Running an endocrinology clinic isn’t for the faint of heart. Between managing chronic conditions like diabetes and thyroid disorders, handling complex scheduling, and dealing with non-stop paperwork, staff barely have time to breathe. The volume is high. The workflows are complicated. The resources are tight. And every missed appointment or delayed task has real consequences for patients, staff, and revenue.
Behind the scenes, administrators whisper:
“We’re seeing too many no-shows, especially for new patients and important follow-up visits.”
“Our team spends hours every week chasing pre-auths for labs, imaging, or specialty meds.”
“It’s hard to keep track of referrals. Patients fall through the cracks when we can’t see where they are in the process.”
If your clinic is feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Here are the biggest operational challenges endocrinology practices face today, and a few ways clinics are starting to simplify the chaos.
Missed Appointments Cost More Than Time
It’s 9:00 a.m., and your team is ready for a two-hour insulin pump training. The patient doesn’t show. That’s hours of staff time wasted, not to mention a hit to your clinic’s revenue. These no-shows aren’t isolated, especially with new patients or complex follow-up visits.
Why does this happen?
Patients forget
They’re confused about prep steps
They didn’t get a reminder at all
Every missed visit sets off a domino effect: delayed care, disjointed treatment plans, and frustrated teams trying to patch the holes.
Some clinics have started using automated reminders via text or email with instructions built in. It’s a small change that can reduce missed appointments and stabilize the daily schedule. Even a 10% improvement in show rates adds up over a week.
Admin Overload from Endless Pre-Auths
Getting an insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to a patient isn’t just a matter of placing an order. Each request comes with multiple steps:
Logging into insurer portals
Navigating complex EHR forms
Picking the right codes
Uploading supporting documentation
Get one thing wrong, and you’re facing a denial. Multiply that by dozens of authorizations each week, and the workload gets overwhelming.
Staff spend hours chasing down missing paperwork, trying to correct submission errors, or appealing denials. It’s not just frustrating – it’s expensive. Denied claims and delayed treatment cost clinics time and money.
Some clinics are beginning to rely on systems that flag missing items earlier in the process before something goes wrong. When the right documents are in place from the start, everything moves faster and smoother.
Chronic Care, Time‑Crunched Staff
Endocrinology is chronic care. Patients don’t come in once and disappear. They need ongoing labs, medication changes, A1C checks, dietary support, and sometimes insulin or thyroid education.
But many staff are already maxed out with answering phones, coordinating referrals, prepping patients for procedures, and handling intake. That leaves little time for proactive care.
You might have patients whose labs are overdue, but no time to call them. Or a mom waiting on a pump class for her teenager, but no availability for two weeks.
A few practices have started using automated check-ins for chronic conditions. For example:
Sending reminders when A1C results are due
Nudging patients to schedule flu shots
Notifying them when it’s time for a follow-up visit
Automation doesn’t replace the human touch. It buys staff time to focus where it’s most needed.
Referrals and Lost Visits
Your clinic may be getting plenty of referrals from PCPs, OB/GYNs, and pediatricians. But how many of those actually turn into visits?
If referrals arrive via fax or voicemail, there’s no easy way to track what’s been received, what’s been scheduled, or what still needs outreach. Patients slip through the cracks – some forget, some go elsewhere, and some are simply never contacted.
One clinic leader put it bluntly: “We lose referrals we didn’t even know we had.”
Some organizations are fixing this with digital workflows that track referrals from receipt to appointment. Patients can be automatically contacted, given self-scheduling links, and guided through next steps. When you can see exactly where each referral stands, it’s easier to close the loop.
Complex Scheduling
Not all endocrine appointments are created equal. Some require fasting labs. Others follow imaging results. New diabetes patients need class time, plus education follow-ups. Add in medication changes, telehealth preferences, and time-of-day requests, and scheduling becomes a complicated puzzle.
It’s no wonder patients show up unprepared or don’t show at all.
Your front desk team spends mornings putting out fires:
“Was I supposed to fast?”
“No one told me I needed labs first.”
“I thought this was just a quick check-in.”
When reminders include clear and custom prep instructions like fasting, medications, and time expectations, patients arrive ready. And when your scheduling system supports complex workflows, staff don’t have to juggle a dozen variables by hand.
You don’t have to overhaul everything. Start with three moves:
Automate key reminders. Start with one or two areas like pump trainings or fasting labs. Send text reminders with prep instructions 48 and 24 hours before the visit. Let patients confirm or reschedule with one click.
Triage referrals digitally. Pull in new referrals weekly. Send automatic invitations to book appointments. Track which providers are sending the most and following through the least.
Build custom chronic-care check-in campaigns. Segment patients by A1C level, insulin start date, or lab schedule. Send educational nudges or scheduling reminders to keep care on track without manual effort.
A Better Balance for Your Clinic
Endocrinology clinics do essential work but the operational challenges make that work harder than it needs to be. When no-shows, paperwork, and scheduling gaps pile up, the system strains and staff burn out.
The good news? You don’t need to add more people to fix it. Smarter workflows, clearer communication, and a few well-placed automations can help your team do more with less chaos.
When your patients show up on time, referrals get booked, and care stays on track, everyone wins.
Want to see how your endocrinology clinic could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and specialty surgical clinics are designed to run like clockwork. Every operating room (OR) slot is scheduled with precision. Surgical teams move swiftly and in sync. The expectation is that every minute counts – because it does. But the reality? Things go wrong all the time.
It only takes one missed prep or a no-show to throw off the entire day. A patient forgets to stop their medication, another shows up late or not at all. A lab result doesn’t arrive. A consent form is missing. The ripple effects are immediate: delays, cancellations, frustrated staff, and lost revenue.
Let’s take a closer look at the everyday breakdowns, and what surgery centers can do to run more efficiently and recover that lost time.
When Surgeries Don’t Run, Revenue Doesn’t Flow
Every surgery slot represents more than just clinical care – it’s also a business asset. Unused OR time means sunk costs. If a patient cancels at the last minute or fails to show, it’s not just a gap in the schedule. It’s a loss across the board:
The room sits empty
The staff goes underutilized
Other patients who could have taken the slot are out of luck
Surgeons lose productivity, and revenue goals slip
One administrator summed it up perfectly: “Last-minute cancellations kill our momentum, and our margins.”
Even a single lost case can throw off the day’s rhythm. Now multiply that across multiple ORs, multiple days a week, and the losses compound quickly.
Pre-Op Paperwork: The Hidden Time Drain
The pre-op process is full of paperwork, and none of it is optional. Patients need to submit consents, medical clearances, labs, imaging, and insurance authorizations. Staff are responsible for collecting it, reviewing it, and making sure nothing slips through the cracks.
That’s easier said than done. Many surgery center teams spend hours each day tracking down missing documents. They call clinics, fax forms, leave voicemails, and chase patients who don’t understand what’s needed.
If even one key piece is missing on the day of surgery, the case may be delayed or canceled altogether.
As one clinic leader put it: “Our team spends hours tracking down the basics. There’s no good way to stay ahead.”
Patient Prep Confusion: A Common, Costly Mistake
Even when instructions are crystal clear, patients can get confused or overwhelmed. Between medication changes, fasting (NPO) guidelines, arrival times, and last-minute updates, it’s easy for someone to miss a step.
And when they do? The surgery might be called off.
One nurse explained: “Patients get confused about being NPO or stopping meds, and we’re left with same-day cancellations.”
These aren’t just frustrating moments. They’re operational failures. And they often stem from the same root problem: inconsistent communication and unclear workflows.
Referral Drop-Offs: Where Patients Disappear
Many ASCs rely on a steady stream of referrals from PCPs, orthopedists, ENTs, GI specialists, and others. But referrals don’t always lead to procedures. From referral received, intake completed, clearance obtained, through to a scheduled appointment, without a clear system to track patients through this funnel, many patients fall through the cracks.
That’s not just missed revenue. It’s also a hit to your reputation with referring providers who expect their patients to receive timely care.
One administrator said it plainly: “We don’t know who’s in the pipeline, who’s been scheduled, or who’s just… gone.”
Communication Breakdowns Across the Ecosystem
Coordination in surgical settings involves many players: the clinic, the surgery center, anesthesiology, labs, referring providers, and, of course, the patient. Yet many centers still rely on outdated communication tools like fax, email, and voicemail.
That disjointed system leads to:
Mismatched instructions between the clinic and the surgery center
Delays caused by missing or incorrect records
Repetitive paperwork due to incomplete data transfer
A center director put it this way: “It’s hard to keep everyone aligned, especially across clinics, surgery centers, and referral sources.”
