Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and enterprise automation, in general, are programs that can save businesses millions of dollars every year. What’s more, they both play a crucial role in streamlining business processes. And –– in regard to healthcare companies –– enterprise automation like RPA and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can significantly improve patient care, experiences, and outcomes. However, not everyone views RPA implementation as a good thing. One of the biggest myths about automation is that introducing automated bots and software will cost people their jobs. Thankfully, RPA isn’t designed to replace human workers, but rather to assist them.
Still, distrust of automation is somewhat understandable. After all, RPA software is capable of mimicking and performing numerous tasks that professionals might normally execute. But like so much else in business, it’s the details that matter. When you dig a little deeper, you’ll find there are two core truths about RPA that really limit its ability to displace the human workforce:
- While some job losses are likely unavoidable, estimates indicate that less than 5% of all occupations can be automated entirely based on current technology.
- RPA bots are ill-suited for anything but low-skill, repetitive tasks.
Rather than replacing humans outright, RPA assists workers and changes the kind of work that professionals carry out.
RPA vs Human Workers
RPA bots are not “intelligent” in the classical sense. They aren’t capable of knowledge, learning, or improvement. RPA is instead limited to simple, rule-based tasks. For example, RPA bots can be programmed to perform data-entry tasks that may take human workers dozens of hours to complete. But while RPA bots can log this data quickly and accurately, they can’t perform analysis on the data or recognize trends on their own.
As it happens, most professionals already don’t like high-volume/low-skill tasks. Plus, even the most dedicated employee is bound to make some mistakes when forced to carry out a task hundreds of times. By taking over repetitive, routine work, software bots increase the amount of time professionals can devote to tasks that require creativity, accountability, or empathy. (This can also lead to higher ROI as well.) In that way, bots can improve how businesses are run to increase their effectiveness and efficiency. For healthcare organizations, this means doctors and nurses can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time caring for patients.
RPA, ROI, and AI
As is often the case with emerging technologies, the rise of RPA coincides with plenty of hype and more than a few myths to go around. Thankfully, our team at Amitech has years of experience working with healthcare companies to implement automated features like RPA and AI. We’re experts on this subject, and we can answer any questions you may have about introducing RPA at your organization. Contact us here to learn more.
Also, don’t forget to download our latest eBook, Busting the Myths About RPA, to get the scoop on all of the biggest myths in RPA right now!
Have any questions or want to know more? We have answers.
