an advanced manufacturing technology can make your business more 3-dimensional") so far, with capabilities that were unimaginable even a decade ago. Many are left questioning why healthcare organisations have been slower to modernise administrative technologies, even as they [improve patient-centric technology](https://www.financedigest.com/improving-company-culture-through-technology.html "Improving Company Culture Through Technology"). Now with the ever-growing demand in the healthcare ecosystems, automation and AI are the [technologies delivering](https://www.financedigest.com/cut-evidence-empower-how-technology-can-help-banks-deliver-on-cop27-commitments.html "Cut, evidence, empower: How technology can help banks deliver on COP27 commitments") some of the greatest results.

Automation can revolutionise the healthcare sector by helping meet ever-growing patient expectations and [creating a seamless system that people can rely on to get their jobs](https://www.financedigest.com/italy-jan-jobless-rate-edges-up-to-7-9-with-35000-jobs-created.html "Italy Jan jobless rate edges up to 7.9%, with 35,000 jobs created") done and better serve patients. [Reducing waiting lists for important](https://www.financedigest.com/the-importance-of-a-proactive-and-collaborative-approach-to-reducing-contactless-fraud.html "THE IMPORTANCE OF A PROACTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO REDUCING CONTACTLESS FRAUD") surgical procedures and improving the reliability of information pertaining to patients are only the beginning of what automation can do for healthcare.

Intelligent [Automation allows healthcare organisations to eliminate repetitive](https://www.financedigest.com/automating-repetitive-and-time-consuming-finance-functions.html "Automating Repetitive and Time-Consuming Finance Functions"), cumbersome tasks, streamline operations, and better handle emergencies. It is also a clear answer to solving workforce skill shortages – carrying out general administrative tasks such as maintaining patient records, assigning hospital staff, efficiently allocating resources like medicines, and monitoring proof of eligibility for care are crucial yet resource-heavy elements that can be done at a greater speed with less error through Intelligent Automation.

**The benefits to healthcare professionals**

[Automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks allows medical staff to focus on providing care and spend more time on what they do best – helping others and saving](https://www.financedigest.com/breaking-down-the-barriers-of-ar-automation-to-help-businesses-save-money.html "Breaking down the barriers of AR automation to help businesses save money ") lives. For example, multiple third-party systems need to communicate with each other, something that is often tricky and hard to operate. A [report by the BBC](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-50972123) found that IT systems in the National Health Service (NHS) were so outdated that healthcare staff have to log in to up to 15 different systems to be able to do their jobs to the best of their ability. All of this could be simply automated, as the software Robot \[or BOT\] would take care of the secure process. This makes processing [data manually](https://www.financedigest.com/from-sec-edgar-to-business-applications-exploring-an-alternative-to-manual-data-extraction.html "From SEC EDGAR to Business Applications: Exploring an Alternative to Manual Data Extraction") inefficient and likely to be full of errors, and potential security breaches, as passwords, will be simple to be effective across multiple user-driven systems, not to mention the time spent by medical staff trying to use these systems properly.

Intelligent Automation can be seamlessly integrated with these [systems](https://www.financedigest.com/mercedez-benz-to-deploy-advanced-automated-driving-system-in-nevada.html "Mercedez-Benz to deploy advanced automated driving system in Nevada") to automate processes and make operations more efficient and accurate.

**The benefits to healthcare organisations**

Tightening budgets are a constant [worry to many healthcare](https://www.financedigest.com/european-shares-edge-higher-on-healthcare-lift-weak-china-data-stokes-worries.html "European shares edge higher on healthcare lift, weak China data stokes worries") organisations like the UK’s NHS. In the aftermath of the pandemic, these worries are at an all-time high with some [health improvements in reverse](https://www.ippr.org/files/2022-02/state-of-health-and-care-march22.pdf). Incorporating Intelligent [Automation has long-term budget-saving benefits such as decreased errors and admin time](https://www.financedigest.com/make-time-to-reshape-the-finance-function-with-automation-and-machine-learning.html "Make time to reshape the finance function with automation and machine learning"), which increases time spent on patient and health outcomes. Intelligent [Automation not only helps improve](https://www.financedigest.com/improving-your-home-with-smart-automation.html "Improving Your Home with Smart Automation") ongoing administrative issues but opens up the possibility to enhance other aspects of healthcare, such as providing more tailored treatment to patients, and an overall better experience.