Without centralized communication, things fall apart quickly.
Scheduling: A High-Stakes Puzzle
Booking a surgery isn’t as simple as putting a name on a calendar. There are multiple moving parts to align:
The patient needs to be medically cleared and prepped
The OR, anesthesia team, and equipment must be available
Insurance needs to be verified
All documentation must be in order
When even one piece is missing, the whole plan can unravel. Many surgery centers rely on spreadsheets or manual systems to manage this complexity. But as the volume grows or as they expand to more surgeons or sites, these systems struggle to keep up.
When Growth Outpaces Infrastructure
Growth is a good thing until your processes can’t handle it. As ASCs add more providers, acquire more locations, or expand their services, their old systems start to buckle.
Without consistent processes across sites, it becomes hard to track patient readiness, referral follow-through, and scheduling accuracy.
One clinical coordinator shared: “It’s tough to keep our patient intake consistent when we’re managing so many doctors and locations.”
Scaling up operations without scalable systems often leads to burnout and inefficiency.
Three High-Impact Fixes You Can Implement Now
You don’t need a massive overhaul to make a difference. Here are three practical ways to build momentum—without derailing daily operations.
1. Automate pre-op workflows Technology can handle the reminders, document tracking, and clearance checks that currently fall on your staff. Use digital tools to:
Alert patients about missing forms or prep steps
Confirm insurance and medical clearance in advance
Notify staff early when something is incomplete
With automation in place, surprises at 6 a.m. become much less common.
2. Introduce a Smart Waitlist Instead of leaving last-minute cancellations as dead space in the OR schedule, use a smart waitlist to notify patients who are prepped and ready. Send out a text or email offer for the open slot and let them confirm electronically. This reduces manual scheduling work and keeps ORs productive.
3. Track referrals in one central system Implement a solution that flags where each referral stands, from received referral to in intake to scheduled and then completed. This helps prevent drop-offs and improves communication with referring clinics. When everyone sees the same status in real-time, follow-up becomes much easier.
Making the Day Smoother, One Step at a Time
Running a surgical clinic or ASC will always be complex. But it doesn’t have to feel chaotic.
By addressing a few key breakdown points like prep communication, scheduling coordination, and referral tracking, you can make measurable improvements. The benefits are real: more procedures completed, fewer day-of disruptions, less staff stress, and better patient experiences.
Your OR schedule doesn’t have to feel like a juggling act. With the right tools and a few strategic changes, you can bring calm to the chaos and keep patients, staff, and your bottom line on track.
Want to see how your surgery center could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Running a pulmonology clinic isn’t easy. Every day, staff are juggling packed schedules, complex care plans, and patients who need serious attention, often urgently. From COPD and asthma to sleep apnea and post-hospital follow-ups, these patients require close monitoring and timely care.
But what happens when appointments get missed, paperwork slows things down, or referrals go untracked? The whole system starts to feel like a game of catch-up, and patients and staff both lose.
The good news? A few smart changes, especially with the help of modern technology, can make a big difference.
No-Shows Hurt More Than the Schedule
Pulmonology clinics see high no-show rates. Why? Some patients forget their appointment. Others don’t understand the prep, especially for sleep studies. And for many, transportation or mobility issues make it hard to get there.
“We get a lot of no-shows for follow-ups and sleep studies – patients forget or don’t understand prep.”
Each missed appointment isn’t just a hole in the schedule. It’s lost revenue and delayed care. Rebooking takes time, and staff have to scramble to adjust.
Instant outreach to patients via text or email to schedule
Tracking dashboards so no referral is forgotten
This reduces referral leakage and makes sure every patient gets seen, while boosting clinic revenue at the same time.
Chronic Care Follow-Up Is Hard with a Small Team
Managing patients with chronic conditions like COPD and interstitial lung disease takes a lot of follow-up. Labs, medication changes, education, and symptom checks all pile up.
“Managing COPD and other chronic patients is tough – we don’t have the staff to stay on top of it all.”
But most clinics can’t afford to hire more staff. And the staff they do have are stretched thin.
What helps:
Automated check-ins and symptom surveys
Refill reminders sent by text or email
Pre-scheduled follow-up nudges that don’t rely on a phone call
Sleep studies are one of the most valuable services pulmonology clinics offer. But if the lab isn’t full, the costs add up.
“Our sleep lab isn’t full most nights – we’re losing volume because of no-shows or delays.”
The reasons? Delayed scheduling. Confusing prep instructions. Patients who were never properly onboarded.
What helps:
Faster scheduling workflows that minimize lag time
Prep instructions sent automatically
Follow-up reminders so patients don’t forget
These small improvements can lead to major gains in sleep lab utilization, and in bottom-line revenue.
Discharge Follow-Ups Often Get Missed
After a hospital stay for something like pneumonia or a COPD flare-up, patients need timely follow-up. But it’s common for them to leave the hospital without a scheduled appointment—and many don’t get one until weeks later.
“Discharged patients fall through the cracks before we can get them in for a follow-up.”
This gap in care can lead to readmissions or worsening conditions.
What helps:
Systems that flag hospital discharges automatically
Pre-set workflows that trigger outreach to schedule a follow-up
The faster you can close the loop, the better for your patients and your practice.
3 Smart Moves You Can Make This Month
You don’t need a full system overhaul to start improving your clinic’s operations. Here are three low-lift actions you can take now:
Pick your biggest bottleneck. Is it sleep study intake? Referral coordination? Find your most frustrating, time-consuming task, and focus your energy there first.
Automate the repetitive stuff. Appointment reminders, prep instructions, follow-up messages? if it’s something your staff does 10+ times a day, it’s probably worth automating.
Measure what matters. Track no-show rates, referral-to-scheduled time, or time-to-follow-up after discharge. Then re-measure after implementing new tools to see what’s working.
Your staff is already doing a tough job. They’re supporting patients with serious respiratory conditions while juggling complex logistics and paperwork.
You don’t need more people. You need more support.
The right tools, designed for how your clinic actually works, can help reduce chaos, streamline scheduling, and make sure patients don’t fall through the cracks.
And when you give your team the support they need, patients feel the difference.
Want to see how your pulmonology practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
In pain management clinics, time equals revenue. When a patient misses a procedure like an injection or ablation, the slot often can’t be filled, and the clinic loses income it can’t get back. Staff are left scrambling, and patients are left without the care they need.
Behind each no-show or late cancellation is a web of challenges: confusing instructions, last-minute insurance issues, unclear follow-up steps. The cost is more than financial. It also disrupts care and stresses staff.
“We’re constantly losing revenue from no-shows, especially for follow-up procedures patients forget about,” said one clinic manager.
These visits are high-value and time-sensitive. If the clinic can’t connect the dots between referral, prep, and arrival, the opportunity is gone and may not come back for weeks.
The Pre-Auth Problem
Getting procedures approved by insurance is rarely smooth. Every payer has its own rules. Some require supporting notes, others need step therapy, and nearly all involve long waits.
One clinic leader put it bluntly: “Pre-auth and intake are still way too manual. My staff is drowning in paperwork.”
When prior authorization requests get stuck, it slows everything. A delay in approval can mean a canceled appointment. Patients wait longer, schedules shift, and everyone gets frustrated. Some clinics have teams dedicated to handling pre-auth, but even then, they’re stretched thin.
Technology that automates parts of this process, like flagging missing information or triggering follow-ups, can save hours each week. More importantly, it helps ensure patients don’t have to wait for pain relief.
Referrals Without Follow-Through
Pain management clinics often rely on referrals from primary care, ortho, or neurology. But referrals don’t always turn into appointments.
“It’s hard to tell which referrals we’ve lost until someone calls to ask if we’ve reached out yet,” one admin shared.
That lag in outreach is a major source of revenue leakage. And it’s not just about lost money. It’s lost care. Patients are left waiting, or they go elsewhere.
Scheduling procedures is complex. It involves the surgeon or interventionalist, the anesthesia team, available room time, and patient preferences. Juggling it all manually often leads to missed opportunities.
“I have no clear view into our waitlist or how long patients are waiting to get in,” said one practice leader.
When patients cancel or don’t show, those valuable slots go unused. Meanwhile, others are still on hold waiting for an appointment.
Smart scheduling tools that incorporate waitlists, cancellation re-fills, and time block management give teams a clearer view. That means fewer wasted hours, more completed procedures, and less staff stress.
The Lost Follow-Up
Pain care doesn’t end after the procedure. Patients often need follow-up visits to check results, adjust medications, or discuss next steps.
