The Problem: Traditional Medical Answering Service Caused Delays and Missed Calls

Prior to Clarus, a children’s hospital relied on a traditional medical answering service to manage patient calls. While the goal was to improve patient experience and reduce hold times, the existing system created several operational challenges.

These limitations of the medical call center impacted the hospital’s ability to deliver timely, high-quality care to pediatric patients and their families.

The Solution: Intelligent Call Routing and Reliable Patient Communication with Clarus

The children’s hospital implemented Clarus’s call management solution to modernize and centralize their patient communication and after-hours call management.

Key capabilities included:

With Clarus in place, the children’s hospital improved responsiveness and enhanced the overall patient experience.

In the healthcare landscape, effective communication between patients and healthcare providers is paramount. Patient calls serve as a vital channel for addressing inquiries, providing support, and ensuring adherence to treatment plans. However, in an era where data privacy is of utmost concern, maintaining HIPAA compliance in these interactions is non-negotiable. This is where solutions — like Clarus — step in, offering a seamless blend of communication and compliance for healthcare organizations.

Clarus is designed to streamline patient calls while adhering to the strict standards of HIPAA. But what exactly does this entail, and why is it crucial for both patients and healthcare providers?

First and foremost, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data. This includes any information disclosed during interactions on the phone. Therefore, ensuring that patient calls are HIPAA compliant is essential to safeguarding patient privacy and maintaining trust.

Clarus achieves HIPAA compliance through several key features:

  1. Secure Data Handling: All patient information exchanged during calls is securely handled and stored. This means employing encryption protocols to protect data both in transit and at rest. By implementing robust security measures, Clarus ensures that patient confidentiality is upheld at every stage of communication.
  2. Authorized Access Control: Access to patient data is strictly controlled and limited to authorized personnel only. Clarus ensures that only individuals with the appropriate clearance can access sensitive information, reducing the risk of unauthorized disclosure.
  3. Every interaction within Clarus’ system is logged and auditable. In the event of a security incident, these logs serve as invaluable documentation of compliance efforts.

Patient calls play a crucial role in healthcare delivery, and maintaining HIPAA compliance is imperative to protect patient confidentiality. By offering a robust framework for achieving this goal, we enable healthcare providers to communicate effectively while safeguarding sensitive information. As technology continues to evolve, embracing HIPAA-compliant communication solutions becomes increasingly essential for healthcare organizations committed to upholding the highest standards of patient care.

In the realm of healthcare, patient relationships aren’t just about providing medical care; they’re about fostering trust, empathy, and loyalty. A positive patient experience is the most powerful signal for retaining patients and increasing revenue-driving appointments. At Clarus, we understand the importance of these relationships, which is why we go above and beyond to strengthen them at every touchpoint. 

Building trust begins with effective communication. When patients reach out to their practice, they expect to be connected to the office staff or provider within minutes. In fact, 60% of callers will hang up after being on hold for one minute. Most patients have long hold times due to staff shortages and high call demand. At Clarus, we remove hold times and decrease the time it takes for patients to get the answers or assistance they need.  

As the urgency of call type increases, the importance of call management heightens. With Clarus After-hours patients with urgent needs connect with a provider 67% faster than with a traditional answering service. By providing accurate information to providers and timely responses to patients, we ensure that vital information is relayed minimizing delays and enhancing care continuity. 

We hear consistently that patients are starting to formally complain to practice management that they cannot get through to office staff and do not get called back when leaving a voicemail. During office hours, Clarus makes it possible for patients to get their calls returned on the same day. Our AI-transcription and automated call sorting ensures the right people get the right calls and can access and triage quickly. Sauk Prairie Healthcare was taking 2-3 days to return patient calls. After implementing Clarus, Sauk Prairie Healthcare was able to return all calls in 2-3 hours. 

 Transparency is another key component of our approach. We believe in keeping providers and staff informed every step of the way. Each call is transcribed and documented in the Clarus dashboard and app, so the practice knows exactly what is going on with their patients. Dr Pritikin from Chicago Nasal & Sinus recently said, “I think the one thing that I appreciate the most about the Clarus system is the fact that I can hear the patient’s voice when they’re leaving the message. I can hear not only what they’re saying, but how they’re saying it. I can get a sense of whether there’s something that’s truly urgent that needs to be acted on right away.”  

 At Clarus, we believe in continuous improvement. We actively seek feedback from healthcare providers and staff to refine our services continually. By embracing innovation and staying ahead of industry trends, we adapt our strategies to meet the changing needs of our customers. Through ongoing refinement and enhancement, we not only strengthen patient trust but also position ourselves as a trusted partner in the healthcare industry.  