**The benefits to patients**

Patient experience is essential to the healthcare mission, and Intelligent Automation helps improve the quality of care a patient will receive. By reducing administrative lag, medical staff are more readily available and sharper, unburdened by time-consuming and frustrating admin [work – meaning they can spend more time](https://www.financedigest.com/working-from-home-in-times-of-crisis.html "Working from home in times of crisis") with patients. Automating processes has the [power to enrich the patient experience](https://www.financedigest.com/app-based-insurance-cover-for-millennials-possessions-and-experiences-back-me-up-powered-by-ageas.html "APP-BASED INSURANCE COVER FOR MILLENNIALS’ POSSESSIONS AND EXPERIENCES: ‘BACK ME UP’, POWERED BY AGEAS") by ensuring people are seen quicker and more efficiently – reframing the narrative away from long waiting lists and poor care pathways to a more positive and helpful one.

Intelligent Automation is also a benefit to a patient’s own admin. Long forms and [hidden costs](https://www.financedigest.com/insurtech-reveals-hidden-costs-of-home-working.html "Insurtech Reveals Hidden Costs of Home Working") can be cumbersome for anyone going through a difficult time. Through a chatbot interface, patients are [able to submit claims](https://www.financedigest.com/left-out-of-a-loved-ones-will-you-may-be-able-to-claim-under-the-inheritance-act.html "Left out of a loved one’s Will? You may be able to claim under the Inheritance Act") at a much faster and easier rate. This allows them to get constant status updates and allow claims to be fulfilled automatically through said chatbot, rather than spend a lengthy amount of time on the phone or dealing with mail-in forms.

**Intelligent Automation: The route to future-proof success**

The healthcare sector is still in survival mode and focusing on recovery is simply no longer enough. Patients deserve more. In order to find a sustainable, long-term solution, healthcare providers must look to new ways to reduce the strain on the system and provide better care. Improving the overall patient experience is crucial for revolutionising the healthcare sector. Intelligent [Automation is the perfect solution](https://www.financedigest.com/automated-intralogistics-material-handling-solutions-market-estimates-the-market-to-expand-at-14-cagr-through-2031.html "Automated Intralogistics Material Handling Solutions Market Estimates The Market to Expand at 14% CAGR through 2031") that is still being overlooked.

**Dealing with the perception that Intelligent Automation** [causes job losses](https://www.financedigest.com/flood-most-damaging-peril-of-2016-causing-nearly-one-third-of-210bn-global-economic-losses-according-to-aon-catastrophe-report.html "Flood most damaging peril of 2016, causing nearly one-third of 0bn global economic losses – according to Aon catastrophe report")

It is a [common myth that Intelligent Automation](https://www.financedigest.com/5-common-mistakes-around-accounts-payable-automation.html "5 Common Mistakes Around Accounts Payable Automation") will cause job losses **,** and it is this myth which can cause projects to fail from the outset as certain user groups may not have been included in the original workshops or discovery meetings. It is critical that all user groups understand the obvious benefits that automation brings; better compliance, [lower costs](https://www.financedigest.com/just-eat-delivers-q3-profit-as-cost-cuts-outweigh-lower-order-volumes.html "Just Eat delivers Q3 profit as cost cuts outweigh lower order volumes") of process outcome, higher levels of productivity as software robots don’t sleep, take breaks or holiday, and the more sophisticated AI-powered robots and Chatbots also learn and evolve on the ‘job’.

So, what happens to the people involved in the process being automated? In many cases the automation is not about pure [cost savings and sacrificing heads to provide an ROI to the business](https://www.financedigest.com/cutting-business-costs-pros-of-using-commercial-heat-pumps-in-2016.html "Cutting business costs: Pros of using commercial heat pumps in 2016") – it’s not that simple, although legacy RPA vendors did feed that route to market. I believe that the automation of processes can fuel and provide the financial efficiencies that fund innovation, and drive expansion or M&A [opportunities for businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/the-north-heads-south-to-mipim-en-masse-to-corner-new-real-estate-business-opportunities.html "The North heads South to MIPIM en masse to corner new real estate business opportunities"), and that the people involved take new more valuable roles attending the automation process and/or signing off stages of the new processes as a simple example.

I have seen companies use [automation to bring together divisions and centralise processes such as accounting](https://www.financedigest.com/accounts-payable-departments-lag-behind-in-ai-automation.html "Accounts Payable departments lag behind in AI automation"), or invoice processing into a central team that controls and monitors the automated and scaled process – driving savings and not removing headcount. The healthcare [sector must](https://www.financedigest.com/why-the-financial-services-sector-must-cut-the-cord-in-order-to-weather-the-covid-storm.html "Why the financial services sector must ‘cut the cord’ in order to weather the COVID storm") look to new ways reduce the strain on the system and provide better care. Improving the overall patient experience is crucial for revolutionising the healthcare sector. Intelligent Automation is the [perfect solution](https://www.financedigest.com/alt-data-the-perfect-solution-for-investors-plagued-by-market-volatility.html "Alt data – the perfect solution for investors plagued by market volatility?") that is still being overlooked.


---
This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more.
---