But many clinics fall short on this front.
“We finish the procedure but don’t always follow up, and that shows up in our reviews,” one leader noted.
When patients feel forgotten, they’re less likely to return or recommend the practice. That can hurt both reputation and revenue.
Simple post-visit workflows, like an automatic message to check on recovery or prompt the next appointment. go a long way in keeping patients engaged and cared for.
Where Smart Tools Help
Luma Health works with pain management clinics to tackle exactly these problems. But it’s not about adding more tools. It’s about reducing the load.
Our customers use automation to:
Cut no-show rates with behavior-based reminders
Keep waitlists full by filling cancellations automatically
Streamline intake and prior auth with digital forms and tracking
Improve follow-up with post-procedure messaging
Instead of relying on staff to remember every task, the system helps them focus on the work that matters most: caring for patients.
Three Quick Wins for Pain Clinics
Want to start improving your operations right away? Try these ideas:
Check your no-show data. Look at the last 90 days. What’s the most missed appointment type? Is there a reminder problem? A prep issue?
Centralize referral tracking. A shared tracker or lightweight tool can help your team follow up faster and more reliably.
Ask your team. Where are they spending the most time on admin work? Their answers will point you to the biggest opportunities for automation.
Running a pain management clinic is tough. You’re dealing with complex care, strict schedules, and stressed-out patients, all while trying to stay profitable.
But even small changes can make a big difference. With the right technology, you can cut down on missed procedures, reduce admin burden, and help your staff do more of what they’re great at.
Want to see how your pain management practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
In physical therapy, each visit counts – literally. Every visit is a step toward a patient’s recovery, and a critical unit of revenue for the clinic. But for clinic administrators, keeping things on track isn’t just about showing up. It’s a constant juggling act of referrals, intake, scheduling, paperwork, and proving the value of care. One missed step can cause a ripple that affects staff, revenue, and outcomes.
Let’s take a closer look at the operational challenges facing PT clinics today and how forward-thinking teams are using technology to fix the cracks before patients fall through them.
Getting Started Shouldn’t Be So Hard
Many physical therapy clinics lose patients before they even begin. A referral comes in, but then what? Between insurance checks, paperwork, and scheduling, days or even weeks can pass before the patient hears back. In that time, motivation fades and many never make it to their first appointment.
A PT administrator summed it up: “Patients fall through the cracks when intake and scheduling aren’t streamlined. Some never even get started.”
And when patients don’t show up, clinics lose more than a visit. They lose revenue, lose trust, and lose the chance to help someone get better.
Modern clinics are addressing this with tools like those offered by Luma including digital intake forms, automatic referral capture, and real-time self-scheduling. But more than just tools, the goal is simplicity. When the process is smooth for the patient, they show up. And that’s when care (and reimbursement) starts.
When Patients Disappear Midway Through Care
Even once treatment begins, engagement can drop. Patients miss appointments, cancel without rescheduling, or drop out of care altogether. That’s a serious problem in PT, where consistent attendance is essential for both outcomes and revenue.
“We lose revenue when patients no-show or drop out before finishing their plan of care,” one manager told us.
There are lots of reasons for drop-offs including transportation issues, forgotten appointments, or feeling like they’re not improving fast enough. But the effect is the same: lost time, lost income, and stalled progress.
Some clinics are fighting back with automated text reminders, two-way messaging, and rescheduling tools that make it easier to stay on track. The goal isn’t just fewer no-shows. It’s helping patients follow through with care.
Turning Referrals into Appointments
Referrals are the lifeline of many PT clinics. But just getting a referral isn’t enough. Converting it into a scheduled visit takes too long—and too often, it never happens.
“It takes too long to turn referrals into scheduled visits. We miss opportunities every day.”
Manual intake slows things down. Referrals arrive by fax or phone, sit in inboxes, and require staff to review, input, and follow up. With every extra step, there’s a chance the patient walks away.
High-performing clinics now treat referrals more like leads. They use platforms that automatically import and triage referrals, assign them to the right team, and send an immediate message to the patient with a scheduling link. That proactive outreach keeps patients from slipping away before care even starts.
Prior Authorizations Slow Everything Down
No discussion about PT administration is complete without talking about prior auths. They’re complex, time-consuming, and often inconsistent between payers.
“Prior authorizations are a manual headache that slow everything down,” said another admin.
This isn’t just annoying. Treatment gets delayed. Patients disengage. And clinics lose time—and money—trying to navigate it all.
Even partially automating prior auth workflows can make a difference, like sending documentation reminders or flagging incomplete records. These small improvements help move care forward without draining your team’s energy.
Drowning in Paperwork and Short on Staff
Documentation requirements in physical therapy are heavy. Intake forms, progress notes, compliance records – it all adds up fast. Add in staffing shortages, and the result is clear: burnout.
“Our staff is buried in documentation and compliance work that takes time away from patient care.”
Digital intake forms, automated chart prep, and communication tools that tie directly into your EHR can help your team work smarter, not harder. Freeing up even an hour a day per staff member can improve morale and help them focus on what matters: the patients.
Proving That Care Works
It’s not enough to provide good care – you have to prove it. As more payers and health systems shift toward value-based care, clinics must track and report outcomes. But fragmented data, incomplete visit records, and disconnected systems make this a challenge.
“We’re constantly asked to show our impact on outcomes and justify our value but the data is hard to track and report.”
The solution? Connect patient engagement systems with your EHR and reporting tools. When visits, reminders, and patient feedback all live in one ecosystem, reporting becomes easier and more accurate.
3 Ways You Can Take Action Today
If these challenges sound familiar, you’re not alone. But you don’t need a full tech overhaul to start seeing results. Here are three low-lift ways to make a difference:
Track your referrals from start to finish. Don’t just log incoming referrals. Track how many convert, how long it takes, and where patients drop off. This will help you spot where you’re losing patients and then you can fix it.
Create an automatic no-show follow-up. Set up a workflow to send a friendly text when someone misses an appointment. Include a link to reschedule and follow up again in 48 hours. It’s simple, and it works. You’ll recover more visits and revenue without adding staff workload.
Review your manual tasks. What’s still being done by hand that could be automated? Look at things like reminder calls, intake forms, or insurance checks. Small wins here can free up hours a week.
Running a physical therapy clinic today is hard. You’re balancing the need to grow with the need to provide excellent care on a tight budget, with a small team, and in a complex healthcare system.
But by focusing on the operational pain points that slow you down, and applying tools that are built to fix them, you can create a smoother, more sustainable way of working.
That means fewer no-shows, faster referral conversion, and a lighter load for your team. Most importantly, it means more patients finishing the care they need and more clinics thriving as a result.
Ready to reduce no-shows and streamline your physical therapy operations? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to see how our platform can help your physical therapy clinic run more smoothly.
It’s a typical Tuesday at a busy rheumatology clinic. The schedule’s packed. The phones won’t stop. The infusion nurse is managing three patients while waiting for insurance approval for a fourth. An administrator’s on their third prior auth of the morning – and it’s not even 10 a.m.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Across the country, rheumatology clinics are under pressure: fewer specialists, more complex patients, tighter margins, and growing paperwork. Clinic administrators carry much of the load, trying to keep everything moving.
This post explores the biggest challenges administrators face and how technology can reduce stress, improve patient care, and help staff focus on what matters.
The Scheduling Squeeze
There’s a national shortage of rheumatologists, and clinics are feeling it. Appointments book out months in advance. New patient referrals pile up. Staff spend hours balancing urgency, provider availability, and infusion schedules.
Patients with autoimmune diseases often need ongoing care, including regular appointments, labs, and medication adjustments. A single no-show or cancellation can throw off an entire day.
“We’re booking months out because there just aren’t enough rheumatologists to meet patient demand.”
While technology can’t add more providers, it can help make better use of their time. Smart recall systems, automated reminders, and simple ways for patients to reschedule all help fill gaps and reduce chaos.
Infusions, Labs, and Follow-Ups: A Daily Puzzle
Coordinating an infusion visit is complex. Everything depends on everything else: lab results, insurance approval, nurse availability, and medication delivery.
“Coordinating infusions, labs, and follow-up visits is like solving a puzzle every day.”
If one piece falls out of place, the whole visit may need to be rescheduled. That creates wasted time for patients and staff alike and delays treatment.
Manual tracking (via spreadsheets or faxes) makes this worse. A small misstep like missing a prior auth deadline can mean a missed billing opportunity or disrupted care. Streamlined workflows and shared visibility reduce the chance of these breakdowns.
