New Year, New Tools

As State moves into 2021, we are shifting from adapting to the pandemic back into a proactive strategy to roll out new technology in order to better serve our clients and their patients. We are continuing to expand our use of omni-channel communication and artificial intelligence.

Workflow Optimization
We partnered with SIFT Healthcare to test the power of Artificial Intelligence in optimizing our workflows, including outbound calling campaigns and payment options offered to patients. In early 2020, we conducted a side-by-side test with Wake Forest accounts using our existing workflows compared to the workflows suggested by SIFT. The results were clear – SIFT enabled us to increase collections by 8.6%, including a 2.89% increase by offering payment plans tailored for individual patients. You can read the full case study here.

Given the success with Wake Forest, we are rolling out SIFT’s artificial intelligence to additional clients in 2021. This will allow us to be more strategic in contacting patients, offer tailored payment plans and use every representative’s time more effectively. This will enable representatives to focus time and effort on the accounts most likely to pay, enabling individuals and our team to hit goal while providing a better patient experience.

Intelligent Virtual Assistant
Watch for more information coming soon as we prepare to launch MIA, our Intelligent Virtual Assistant. We will initially conduct a soft launch with an extremely limited number of third-party clients. As we pass each milestone and ensure MIA is working as desired, we will expand to more third-party clients. We are in the early planning stages to expand MIA to EBO next year.

Texting
As more consumers use texting as a primary communication channel, State continues increase the number of texts we send to patients. This is providing a more convenient communication channel and encouraging individuals to resolve their account online or call State. We are seeing an increase in number of inbound calls and payments and expect this trend to continue to have a positive impact.

Even as we incorporate leading-edge technology, knowledgeable and empathetic team members will remain at the center of patient-centric care. There will always be patients who prefer to interact with a human or who need assistance resolving an issue on their account. Our use of technology will enable representatives to be more readily available for patients who want or need human assistance.

As we begin to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel and prepare to put the pandemic behind us, State is focused on providing exceptional results for our clients and positive experiences for their patients.