Inside Onpoint's Clinically Intelligent AI: A Safety-First Approach To Streamline Healthcare Workflows & Improve Provider Efficiency

In the heart of a bustling hospital, a physician sits at their desk long after their last patient has gone home. Their shoulders sag under the weight of hours spent not on care, but on charting (half their day spent typing, not treating), referrals, and insurance claims. It's a scene playing out in healthcare facilities across the country. Artificial intelligence (AI) holds a promise to change this narrative with the potential to streamline workflows, reduce errors, and perhaps most importantly, give physicians back their time. Yet, the question persists: how do you integrate AI into a field where trust is paramount and the stakes are life and death? 

For many healthcare leaders, the answer begins with caution and strategy. AI must start small, prove itself, and earn the confidence of those who use it. By focusing on low-risk areas, AI can show its value without exposing patients or providers to undue risks. Automating tasks like documentation or insurance coding might seem mundane, but these victories are where the revolution begins. This phased approach acknowledges that clinicians, while intrigued by the potential of AI, need tangible evidence that these systems can be trusted. They need tools that not only promise efficiency but also deliver accuracy and safety. "AI can't just be innovative; it has to be practical, reliable, and embraced by the people who use it daily," says Jim Boswell, CEO of Onpoint Healthcare Partners.

AI's true test in healthcare isn't in the boldness of its algorithms but in the trust it builds over time. The slow, steady integration of AI into manageable, low-risk workflows is laying the foundation for broader adoption. Take, for example, the documentation process, a tedious, time-consuming task that eats into a physician's day. Automating this workflow not only saves time but can dramatically improve accuracy. Onpoint's Iris platform, a leading tool in this space, has achieved a remarkable documentation accuracy rate, demonstrating how technology can succeed where human fatigue often falters. Physicians freed from administrative burdens can see more patients, provide better care, and reclaim a work-life balance that many have long forgotten. The ripple effects are profound, with reductions in physician turnover at organizations using Iris, which proves how transformative these changes can be.

But trust in AI goes beyond numbers. It's built on human oversight. Onpoint's Iris platform incorporates clinician involvement at every stage, ensuring that AI-driven decisions are informed by experience and expertise. "AI alone isn't enough," Boswell explains. "It must be paired with clinical intelligence to ensure safety and build the confidence of healthcare teams." By addressing low-risk workflows first, such as referral management, Onpoint has demonstrated the power of this approach. In one instance, the platform significantly reduced referral backlogs and processed almost all referrals within 24 hours.

This success also leads to financial benefits, with one client health system seeing a remarkable boost in annual reimbursement after implementing Iris. The platform also increased average Relative Value Units (RVUs) for that provider, proving that AI can drive revenue without compromising quality.

The implications of these results are enormous. With declining reimbursements and rising costs, healthcare organizations face immense pressure to do more with less. AI platforms like Iris offer a lifeline, not by replacing human expertise but by amplifying it. "When we reduce admin costs, providers can reinvest in their care teams and their practice instead," says Boswell.The road to widespread AI adoption in healthcare will not be without challenges. But the phased, thoughtful approach championed by organizations like Onpoint Healthcare Partners provides a clear path forward. Starting with low-risk areas, proving value, and scaling responsibly, this is the blueprint for a future where AI doesn't replace clinicians but empowers them to do their best work.

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