Prior Auth Fatigue
Specialty medications come with paperwork. A lot of it.
Payer rules change often. Staff must log into multiple portals, follow up on pending approvals, and rework orders when meds aren’t covered. In small clinics, this burden often falls to one or two people.
“Our team is buried in paperwork from prior auths, med changes, and prepping charts.”
It’s exhausting and risky. One error can delay care or cost the clinic money. Automated tracking and built-in alerts help staff stay ahead, not behind.
Complex Billing and Tight Margins
Rheumatology practices rely on visits, not procedures, to generate revenue. Visits are time-intensive and often emotionally demanding, but not always highly reimbursed.
Infusion billing adds complexity. Multiple codes. Drug costs. Documentation rules. A missed detail can lead to denials or clawbacks.
“Infusion billing is incredibly complex. We’re constantly worried about missing something or getting denied.”
Automation helps here too. Tools that guide coding, flag missing info, and assist with documentation reduce risk and help staff feel more confident in their work.
Communication Bottlenecks
Patient care depends on coordination. Refill requests. Lab results. Imaging reports. Referral paperwork. And every one of those tasks requires outreach, usually by phone or fax.
“We waste so much time chasing down referral paperwork and external test results.”
When communication breaks down, patients fall through the cracks. That’s bad for outcomes and bad for revenue. Digital intake, secure messaging, and automated reminders reduce the back-and-forth and give staff more time for higher-value work.
Burnout and Constant Training
Supporting patients with chronic illness is emotional work. Add in a flood of paperwork, constant retraining on payer policies, and staff turnover—and burnout becomes a real threat.
“Burnout is real. Our team is emotionally drained and drowning in administrative tasks.”
Staff don’t need more apps. They need tools that make work easier, not more complicated. When technology helps reduce manual work and gives staff more control, retention and morale improve.
When Technology Makes a Tangible Difference: Lessons from DENT Neurologic Institute
DENT isn’t a rheumatology clinic – it’s the largest private outpatient neurology center in the U.S. – but their fax and referral challenges will feel familiar to any specialty clinic.
“We get around 1,500 faxes a day,” said Emily Smythe, DENT’s EMR & Technology Systems Manager. “Each fax used to take up to 10 minutes to process. We were thinking of hiring more staff just to handle the backlog.”
70% increase in fax volume handled without adding staff
The faxes are now automatically parsed and routed to the correct team, using DENT’s own business logic. Staff review and approve only when needed, saving hours per day.
“Now, it takes 30 seconds or less to file a fax,” Smythe said. “And we’re not delaying patient care.”
The takeaway? When automation fits your workflow, it doesn’t just reduce paperwork. It reduces burnout, improves care, and protects revenue. Whether it’s neurology or rheumatology, the right tools can make a major difference.
Three Small Moves You Can Make This Week
1. Audit your manual processes. Are you still printing faxes? Manually confirming appointments? Calling to collect forms? Those are areas where automation can save hours each week.
2. Spot the gaps in your EHR. Staff workarounds like sticky notes and spreadsheets often signal where your systems aren’t doing enough. Ask staff what tools they trust and where they waste the most time.
3. Get feedback from the front lines. What do front desk staff and infusion nurses say is slowing them down? Use their answers to guide where technology could make the biggest impact.
Running a rheumatology clinic means managing high volumes, sensitive care, and tight resources. But the right technology doesn’t just support your staff. It transforms how care gets delivered.
If your team is overwhelmed or your processes are buckling under pressure, it may be time to reassess how you’re working and what could work better.
Want to see how your rheumatology practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Picture a busy Monday morning: a patient with unexplained chest pain shows up for a cardiology consult. Another is there to follow up with orthopedics after a knee replacement. Meanwhile, a parent brings in their child for a skin rash. Multi-specialty clinics are built for this type of comprehensive care—but that convenience often masks behind-the-scenes chaos.
Clinic leaders juggle high patient demand, limited provider hours, complicated referrals, and tightly linked appointments. And while the goal is seamless care, the reality is often fragmented workflows and a lot of manual coordination.
The good news? A few small changes—especially those powered by the right tools—can make a big difference. Here are five challenges that multi-specialty clinics face every day, and how a smarter approach can help.
1. Filling Open Slots and Waitlists the Smart Way
Let’s start with one of the most familiar frustrations: a specialist’s schedule is fully booked for weeks, but cancellations happen last minute—and the open time goes unused. Meanwhile, someone on a waitlist still hasn’t been contacted.
This mismatch is more common than you’d think. Gaps in communication and manual scheduling slow everything down, which leads to longer wait times and wasted capacity.
Simple changes can fix this. Automated reminders let patients confirm, cancel, or reschedule with a tap. A smart waitlist can instantly offer that newly opened slot to another patient. These quick interactions reduce friction for patients and help staff use time more effectively.
2. Closing the Loop on Referrals
A primary care provider refers a patient to dermatology. Somewhere along the way, that referral stalls. Maybe it got buried in a shared inbox. Maybe the patient never got a call. Either way, the connection was never made.
This kind of referral leakage is a real problem in multi-specialty care. One administrator put it simply: “We keep losing patients after referrals. They either don’t follow through or go outside our network.”
The fix? Make it easy and immediate. As soon as a referral is received, send the patient a direct link to schedule. Follow up with clear reminders. That keeps the patient engaged and improves the odds they’ll stick with your clinic—not drift elsewhere.
3. Reducing No-Shows and Keeping Schedules Predictable
Every missed appointment chips away at clinic efficiency. No-shows for follow-ups, canceled imaging visits, forgotten skin checks—they all create gaps that are hard to recover from.
The reasons vary: patients forget, don’t understand the instructions, or get confused about the appointment type. Whatever the reason, the impact is the same—wasted time and strained staff.
Automated reminders help. Letting patients confirm or cancel directly—without needing to call—means schedules are more accurate. When someone does cancel, a smart waitlist can fill the gap. One clinic using this strategy saw fewer no-shows and more predictable days.
4. Getting Scheduling Right the First Time
Multi-specialty scheduling is a different beast. One patient might need imaging before a pulmonary consult. Another needs a pre-op clearance before surgery. Getting the order and timing right is essential—and also really hard to do manually.
“Scheduling is a constant back-and-forth,” said one clinic leader. “We’re playing phone tag, juggling calendars, and patients still end up delayed.”
With smarter scheduling rules in place—such as blocking time for key visit types, auto-prioritizing based on urgency, and enabling self-scheduling where it makes sense—appointments get set correctly the first time. Staff spend less time fixing mistakes, and patients move through care faster.
5. Poor Outreach = Lost Care
Sometimes the problem isn’t the process—it’s the communication. Patients don’t show up because they never got the reminder, didn’t understand it, or it wasn’t in a language they’re comfortable with.
As one clinic told us: “We were shocked at how many patients missed their prep because they didn’t see or get the instructions.”
That’s not just a tech problem—it’s a trust and access issue. The fix is to meet patients where they are: send prep instructions in their preferred language, use simple language, and include easy-to-click links for confirming or rescheduling. These changes build confidence and reduce missed appointments.
Three Small Changes You Can Make This Week
1. Improve the referral handoff. Set up an automated “welcome” message that goes out as soon as a referral is received. Include a booking link, and follow up if the patient hasn’t scheduled within 48 hours.
2. Add appointment reminders and a digital waitlist. Choose one specialty to start. Send reminders with options to reschedule, and offer canceled slots to waitlisted patients automatically.
3. Make messages clearer and more inclusive. Update reminders and instructions to reflect your patient population. Include relevant prep info, send it in the patient’s preferred language, and keep the tone friendly and simple.
These shifts don’t require big system overhauls. They don’t demand a new EHR or a full process redesign. But they do ease some of the most common pain points in running a multi-specialty clinic.
When scheduling, referrals, and communication get just a little smarter, care delivery gets smoother. Staff get time back. Patients stay on track.
Want to see how your multi-specialty clinic could benefit from smarter workflows and connected experiences?Schedule a personalized demo with Luma Health to explore how our platform can help you reduce no-shows, streamline referrals, and support patients every step of the way.
Get in touch with us today.
As places where people find support for mental health, addiction, and trauma, behavioral health clinics are often hubs of hope. Yet behind the scenes, clinic administrators face a perfect storm of challenges: high no-show rates, stretched-thin staff, complex intake, coordination breakdowns, and sensitive communication hurdles. These issues don’t just weaken revenue – they disrupt care and burn out providers.
But with thoughtful use of technology, clinics can reduce those burdens, reframe workflows, and ultimately help patients better. This blog post explores the top pain points behavioral health leaders face and how targeted tools can make a real difference.
