While millions of people have already received the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States, rollout and distribution still lag well behind demand. Despite the hard work of medical professionals at a wide range of facilities, there are still numerous problems with the current vaccination process, including but not limited to long wait times, difficulty reaching eligible patients, and –– worst of all –– vaccine doses going to waste. Thankfully, businesses in the healthcare industry can use robotic process automation (RPA) and other automation tools to speed up and enhance their vaccination rollout, implementation, and reporting. Here are several key ways you can use automation to improve COVID-19 vaccination speed and efficiency at your organization:
Vaccine Outreach & Scheduling
Though some patients are actively seeking out ways to get the COVID-19 vaccine, others may not be aware they are even eligible for it yet. That is why automated outreach is so crucial to public health at this moment in time. Organizations like UiPath and Amitech Solutions have developed automated features to keep the web portals and registrations healthcare facilities use in sync. What is more, automation can be tailored to reach specific demographics. For instance, chatbots can be deployed to communicate with young individuals, while interactive voice response technology may be utilized for scheduling appointments with older patients.
Mass Vaccination Appointments
In conjunction with scheduling “regular” vaccine appointments, healthcare organizations can also use automation to carry out mass vaccinations that aim to serve up to 1,000 people a day in some communities. In this instance, professionals can use AI to recruit and manage volunteers, check in patients, and collect and log key patient data quickly and accurately.
Data Collection & Reporting
The COVID-19 vaccine process is a nation-wide effort. As such, local and national officials and leaders need to know how many individuals have received the vaccine, how many still need to be vaccinated, and the remaining stock and supplies facilities currently have at their disposal. This information is crucial to allocating funds and resources, making accurate data collection and reporting a huge priority for healthcare organizations. As a result, professionals may utilize software robots to automate the data entry process and meet compliance timelines with local and national authorities.
Supply Chain Management
As mentioned above, it is essential for healthcare organizations to report their activity to relevant agencies to maintain efficient supply chain activity.
They can also use automation to effectively manage and distribute their own supply as well, though. Automation tools can be harnessed to triage registered patients and prioritize vaccination events. RPA software may also be deployed to identify data discrepancies and facilitate the reconciliation of duplicate or incorrect data within multiple systems.
Follow-Ups
For the moment, most vaccinations will occur over two separate appointments. As such, healthcare organizations can ensure quality care by using automation to stay in touch with already-registered patients. Not only can automated messages and bots be used to encourage patients to fulfill their second vaccination appointment, but they can also offer people the opportunity to report any side effects or wellness concerns they may have.
The Bottom Line
Across the board, healthcare organizations are already using RPA and AI to bolster their vaccination efforts. Tackling this enormous logistical challenge is incredibly difficult. Yet, automation can assist in a wide variety of ways, including:
● Registering patients.
● Scheduling individual appointments and mass vaccination events.
● Reducing wait times.
● Reaching out to eligible patients.
● Following up with already registered individuals.
● Preventing wasted vaccine doses.
● Fast and efficient reporting to local, state, and federal agencies.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that data and AI management will only grow in relevance for healthcare companies in the future (as we covered in a previous article here).
At Amitech, our goal is to work with healthcare companies to assist in RPA and AI implementation to promote a faster, more efficient vaccine rollout. We strive to remove unnecessary administrative burdens and manual processes so that medical professionals can focus on getting the most vaccine doses to the people who need them most –– ASAP. Contact us here to learn more or to get started with us today.
Have any questions or want to know more? We have answers.
