Alexa, send Dr. Jones an Application

Living in this digital age, we are constantly bombarded with the ease and convenience of technology’s automation capabilities. We have lights that can turn on and off by themselves at specified times, cars that can start the engine without having to turn the key in the ignition, and DVR’s that can record our favorite TV shows despite our husbands watching football; so why is it so challenging to embrace automation with our credentialing processes?

Often times, when processes are completely manual, it can be challenging and overwhelming to think of a completely automated process, thus, discouraging attempts to transition. Staff can also see the automation as a replacement and try to deter its progress. Even the time involved in establishing the automated steps themselves can be a daunting task.

I always recommend starting small and building up to fully automated processes with a staggered approach for the following benefits:

• Allows for staff to better understand the automation of each step and can minimize any potential negativity regarding the changes.
• The department and management are able to visibly see and feel the immediate relief of the previously manual step.
• Provides an organic understanding of the automation configuration, should an automated process need to be modified in the future. (Understanding modifications can be just as critical as understanding how to configure them initially.)

As with all process changes, it’s important to understand that there is a considerable amount of planning and testing that is needed before the process can be rolled out. Take your time and plan out each automated step so that you can achieve your desired outcome with the least amount of stress, manual labor, and headaches in the interim.