Challenge 1: Too Many Patients, Too Few Therapists
Behavioral health clinics often juggle growing demand against limited providers, especially when psychiatrists are in short supply. Waitlists stretch into weeks which leaves patients feeling anxious and staff overwhelmed.
“We have more demand than we can handle – patients wait weeks to see a psychiatrist, and we just don’t have enough providers.”
In this environment, every missed appointment or delayed consultation compounds the problem. And as pressure grows, staff burnout and turnover follow.
A better formula? Clinics that integrate waitlist tools with self-scheduling see shorter wait times. Patients can choose available slots which staff have programmed to ensure appropriate placement. This simple shift helps clinics manage capacity more efficiently.
Challenge 2: Burdens on Providers Fuel Burnout
Long hours, emotional fatigue, and constant retraining are real for many behavioral health clinics, especially those funded publicly. Waiting on paperwork, verifying eligibility, coordinating care, and dragging calls into evening hours wear providers down. When staff do everything from phone intake to no-show follow-ups, it’s unsustainable.
Tech can lift the load through:
Automated outreach frees up staff bandwidth.
Online intake forms reduce reception calls.
Two-way secure messaging lets patients ask quick questions without tying up phone lines.
All of these add up to better care and more sustainable work for staff.
Challenge 3: Scheduling and Intake Are Manual Nightmares
For many clinics, intake means calling dozens of new patients to schedule, explain paperwork, send reminders, and follow up manually. That’s hours spent on logistics instead of healing.
“Scheduling and intake are a nightmare – there are so many phone calls, forms, and back-and-forth just to get someone in the door.”
Paper forms still get faxed, copied, lost. Incomplete intake leads to late cancellations and no-shows, compounding stress for everyone.
What if patients could do it themselves? Digital intake forms that are sent ahead of time let patients complete surveys and consent in their own time. Then, an automated, personalized reminder before the session confirms they’re ready. That eliminates much of the friction and anxiety for patients and cuts hours of administrative work.
Challenge 4: No‑Shows Block Treatment Progress
It’s a familiar story in behavioral health: a patient doesn’t show up, and the day’s schedule collapses. Admins and therapists scramble to fill gaps, often unsuccessfully. That disruption goes far beyond lost revenue:
Patients lose therapeutic momentum, and missed sessions can slow or interrupt treatment progress. Clinics build waiting lists, straining resources even more.
Therapists grow frustrated and burned out because they train for healing, not rescheduling.
The fix? Smart reminders and seamless rescheduling tools. Clinics that implement automated SMS and email reminders where patients can confirm or reschedule see dramatic drops in no-shows. And when cancellations do happen, clinics can offer those open slots to other patients via an automatic waitlist system, keeping the schedule moving.
Challenge 5: Privacy, Stigma & Tech Barriers
Behavioral health brings unique sensitivity. Between telehealth, email, and phone calls, patients worry about security and confidentiality. Many prefer low-tech options and could feel uncomfortable responding to automated messages.
“Many of our patients struggle with technology, are hesitant to engage, or are worried about privacy. It really makes communication tough.”
That story shows that thoughtful, respectful communication, even done digitally, can build trust instead of breaking it.
Quick Wins You Can Try Right Now
Send reminders that let patients confirm or reschedule. Two-way messaging means patients can respond directly, which will reduce no-shows and free staff from making follow-up calls.
Streamline your intake process. Use online forms before the session. That ensures paperwork is done ahead of time and removes a source of patient anxiety.
Use smart waitlists to reduce wait times. When appointments open up, make them available via text or self-scheduling links. It keeps care flowing smoothly.
With tools that support communication, coordination, and convenience that are used with care and respect, clinics can lighten the load, strengthen relationships, and bolster care continuity.
Patients deserve easier access and more privacy, and clinics deserve ease and sustainable workflows. With simple digital tools, that balance is within reach.
Want to see how your behavioral health practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
From kidney stones to prostate concerns, urology clinics handle some of the most complex and personal medical issues out there. But the challenge isn’t just clinical. For the people managing the operations, the bigger headache often comes from what happens behind the scenes.
The daily work of running a urology practice including scheduling procedures, navigating insurance approvals, coordinating with referring providers, and making sure patients actually show up, has become increasingly complicated. Many clinics are still expected to hit financial and quality benchmarks under value-based care programs, all while working within a system built for fee-for-service.
If you lead or work in a urology clinic, you’ve probably felt it: the constant pull between providing excellent care and just trying to keep up with the paperwork, processes, and patient communications. Below are some of the most common operational challenges we’ve heard directly from urology administrators, and how smart, simple technology can help lighten the load.
Too Much Time on Paperwork
One of the most common sources of frustration is prior authorization. Getting approval from insurance companies for procedures like cystoscopies, biopsies, or lithotripsy means chasing down multiple forms, physician signatures, eligibility checks, and documentation uploads. If anything’s missing, a procedure can get delayed or denied entirely, hurting both patient trust and clinic revenue.
“We’re constantly chasing down prior authorizations and paperwork just to get procedures approved,” said one practice manager.
Some clinics are solving this with real-time eligibility checks and automated workflows that flag missing documents early. These tools also prompt staff when it’s time to follow up. That means fewer last-minute scrambles and a smoother path from referral to procedure, freeing up time for staff to focus on patients instead of forms.
When Patients Feel Uncomfortable, They Don’t Follow Through
Many urology conditions are deeply personal. Whether it’s erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, or prostate issues, patients often feel embarrassed or unsure about discussing them. That discomfort can lead to delays in scheduling, skipped follow-ups, or flat-out ignoring reminders.
“It’s tough getting patients to open up or follow through when the issues are personal or embarrassing,” one administrator explained.
The key here isn’t more reminders – it’s better communication. Clinics that use secure, respectful messages delivered via text or email in plain, patient-friendly language tend to see stronger follow-through. Self-scheduling helps too, giving patients more control and privacy. A simple text after the visit asking, “How are you doing?” can go a long way in making patients feel supported without feeling pressured.
No-Shows Hurt the Bottom Line
Procedures in urology often require patients to follow complex prep instructions. A bowel prep, hydration protocol, or fasting schedule can be daunting especially if it’s poorly communicated. That leads to last-minute cancellations and no-shows, which waste staff time and expensive procedure slots.
“No-shows are a huge problem – particularly with procedures that require prep,” a clinical coordinator shared.
What’s working better? Sending reminders that include clear, easy-to-follow instructions, ideally 24 to 48 hours before the appointment, can dramatically reduce confusion and missed appointments. Letting patients confirm or reschedule via text makes the process quicker and less stressful. And if someone does cancel, smart waitlist tools can automatically offer that spot to the next patient in line, keeping the schedule full and efficient.
Lost in the System: The Referral Black Hole
Referrals are the main engine of volume for most urology practices. But once a PCP or OB/GYN sends one over, it’s all too easy for that patient to fall through the cracks. Maybe the patient never hears from the clinic. Maybe the fax gets misplaced. Maybe the clinic staff are just too slammed to follow up.
“Much of our volume comes from referrals,” one urology leader said. “Making leakage prevention and referral coordination big concerns.”
By automating patient outreach for new referrals (think friendly texts or emails with direct scheduling links) clinics can make sure those patients get booked. Referral tracking tools also help staff spot which providers are sending the most volume, which ones convert to appointments, and where drop-offs are happening.
A Real-World Example: Middle Tennessee Urology Specialists
Middle Tennessee Urology Specialists, a busy six-provider group in Nashville, was tired of losing referrals and chasing paperwork. Their team used to spend hours making calls that often went unanswered.
With help from Luma, they rolled out automated outreach and waitlist tools. The results were dramatic:
95% referral conversion rate
Average of just 2 days to schedule new referral appointments
70% of patient messages received a response
According to Kim Bullock, their finance manager: “The solution paid for itself within just two months of implementing the waitlist feature.”
By using automation to close the gap between referral and appointment, they saved staff time and kept revenue flowing.
Small Changes, Big Results: Three Moves to Try Today
You don’t need to overhaul your whole system to start seeing progress. Here are three things your clinic can do right now:
1. Clean up the referral funnel. Stop losing patients after the handoff. Automate your outreach to referred patients with self-scheduling links. Use waitlists to quickly fill late cancellations and reduce call volume.
2. Make procedure prep easier. Send automatic reminders with prep instructions tailored to each procedure. Let patients confirm or cancel digitally to avoid surprises. This helps reduce anxiety, avoid no-shows, and keep the schedule moving.
