Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software has exploded across industries from banking to retail, and healthcare is no exception. By 2026, the Medical CRM industry is expected to reach 9.6 billion USD.¹ The unique demands of the healthcare system, especially during the throws of the COVID-19 pandemic, make the secure and customizable nature of CRM indispensable. CRM platforms provide countless functions tailored to each organization that improve patient’s and vendor’s experience managing healthcare information, and can overcome long standing systemic challenges like transparency and security.
While effective CRM software’s main purpose is to keep customer and business data secure and organized, it can also address the need for clear and effective communication that has become increasingly essential in the healthcare industry. As we approach 2022, with the world still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals have begun to focus on their health and want to engage with their medical history. With individual health consciousness heightened, and a new set of health precautions in place, patients deserve and expect professional, efficient, secure, and clear communication with their healthcare providers.
This is where CRM software comes in. When customized properly, CRM platforms allow companies to manage and analyze data in a secure way, while increasing transparent communication with customers.
Secure Visibility for Better Health Journeys
There are numerous ways CRM software can help a healthcare organization continually improve their ability to care for and communicate with each patient. First, CRM software helps organizations overcome one of the biggest challenges in healthcare - the disconnected nature of care. Historically patient data was stored as physical copies with each organization, without the administrative and technical capabilities to share relevant patient information across organizations securely. The shift to digital systems saw improved storage and use of information within an organization, but data remained locked in silos due to very real privacy concerns. As a result, it has been difficult to create, store, and access holistic and continuous patient information.
Healthcare tech must maintain compliance with HIPAA standards in order to protect patient data. The customizability of CRM software allows organizations to tailor the software to their specific needs in order to optimize transparency, information sharing, and data analytics, while ensuring HIPAA compliance.
CRM software has made it possible for various stakeholders to not only store relevant customer information in real-time, but access, analyze, and share it without compromising patient privacy. The software can integrate information like patient behaviour and billing data into a holistic patient profile, which, in tandem with powerful analytics, can be used to facilitate informed whole-person care plans.
On the patient side, users have access to tailored profiles that include everything from treatment history to appointment calendars, consolidating relevant information about their care plan into one secure place. The AI powered chatbots that are often built into CRM platforms further connect patients with their care plans to facilitate positive health outcomes by improving patient engagement, medication adherence, appointment reminders, and more.
The same software also simplifies management for employers. Healthcare CRM platforms can manage workers payroll, schedules, and vacation time, as well as automate billing, resource management, and customer service for easy and secure data exchange among staff.² It also helps to synchronize healthcare management with providers and other third-party organizations like pharmacies and insurance providers. In effect, Medical CRM can increase visibility and connectedness among the various previously disconnected entities involved in the broader healthcare ecosystem, while maintaining a high standard of data security.
The increased communication and visibility within and between organizations that is made possible through tailored CRM software contributes to the kinds of data-driven health decisions individuals, health plans, and care providers each make to improve the health outcomes of patients.
The Business Side of CRM
CRM software also has the power to act as an impressive marketing tool.¹ Data analytics that track patient engagement with their health, lets companies remain informed about customer experience and improve services accordingly. CRM software can track patient satisfaction quickly and adjust services based on patients’ feedback. Through CRM-supported understanding of patient demographics, organizations can adopt high-value patients and prospects, and marketers can develop smarter strategies for customer engagement and retention.
The best medical CRM programs create a full view of each customer’s journey, allowing marketers to personalize customer experience and foster strong relationships. The full-scale presentation of patients through CRM platforms empowers healthcare companies to keep patients engaged and motivated,
and decrease acquisition costs through well-informed marketing strategies. When well designed for the needs of the organization, the software increases efficiency, security, and ease of operations.
The Big Picture
The unique challenges and demands of care in the United States, like a need for transparency, collaboration, and privacy, make customizable CRM solutions an ideal tool for managing information securely. As healthcare turns its focus toward value-based care, companies have invested in CRM software to create holistic patient profiles and utilize data analytics to drive impactful outcomes without compromising privacy. In turn, the shift has created more transparency and information sharing across various actors in the healthcare ecosystem, allowing organizations to overcome the barriers that have historically led to disconnected and costly healthcare.
Whether you’re a care provider, health plan, or another healthcare organization, properly customized CRM tools can be a cost effective and secure way to manage customers and their data, effectively improving healthcare systems for individuals and the population at large, while maintaining alignment with company objectives.
Work Cited
1. Scheiner, Michael. “Best Healthcare CRM Software 2022: HIPAA Compliant Solutions.” CRM.org, https://crm.org/crmland/best-healthcare-crm-software . Accessed 23 November 2021.
2. Slesar, Mila. “The Features and Benefits of Healthcare CRM Software.” Onix-Systems, https://onix-systems.com/blog/the-features-and-benefits-of-healthcare-crm-software . Accessed 23 November 2021.
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