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By Patricia Consolver, VP of Revenue Cycle Front End, Ascension
In healthcare, where precision and effectiveness are essential, the revenue cycle is a crucial component. Ascension, one of the nation’s leading non-profit Catholic health systems, views optimizing the patient experience as both an operational necessity and critical to its mission. This dedication to excellence has led to an innovative partnership between Ascension’s revenue cycle and Ascension Data Science Institute. Their collaboration has resulted in AVA, the Ascension Virtual Assistant—a scheduling “co-pilot” designed to transform front-end operations.
Ascension is implementing a new solution to streamline the complex process of scheduling advanced imaging exams. The new solution aims to address these issues, improving both operational efficiency and the consumer experience.
By automating tasks, schedulers are liberated to concentrate on patient interactions, fostering an efficient and supportive associate environment.
A comprehensive assessment revealed several critical pain points that resulted in delayed scheduling and other inefficiencies. To address these issues, Ascension’s revenue cycle leadership identified an innovative chatbot as a powerful solution, designed to provide scheduling staff with instant, accurate information.
The creation of AVA was a collaborative effort between Ascension’s Revenue Cycle and Ascension Data Science Institute. The revenue cycle team contributed their deep understanding of operational challenges, including daily workflows, frequently sought information, and real-world issues faced by schedulers. This user-centric insight was vital for the Ascension Data Science Institute team to develop a truly effective solution. In turn, the Ascension Data Science Institute team applied their expertise in natural language processing (NLP), machine learning (ML), and data architecture to transform these operational needs into a sophisticated technological system. This synergy was instrumental in conceptualizing and building AVA.
AVA is designed to be a comprehensive “co-pilot” for remote scheduling staff. Its core functionality will enable users to:
Provide Centralized Information: Remote schedulers often face a greater challenge accessing fragmented information sources (shared drives, paper documents). AVA consolidates all necessary instructions, preps, and answers into a single, easily searchable platform.
Improve Efficiency: Without the need to physically search through binders or interrupt colleagues, remote schedulers can quickly find information, reducing delays in scheduling and increasing their productivity from any location.
Enhance Accuracy: By providing a consistent and up-to-date source of truth, AVA minimizes the risk of remote schedulers using outdated or incorrect information, which is especially important when there isn’t immediate in-person oversight.
Ensure Consistency: Remote teams can struggle with variations in how information is interpreted and understood. AVA standardizes the information, ensuring all remote schedulers are working with the same guidelines.
Decrease Frustration: The ability to independently and quickly find answers empowers remote schedulers, reducing the frustration associated with information silos and delays that can be exacerbated by distance.
AVA’s effectiveness hinges on a strong data infrastructure. The revenue cycle and Ascension Data Science Institute worked together to identify and integrate diverse data sources. This involves populating AVA’s database with precise, up-to-date information from various origins, including departmental protocols, radiology information systems (RIS), and laboratory manuals. The Ascension Data Science Institute and Ascension Technology implemented robust data governance and management, crucial for maintaining the accuracy and dependability of AVA’s data. The successful integration of AVA will be a continuous process, offering chances for ongoing improvements and broader application. The implementation plan is well-thought-out, including a “proof of concept” testing phase to ensure thorough evaluation and user acceptance. This step-by-step method enables a detailed assessment and gathering of feedback before a wider deployment. A key element of this implementation is providing extensive training and continuous technical assistance to scheduling personnel, guaranteeing the efficient use of this new system.The collaborative spirit between the revenue cycle and Ascension Data Science Institute extends to the evaluation metrics for AVA’s success. The revenue cycle team will track and share key performance indicators such as the average time spent scheduling appointments, the frequency of information-related queries to other staff, reported errors in scheduling or patient instructions, and staff satisfaction with the new tool. These metrics will provide concrete evidence of AVA’s impact and guide future enhancements.AVA’s development marks a significant leap forward in Ascension’s strategic vision. It underscores the organization’s commitment to excellence and its mission to transform healthcare through advanced analytics, and data science. By optimizing internal operations, Ascension is simultaneously elevating the patient experience, thereby fulfilling its sacred duty to deliver health, healing, and hope to all with unmatched precision and effectiveness. By automating tasks, schedulers are liberated to concentrate on patient interactions, fostering an efficient and supportive associate environment. This progressive strategy is essential for maintaining competitiveness and relevance within the rapidly transforming healthcare sector.Ascension’s strategic roadmap, notably through initiatives like AVA, underscores its unwavering commitment to its mission. This involves harnessing every available tool and innovation to provide the highest quality of care with maximum efficiency and compassion. By adopting technology to enhance its operations, Ascension not only improves its internal operations, but also actively shapes the future of healthcare. This ensures that its fundamental commitment to delivering health and healing continues to powerfully impact the communities it serves.
