Allie Zhang, senior product manager at Concord Technologies, outlines the impact of cloud fax in healthcare. In this interview with AXIS Imaging News, she highlights how cloud fax streamlines workflows, enhances interoperability, and improves operational efficiency. Zhang also shares insights on implementation strategies, customization challenges, and real-world applications.
AXIS Imaging News: What is the significance of cloud fax in the healthcare industry?
Allie Zhang: Cloud fax has become increasingly important in healthcare as it offers a more efficient and secure means of communication between payors, providers, specialists, post-acute care facilities, and entities that use disparate electronic health record (EHR) systems. It also aids in streamlining workflows and improving operational efficiency in larger healthcare organizations. Historically, faxing has been the predominant method for sharing information across healthcare organizations, particularly in the context of EHRs.
While there has been a push toward interoperability of electronic health records and transparency for patients, exchanging information across various providers has been challenging due to differing EHR systems. Cloud fax represents a modern evolution of traditional faxing, streamlining workflows and enhancing interoperability in patient care. It serves as the connective tissue, or common denominator, between these disparate systems. This makes cloud fax not only a technological improvement over traditional faxing but also a key to achieving interoperability between EHRs and other systems across the healthcare continuum.
AXIS: What are some specific efficiencies that cloud fax brings to healthcare organizations?
Zhang: Transitioning to cloud fax can lead to several efficiencies, including workflow streamlining, standardization, and error reduction. Cloud fax integrates seamlessly into existing digital workflows, eliminating the need to physically check a fax machine. Notifications can be customized based on user preferences, such as email alerts.
Some cloud fax systems can also be configured to automatically classify and route incoming documents. This reduces the need for manual sorting and decision-making, saving time and increasing the productivity of administrative staff. A logical follow-on benefit is error reduction. By automating the sorting and routing of documents, cloud faxing decreases the likelihood of manual errors that often occur with data entry after a faxed document arrives. It can also reduce discrepancies by ensuring consistency, as users in different workflows are no longer making independent decisions. And it can learn!
Ultimately, these efficiencies add up to significant time savings, enabling healthcare staff to focus on patient care rather than repetitive administrative tasks.
AXIS: How can a radiology practice administrator start implementing cloud fax solutions?
Zhang: The process typically begins with a needs assessment, during which the service provider collaborates with the practice to understand its specific workflows and requirements. Steps include identifying current workflows, discussing how the practice currently handles incoming documents, and identifying areas for improvement. Customized solutions enable practice administrators to develop tailored approaches that meet the practice’s unique needs, whether for referral management, continuity of care management, prior authorization follow-ups, or other specific document types and workflows.
This is followed by the implementation phase. It is essential that this occurs in stages or steps if necessary—either rolling out the solution gradually or executing a complete transition, depending on the practice’s capacity and readiness for change. The provider should also be prepared to offer ongoing support and facilitate continuous improvement. This includes staff training to ensure everyone is comfortable with the new system and can fully leverage its benefits.
AXIS: Can you provide a case in point, or use case?
Zhang: Yes, and this is particularly interesting. We have been highly successful in helping Royal Health, a provider of software and services in radiology, integrate unstructured data into their clients’ systems. Before our involvement, teams manually transcribed each order, resulting in slow turnarounds and high error rates.
Now, the company uses Concord’s platform APIs to upload documents, extract data, and pass it to their customers’ scheduling queues without manual intervention. By leveraging Concord’s Practical AI™ alongside their software’s automated queues, Royal Health is helping customers improve schedule-to-scan rates by 25%.
AXIS: What are the potential concerns regarding customization in cloud fax solutions?
Zhang: Sometimes, the issues of costs and labor intensity are raised. However, the degree of customization often correlates with the level of investment a practice is willing to make. While bespoke solutions may seem daunting, they can ultimately provide a better fit for the organization’s needs. Practices should consider budget constraints, understanding that while initial costs might be higher for customized solutions, long-term efficiency gains can offset those expenses. Another way to manage costs is by evaluating organizational goals to determine if the investment aligns with them. A provider should be able to demonstrate tangible outcomes to address these concerns.
Another crucial aspect to consider is implementation. Choosing a partner who is transparent about their process, provides a dedicated point of contact, and offers regular updates is vital for a smooth implementation experience. This approach facilitates user adoption and ensures that staff are adequately onboarded and trained to avoid challenges with technology adoption and maximize efficiency gains.
Finally, keep the end goals in mind. For example, customizing workflows may take time, but it can result in significant productivity improvements.
AXIS: How does the service provider ensure that the customized solution will be successful for the practice?
Zhang: The service provider should focus on a few key areas to ensure success. These include collaborative discovery, engaging with the practice to fully understand existing workflows and identify bottlenecks. Implementation should be flexible, with options for a phased rollout so practices can adopt the new system at a comfortable pace.
There must also be a commitment to user comfort and confidence, with the vendor providing thorough training for staff and ongoing support to help them adapt to new workflows and processes. Finally, there is the all-important feedback loop. Practices and their vendors should maintain an open channel for continuous feedback to refine and optimize the solution based on real-world use. This approach ensures that the solution achieves organizational goals and proves to be a sound investment.