3. Tie it all together. Connect your referral and authorization tracking with your EHR. Let your system flag missing forms and nudge staff when it’s time to follow up. A complete view of each patient’s journey helps you prevent gaps and reduce the chance of dropped balls.
Urology clinics play a critical role in patient health, and their work deserves support from tools that actually work. The right technology doesn’t replace your staff. It makes their lives easier. It gives them more time for patients. It fills empty appointment slots. It reduces burnout. And it gives your clinic more room to grow.
You’re already doing the hard part: delivering complex, high-value care to patients who need it. With smart automation, personalized messaging, and smarter workflows, you can do it with less stress, fewer dropped handoffs, and better outcomes.
Want to see how your urology practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Pediatric clinics look like cheerful places with bright walls, friendly staff, and kids clutching stickers and toys. But behind the scenes, administrators are navigating a very different reality, often filled with financial pressure, staffing strain, and the constant balancing act of keeping kids healthy while keeping the practice running.
These challenges aren’t new, but they’ve gotten more intense. Families are stretched thin. Medicaid reimbursement rates haven’t kept pace with the actual cost of care. And the administrative demands placed on pediatric practices are growing, not shrinking.
Let’s take a closer look at the challenges pediatric clinic leaders are facing today, and what’s at stake if they go unaddressed.
The Business Model of Pediatrics Is Under Pressure
Well-child visits are the backbone of pediatric care and a major driver of clinic revenue. They help kids stay on track with development, immunizations, and chronic condition management. But they’re often the first appointments families skip when time, money, or transportation get tight.
Some pediatric clinics serve predominantly Medicaid populations, and the reimbursement for these visits is often barely enough to cover the cost of care, especially for longer or more complex visits. As one administrator put it, “Most of our patients are on Medicaid, and the reimbursement barely covers the cost – especially when we need to spend extra time with the family.”
High no-show rates compound the problem. Missed appointments aren’t just missed opportunities for care – they’re lost revenue. And when patients fall off the schedule, it can be hard to get them back.
Scheduling Is More Complex Than It Seems
Administrators know how crucial it is to keep kids on schedule for well visits, immunizations, and chronic care check-ins. But doing that requires more than just sending a reminder. It takes staff time, accurate contact information, and a system to manage recalls and re-engagement.
When parents do call in, staff are often buried under paperwork and eligibility checks. “Our front desk is overwhelmed,” said one clinic leader. “They’re constantly on the phone, chasing forms, and trying to verify insurance. It’s nonstop.”
Missed steps during intake or outdated contact information can derail an entire visit. When families move often, change phone numbers, or struggle with access to technology, even the best efforts can fall short.
Care Coordination Is a Full-Time Job
Pediatrics doesn’t stop at the primary care level. Many kids need referrals to specialists for conditions like asthma, ADHD, speech delays, or behavioral health issues. But coordinating those referrals and ensuring proper follow-through is a complex, manual process.
Referrals often come in by fax or phone and require staff to track down appointment confirmations, send records, and follow up repeatedly. When things fall through the cracks, families are left waiting and clinics risk losing them to other systems. As one administrator shared, “Coordinating referrals is a huge pain point. Families get stuck in limbo, and we risk losing them altogether.”
The Communication Gap Is Real
Pediatric clinics don’t just communicate with patients – they communicate with caregivers. That means juggling preferences, languages, work schedules, and tech comfort levels. Reaching families in ways that are timely, convenient, and accessible is critical but not always easy.
It’s especially hard when families move frequently, change phone numbers, or have limited access to phones and the internet. “We struggle to reach them to confirm or reschedule,” one administrator said. “It’s hard to keep up.”
Communication isn’t just about logistics. It’s also about trust. Parents want clear, respectful, and reassuring guidance, especially when it comes to complex topics like vaccines, developmental delays, or behavioral concerns.
Staff Are Burned Out, and It Can Affect Care
The weight of all these challenges often falls on a small team of front desk staff, care coordinators, and nurses. They’re expected to do it all from registering patients and checking eligibility to chasing down referrals and managing no-shows.
The result? Burnout. Turnover. And less time spent where it matters most: with patients.
Pediatric clinic administrators aren’t just looking for new tools. They’re looking for breathing room and ways to make sure their team can focus on delivering high-quality care, not just putting out fires all day.
A Real-World Boost: Tenafly Pediatrics’ Wins
Consider the team at Tenafly Pediatrics in New Jersey which serves a diverse, multi-lingual patient base. Before working with Luma, their morning sick-visit hour was overwhelmed during flu season, with long lines and stressed families. It wasn’t working for their staff or their patients.
By enabling self-scheduling after hours, Tenafly shifted that stress into a smoother workflow. Families could book next-day sick visits online, freeing up the front desk and giving doctors breathing room to actually provide care instead of answering calls.
The results were clear and powerful:
35% more sick visits booked
$1.8 million estimated revenue added
Appointment reminders in four languages—English, Spanish, Korean, and Russian—helped patients show up.
Their Net Promoter Score soared to 92.8, and every clinic achieved a 4–5 star rating on Google
As Tenafly’s COO Tom Zeug noted, giving families the ability to book anytime “empowered” them and eased the burden on staff, especially during high-demand seasons. That’s a powerful reminder that small changes can yield big gains.
Three Changes to Consider for Your Peds Clinic
Here are three actions pediatric clinics can consider to make a meaningful difference, without a complete systems overhaul.
Start with the schedule. Analyze no-show patterns and create a simple re-engagement plan for patients who’ve fallen off the radar. Automating outreach to overdue families can add up.
Implement a system to streamline appointment prep. Automation and digitization of the pre-appointment process, from insurance eligibility checks to payments to intake forms, can potentially lighten the load significantly for the front office staff.
Make communication more flexible. Consider offering text reminders or follow-ups where possible. Many families are more likely to respond to a quick message than a phone call—and it’s often easier on staff, too.
Pediatric administrators are doing some of the hardest work in healthcare. They’re navigating financial pressures, regulatory hurdles, and operational complexity, all while serving families who need and deserve excellent care.
By starting with small, targeted improvements and staying focused on the real-world barriers families face, pediatric clinics can create more room to breathe, more time for care, and stronger outcomes for their patients.
Want to see how your pediatric practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Cardiology clinics care for patients with complex and often urgent health concerns. But for the teams running these clinics, it’s not just the medicine that’s challenging. The operational side, like appointment scheduling, managing referrals, and keeping communication flowing, has become just as demanding.
It’s not that clinics don’t know how to provide great care. It’s that their systems and workflows often get in the way.
Let’s walk through five major challenges that administrators in cardiology clinics face every day. And we’ll explore how targeted technology, especially automation and smart patient communication, can offer real relief without requiring a complete systems overhaul.
1. Patient Access & Throughput
The challenge: There simply aren’t enough cardiologists to see everyone as quickly as needed. It’s common for new patients to wait 2–3 weeks (or more) to get in for a first appointment. These delays create stress for patients and missed opportunities for early intervention.
And when a patient cancels or doesn’t show? That slot goes unused. Another patient who could have taken it stays on the waitlist. Multiply that by a few missed appointments per day, and it quickly snowballs into a major bottleneck.
A clinic might be fully booked on paper but still not operating at full capacity.
“No-shows are a constant headache, and it backs up our schedule for weeks.”
The result:
Fewer patients seen each week
Missed revenue opportunities
Staff constantly juggling calls, reschedules, and reminders
Patients waiting too long for care they need now
A better way: Automated scheduling tools help clinics react faster. When someone cancels, the system can instantly invite another patient to fill that spot. Reminders reduce no-shows. Two-way communication helps patients confirm or reschedule without picking up the phone. Staff time is saved, and the schedule stays full.
2. Referral Management
The challenge: Most cardiology care begins with a referral from a primary care doctor. But the path from referral to scheduled visit is full of friction. Often, clinics receive paper or faxed referrals and then rely on manual calls to reach the patient.
If the patient doesn’t answer or call back, the referral stalls out. Nobody follows up. Nobody gets scheduled. It’s a system built on good intentions, but no follow-through.
“We lose track of referrals all the time, and patients fall through the cracks.”
The result:
Referrals go unbooked
Lost revenue for clinics
Patients lose momentum and may delay care
PCPs grow frustrated when their patients don’t hear back
A better way: With automated referral outreach, patients are contacted by text or phone right away. They can self-schedule on their own time. Follow-up messages go out if they don’t respond. And staff are only looped in when a human touch is really needed. It’s faster for everyone, and patients actually show up.