 Ultimately, our goal at Clarus is not just to provide communication but to cultivate lasting patient relationships built on trust, empathy, and loyalty. By prioritizing effective communication, transparency, and continuity of care, we aim to strengthen patient relationships and contribute to improved health outcomes and overall well-being.  

AI-Transcribed Patient Messages

Clarus’ AI-powered transcription feature is revolutionizing how patient calls are managed in healthcare. AI technology, endorsed by industry leaders like the CEO of Northwell Health, frees up valuable time for healthcare professionals to focus on delivering quality care instead of busy work. There’s no shortage of conversations happening about artificial intelligence. Healthcare leaders need to know AI is here to stay, and it can start positively impacting their practices today.  

Ease of Labor Shortages  

The integration of AI addresses labor shortages by automating repetitive tasks and optimizing resource allocation. AI-driven solutions like transcription services reduce the administrative burden on healthcare staff, allowing them to work more efficiently and effectively. 

During the Cleveland Clinic’s annual state of address CEO Tom Mihaljevic, MD said, “…we will have to get used to living with a workforce shortage in healthcare for many years to come. We’re very excited about our ability to use artificial intelligence to run our own business smarter.” 

Enhanced Patient Care 

AI transcription services facilitate faster response times and more accurate documentation, ultimately leading to improved patient care. By swiftly transcribing patient messages, healthcare providers can access vital information promptly, make informed decisions, and intervene, when necessary, enhancing patient outcomes and satisfaction. 

In a recent interview Clarus conducted, Sauk Prairie Healthcare’s Director of Specialty Practices said, “Before implementing Clarus, we were experiencing anywhere from 6,000-10,000 calls a month. We now have been able to reduce that and staff can return all calls same-day.” 

Data-Driven Insights 

AI technology enables healthcare organizations to analyze transcribed data, identify trends, and gain valuable insights into patient needs and preferences. This data-driven approach empowers providers to refine their practices, personalize patient experiences, and drive innovation in care delivery, aligning with Michael Dowling’s vision of AI’s potential to address hospital shortfalls. 

Continuous Improvement 

By leveraging AI-powered solutions, healthcare institutions can foster continuous improvement. Through the analysis of transcribed data and feedback, providers can identify areas for optimization, streamline processes, and enhance service delivery. Cleveland Clinic and IBM recently published their findings on training AI to learn how immune systems recognize cancer cells, opening avenues for new treatments. This approach ensures that healthcare organizations remain agile and responsive to evolving patient needs and industry trends. 

In conclusion, the integration of AI technology, exemplified by Clarus’ innovative solutions, is transforming the healthcare landscape by streamlining operations, enhancing patient care, and driving continuous improvement. With insights from industry leaders, it’s evident that AI is not just a technological advancement but a catalyst for positive change in healthcare delivery. 

The Problem: Poor After-Hours Patient Communication Led to Dissatisfaction

Managing after-hours patient calls with a traditional medical answering service created several challenges for Texas Digestive Disease Consultants.

As patient complaints increased, TDDC recognized the need for a more reliable patient communication solution.

The Solution: A Patient Communication Solution with Improved Documentation and Visibility

TDDC implemented Clarus to modernize patient communication after business hours and provide greater visibility into call activity for physicians and staff.

Key capabilities included:

The result was a more reliable and efficient patient communication. Following implementation, TDDC experienced higher patient satisfaction, improved staff efficiency, and eliminated patient complaints related to after-hours calls.

The Problem: Outdated Medical Pagers Created Inefficiencies in After-Hours Patient Care

Managing after-hours patient calls with a traditional medical paging system created several challenges for Cool Springs Internal Medicine & Pediatrics, a primary care practice:

This traditional system wasn’t reliable, creating more work for providers and office staff.

The Solution: Modernizing After-Hours Patient Communication

Cool Springs Internal Medicine & Pediatrics implemented Clarus to replace their traditional medica paging system with a centralized, digital-based after-hours call management platform:

Key capabilities included:

The result was a more efficient and streamlined after-hours patient communication process.

6 Problems with Traditional Answering Services and How Technology Can Solve Them

An answering service goes by many names: after-hours provider, call center, or medical answering service. When we refer to the traditional method of an answering service, we mean the scenario in which a caller is answered by a human operator and the operator triages the call.

No matter what you call them, the traditional answering service is not evolving fast enough to meet healthcare practice needs. Physicians are busier than ever and patients expect more access to their care providers.

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