技术是当今患者支持计划的前沿和中心，但它不是万能的。我们需要平衡技术与人和过程，以实现效率和风险的正确平衡。
Stakeholder Perspectives on Innovation
患者想要更快的解决方案，无论是一次呼叫解决方案还是处理请求或响应呼叫所需的更少时间。他们希望通过在线门户、短信或实时聊天等方式与自己的程序进行交互，并具有选择权和灵活性。今天的患者比以往任何时候都更紧密地联系在一起，因此他们的期望值也在增加。
医疗保健提供者want to operate within their normal workflow, using electronic health records (EHRs), without having to perform dual data entry by accessing a different portal or send a fax for reimbursement assistance to do a prior authorization. Prior authorization is one of the main pain points for healthcare providers today; they want transparency in prior-authorization requirements, more automation and timely patient care.
Manufacturerswant to facilitate patient access to products. They need differentiation from the competition and flexibility to change as the market evolves. Manufacturers want efficient and cost-effective programs, and they expect accurate results with quality outcomes delivered consistently.
创新驱动力
为了提高访问和分辨率，我们必须无缝地利用技术。目标是简化流程的每个步骤，无论是电子福利验证、事先授权还是帮助代理更快地处理查询的工具。我们可以通过简化业务规则和操作流程、强调患者和提供者对技术的使用以及将自动化集成到整个工作流中来提高效率。一旦我们有效地利用了技术，我们就可以研究进一步提高效率的交付模型。例如，将行政工作转移到成本较低的地区，可以使美国代理商专注于增值活动。
试点项目：减少数据输入的创新方法
When it comes to evaluating and implementing technology solutions, our approach is to test our concepts via a well-informed pilot program. For example, when we were evaluating optical character recognition (OCR) technologies to help automate case intake, we made several assumptions on the time savings, processed numerous forms through the engine to optimize artificial intelligence and then evaluated results.
如我们所知，患者支持的接收仍然包括传真表格。为了实现自动化，我们实现了OCR，它可以以95%的准确率读取打字和手写信息。常用的表单被模板化，这样OCR引擎就可以读取表单中的每个字段。通过传真接收的无法识别的表单被引擎拒绝并手动输入。已识别的表格被处理并数字化。如果某个字段不符合信任级别，则会将该记录发送给门户中的代理审阅。数字化内容被加载到我们的CRM系统中，以最小化数据输入并加速研究的开始。
通过利用试点方法，我们能够发现OCR带来的挑战，这些挑战是我们最初没有预料到的，并在将其推广到所有项目之前加以解决。例如，我们发现有些表单会很模糊，OCR引擎很难读取。通常情况下，用户不会按照说明进行操作，而是将文本写在页边空白处，或者不写在指定的字段中。我们能够采取权宜之计来应对每一个挑战。在我们微调业务规则以通过技术最小化数据输入之后，我们探索了使用成本较低的地理位置来进一步优化流程。然后，我们通过时间和运动研究验证了我们的假设，并解决了任何差距。采取试点办法，使我们能够改进技术和过程，以最大限度地提高效率和准确性。
最大化创新的设计原则
There are several principles fundamental to maximizing innovation through the use of technology:
- Designing from an end-user perspective is vital.
- Vetting solutions and running pilots allow the best of use of technology and processes to address any gaps prior to launch.
- 使用人才、流程和技术的适当平衡为优化流程和最小化风险奠定了基础。
- Incorporating change management is critical to the adoption of new technology, and data-driven insights help to continuously improve and optimize.
We need to continuously improve patient support programs, with our eyes fixed on removing stakeholder barriers. Technology plays a vital role in innovation and efficiency in this effort. However, it is necessary to pragmatically identify the right balance of talent and processes to optimize outcomes further and minimize risk for program success.