3. Care Coordination
The challenge: Cardiology patients rarely receive care from just one provider. A single episode of care might include a visit to the ER, testing at a hospital, prescriptions from a PCP, and follow-up with a cardiologist. And each of those providers may be using a different system.
Faxing results, leaving voicemails, or documenting in siloed systems leaves a lot of room for gaps and delays. Staff spend hours tracking down labs or calling other offices just to find out whether something’s been done.
The result:
Delays in diagnosis and treatment
Patients get confused by mixed messages
Redundant or missed steps in care
Staff burnout from “chasing down” information
A better way: Shared platforms and real-time updates make it easier for everyone – patients and care teams alike – to see what’s next. Whether it’s a test result, prescription update, or care plan note, having that information in one place keeps things moving.
4. Chronic Care Management
The challenge: Conditions like heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension don’t get resolved in a single visit. Patients need ongoing support, regular check-ins, and active monitoring of medications, labs, and sometimes implanted devices like pacemakers or ICDs.
But many clinics still rely on manual tracking like sticky notes, spreadsheets, and calendar reminders. And when the clinic is busy, it’s easy to miss something.
“We’re still manually tracking device patients. It’s time-consuming and easy to miss something.”
The result:
Missed follow-ups can lead to ER visits or hospitalizations
Gaps in care affect outcomes and value-based payment measures
Staff overwhelmed by the volume of follow-ups
Patients feel neglected or unsure of next steps
A better way: With automated programs, clinics can trigger reminders when a patient is due for labs, visits, or a device check. Two-way communication allows patients to report symptoms or ask questions. Staff only step in when needed, and nothing falls through the cracks.
5. Cath Lab Scheduling & Efficiency
The challenge: Cardiology clinics rely heavily on high-cost equipment like imaging systems, cath labs, stress testing machines. Scheduling these procedures requires coordination across providers, rooms, staff, and sometimes anesthesia.
When a patient cancels or misses an appointment, those resources sit idle. Reaching out manually to fill that spot takes time, and usually doesn’t work fast enough.
The result:
Lower capacity utilization
Long backlogs for critical procedures
Lost revenue from underused labs
Risk of delays in care for other patients
A better way: Digital waitlists automatically notify eligible patients when an opening appears. The system confirms the appointment, sends prep instructions, and follows up afterward, all without extra phone calls. The lab stays busy, patients are served faster, and the clinic avoids unnecessary downtime.
By meeting patients where they are – which is on their phones – Pima Heart improved both access and efficiency.
Across Luma’s cardiology customers, clinics using digital outreach and scheduling have filled 63% more referrals on average and cut wait times by nearly a week.
Three Smart Moves You Can Make Now
You don’t need to rip and replace your entire system to start solving these problems. Here are three practical steps you can take today:
1. Automate referral outreach and waitlist scheduling. Make it easier for patients to schedule and fill cancelled appointments. Even simple outreach by text can prevent patients from falling through the cracks.
2. Reduce no-shows with reminders and 2-way texting. Let patients confirm, cancel, or reschedule appointments without calling. It keeps your schedule full and saves your team time.
3. Streamline chronic care tracking. Build workflows that automatically remind patients when they’re due for a check-in or test. Alert staff only when a response is missed.
Cardiology teams are under growing pressure – from rising patient volume to complex coordination to value-based care demands. But these problems don’t require massive system changes to solve.
Smart, focused tools like automated reminders, digital referrals, real-time updates can reduce the daily friction. They help staff work more efficiently, help patients stay on track, and help clinics grow sustainably.
Want to see what that could look like in your clinic?
A fictional case study on practical AI in healthcare
In the rush to adopt AI, healthcare organizations are often caught between hype and reality. Headlines promise revolutionary breakthroughs, but many teams just want to fix the everyday bottlenecks: long phone queues, missed appointments, overflowing fax inboxes, and staff who are stretched too thin.
That’s why we created Hayes Valley Health, a fictional mid-sized, multi-site provider group, to illustrate how real-world problems in patient access and operations can be tackled with the right kind of automation. This is not a real health system. But their story reflects what we’ve heard from countless clinics and health systems navigating the complex intersection of care delivery and administrative efficiency.
This illustrative case study explores how a group like Hayes Valley might evaluate AI tools and what results they could realistically expect. It’s not about chasing buzzwords. It’s about making care easier for patients and staff alike.
Phase One: Identifying the Real Gaps
Hayes Valley brought together leaders from scheduling, clinical ops, and IT to define the actual outcomes they needed:
Reduce no-shows and recapture more visits
Automate manual workflows like fax intake and follow-up outreach
Support patients without overwhelming staff
Some vendors and even their EHR’s native solution claimed to offer AI-driven insights, like predicting who might miss an appointment. But when staff still had to call those patients manually? It wasn’t a true solution.
Phase Two: Seeing Beyond the Buzzwords
They explored several tools, including options from their EHR vendor. One solution offered fax extraction and no-show prediction, but it required human intervention for the next step. The IT team noted the lack of customization. Clinical admins were concerned about per-use pricing. Most importantly, the access team still had to act on every insight manually. The team asked a simple question: If our staff still has to follow up manually, what exactly is the AI doing?
Then came a different approach: a platform that automated entire workflows, not just flagged problems.
Phase Three: Finding Automation That Actually Closes the Loop
Hayes Valley piloted a system that didn’t just predict a no-show — it took action automatically:
Sent confirmation texts
Gave patients the option to reschedule
Pulled in a waitlisted patient if the original didn’t confirm
They also saw intelligent fax handling in action: new referrals were triaged and routed without manual review. No inbox chaos. No more staff “cherry-picking” easy faxes and delaying the rest.
Early Wins That Mattered (Even in a Hypothetical World)
In this fictional pilot, within weeks, Hayes Valley Health saw measurable improvements:
11% increase in message deliverability
5% reduction in no-show rates
Faster follow-up on referrals and fewer delayed visits
While these figures are made up, they represent the kinds of early improvements we’ve seen in real Luma Health implementations. The difference? Automation that does the work, rather than just suggesting what the work should be.
Staff weren’t just relieved — they were finally able to focus on the patients in front of them.
Four Lessons to Take from What Hayes Valley Learned
Hayes Valley Health may not be real, but the takeaways from their fictional journey echo the needs of real clinics and health systems that are evaluating AI tools:
One-size-fits-all doesn’t work. Customization by site, specialty, or workflow is essential.
Pricing matters. Pay-per-page, per-visit, or per-line models can add up fast—especially for larger orgs.
Don’t mistake “integrated” for “intelligent.” Real integration should support action, not just visibility.
Conclusion: It’s Not About AI—It’s About Impact
Hayes Valley Health didn’t choose a platform because it had AI. They chose it because it solved their problems by automating patient engagement in a way that scaled across locations, specialties, and care teams.
For health systems evaluating the next generation of patient engagement, the takeaway is clear: AI is only valuable when it turns insight into action—and reduces the burden on staff.
While Hayes Valley Health may be made up, Luma’s solutions are already in use at real practices across the country. From pediatric clinics to specialty providers to large health systems, our customers are reducing no-shows, automating referral management, and helping their teams get back to patient care.
What EHRs does Luma integrate with, and how deep is that integration? Luma offers bidirectional, seamless integration with major EHRs, including Epic, Oracle Cerner, MEDITECH, eClinicalWorks, athenahealth, NextGen, and more. This integration enables functionalities like patient self-scheduling, EHR-integrated intake and consent forms, and reminders synchronized with your EHR schedule.
How configurable is the automation—can I tailor it to different departments or clinics? Luma’s platform is highly configurable. Its Novel Workflows feature allows you to build unique workflows, customize patient outreach, and streamline care, enabling you to tailor automation to specific departments or clinics.
What’s the typical implementation timeline and lift for my internal teams? Most organizations see their first AI workflows live within weeks. Luma’s dedicated team handles the heavy lifting of the initial implementation, requiring minimal demands on your IT resources. The rollout is tailored to your existing workflows, with hands-on support to ensure a smooth transition.
Do I need to replace any existing tools, or can Luma layer onto what we already use? Luma is designed to integrate with your existing systems, including EHRs, RCM, payments, CRM, call center solutions, telehealth, population health systems, and homegrown tools. This allows Luma to layer onto your current infrastructure without necessitating the replacement of existing tools.
What kind of support or training does Luma provide post-launch? Luma provides hands-on support during the rollout and offers self-serve tools for building workflows. Additionally, Luma U Live is a learning opportunity where users can bring questions to the training team and subject matter experts.
How does Luma ensure compliance with HIPAA and protect patient data? Luma is HIPAA-compliant and has achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, ensuring secure handling of sensitive health information. Their dedicated, in-house Security and Compliance team ensures adherence to the latest information security frameworks and data privacy regulations.
Are there real-world case studies or references from similar organizations I can review? Yes, Luma’s Learn Hub features stories, tips, and resources from Luma and its community members, including case studies from various organization types such as enterprise health systems, regional health systems, FQHCs, and specialty clinics.
How does Luma’s automation compare to what my EHR vendor already offers? Luma provides deeper EHR integration and a more comprehensive product with experienced customizability and support, distinguishing it from standard EHR vendor offerings. It is designed to work alongside your EHR to enhance patient engagement and operational efficiency.
Allergy clinics play a key role in helping patients manage chronic conditions and improve their quality of life. But running one isn’t easy. Administrators face daily challenges: missed appointments, complex immunotherapy schedules, manual coordination, and systems that don’t talk to each other. These hurdles affect clinic efficiency, staff morale, and patient satisfaction.
Let’s walk through five major roadblocks and explore practical ways to smooth out operations, without adding fancy tools or overwhelming your team.
1. Missed Appointments Disrupt Immunotherapy
Allergy shots work best when a patient sticks to their schedule. Missed visits interrupt the treatment and may require changing the dose or restarting the buildup. This frustrates both patients and staff.
Every missed shot also hits the clinic’s revenue, especially in high-volume practices. Instead of focusing on patients, staff spend time calling, rescheduling, and reshuffling appointments. Over time, missed visits can lead to patients dropping out entirely. That means lost treatment benefits and lost income for the clinic.
To fix this, clinics can send automated reminders ahead of scheduled shots and follow up quickly when someone misses a visit. Tracking missed appointments and reaching out early helps keep patients on track. A small push at the right time can prevent drop-offs and keep treatment rolling.
2. Streamlining Shot Clinic Flow
Many allergy clinics operate as “shot clinics,” where patients come in just for a quick injection, with or without an appointment. When everything works well, it’s highly efficient—but even a small hiccup can cause delays. Late check-ins, unclear monitoring steps, or lack of visibility into who’s next can clog the flow.
Clinics using paper sign-in sheets or whiteboards often struggle to track who’s waiting, receiving shots, or in the observation area. This not only slows things down but also introduces safety risks – patients need to be watched after receiving an injection for a certain period. Losing track of that window could be dangerous.
A better option is a digital queue system. Patients check in via kiosk, QR code, or staff entry and move through the visit with status updates. Everyone on the team can see where patients are in real time. That keeps the line moving and helps patients feel confident that they’re safe and being taken care of.
3. Keeping Long-Term Patients Engaged
Immunotherapy often lasts for years, and patient engagement over time is critical. Unfortunately, many people taper off treatment once they feel better, or simply don’t make time for recurring shots. Some clinics don’t realize patients have fallen off until months later.
By then, it’s hard to reconnect. That’s why tracking patient adherence is so important. Clinics benefit when they can spot patients who miss appointments and nudge them gently. Re-engaging a patient who’s fallen behind can save a treatment plan and support better outcomes.
A flow that reminds patients of missed or upcoming visits and offers easy rescheduling on the spot helps keep long-term care on track. It prevents drift and keeps patients and revenue on a consistent path.
4. Reducing Coordination Burden
Running an allergy clinic means managing a lot of small communications: appointment reminders, pre-shot instructions, consent forms, and post-visit care. Many clinics rely on manual phone calls for this.
That creates a heavy workload and leads to missed calls or confusion if systems don’t sync. Saying the same thing three different times invites errors and frustrates patients, who may get mixed instructions or have questions go unanswered.
The solution is to automate what makes sense early on. Appointment confirmations and reminders go out by text or email. Consent forms and prep details can be completed online before the visit. After shots, a follow-up message ensures patients know how to care for themselves. This cuts duplicate work and raises the standard of care, all without speaking a single extra word.
5. Tracking Referrals With Care
Allergy clinics depend on referrals from pediatricians, ENT doctors, and primary care providers. But if referral systems aren’t managed well, patients fall through the cracks and clinics lose growth opportunities.
Referrals often arrive by fax, email, or even paper handed over by a patient. Clinics struggle to see which ones were scheduled and which weren’t. Without a clear referral workflow, some patients are never contacted. That means missed appointments, lost revenue, and strained relationships with those referring doctors.
Managing referrals more deliberately can make a big difference. When new referrals are logged and outreach efforts are consistent, clinics can bring more patients in and keep clients happy. Clear tracking builds trust with referral partners and drives steady growth.
Connecting the Dots
These challenges are often connected. Missed shots slow the clinic flow. Missed referrals weaken the schedule. Manual coordination drains staff and hurts patient experience. The key is to set up a reliable, flexible workflow that makes the path clearer for both patients and teams.
Automation doesn’t have to be complex. Start with one area, like appointment reminders, queue tracking, or referral follow-up. See immediate gains, build confidence, and expand to the next area. One practical change at a time adds up to a much smoother operation.
They introduced 24/7 self-scheduling, letting patients book through their website anytime. CEO Chuck Leider said, “Mondays are a lot happier for our team now.”
The clinic filled high-value appointments using a smart waitlist system, preventing unused slots and boosting revenue by $1.2 million
They also stopped losing referral patients: 50% fewer abandoned calls and over $575,000 from scheduled referrals
This shows that when allergy clinics offer flexible scheduling and proactive outreach, they reduce no-shows, recover unused appointment slots, and support long-term growth.
3 Practical Steps to Enhance Allergy Clinic Efficiency
Automate patient communications. Set up systems to automatically remind patients about upcoming visits, allergy shot schedules, and required prep or consent forms. This reduces staff phone time and helps patients stay on track with their care plans.
Streamline patient flow for walk-ins and shot visits. In many allergy clinics, especially those running high-efficiency “shot clinics,” patients arrive without a traditional appointment time. Consider implementing a digital queue that lets patients check in via kiosk, QR code, or staff entry, and automatically updates their status as they move through each step. With this type of system, everyone on the team can see real-time patient progress, reduce wait times, and keep safety monitoring on track.
Optimize referral follow-through. Referrals are the start of the patient journey, but many clinics don’t have a reliable way to track whether those patients ever schedule or show up. Simple changes – like setting up alerts for new referrals, sending friendly outreach messages, and making it easy for referred patients to schedule online – can improve conversion rates and reduce leakage from your referral pipeline.
By addressing these common challenges with practical solutions, allergy clinics can enhance operational efficiency, improve patient satisfaction, and support sustainable growth.
Want to see how your allergy practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
From managing jam-packed surgical schedules to keeping young patients (and their parents) on track, Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) clinics operate under intense pressure. Whether it’s a missed tonsil consult or a delayed sinus surgery, small disruptions can ripple through the day as well as the bottom line. Behind the scenes, clinic administrators are juggling far more than appointments: they’re working to prevent no-shows, close the loop on referrals, coordinate pre- and post-op care, and make disconnected systems play nicely together.
These challenges are common, but they’re not inevitable. With the right strategies and tools, ENT practices can reduce daily friction, protect surgical revenue, and make life easier for both patients and staff.
The High Cost of Missed Appointments
In ENT clinics, a missed consult isn’t just a calendar inconvenience – it can mean an unused surgical slot that directly impacts revenue. Pediatric visits are particularly vulnerable to no-shows: short appointments, busy parents, and school schedules all contribute to last-minute cancellations. When a patient misses their pre-op consult for a tonsillectomy or cochlear implant, that entire surgical pipeline is thrown off.
Some clinics try to fill open slots same-day, but this often isn’t realistic for surgical procedures that require insurance authorization or patient prep. The result: lost revenue and underutilized clinical or OR resources. Reducing missed appointments, especially in high-value visit types, has to be a top priority, but doing so requires more than just reminder calls.
Referrals In, Patients Out?
ENT practices often rely heavily on referrals from pediatricians, primary care providers, and even dentists. These partners are trusted entry points for patients who need specialized care. But what happens after that referral is sent?
Too often, clinic administrators simply don’t know. Without a closed-loop system, it’s hard to track who followed through. “We rely on referrals from pediatricians, but we often don’t know who followed through,” one clinic leader shared. This “referral black hole” not only stalls new patient growth, it also erodes hard-won referral relationships.
Some practices use spreadsheets or manual tracking to follow up on referrals, but this is difficult to scale. Automating outreach and establishing referral pipelines with clear visibility can help ensure that more patients get scheduled and fewer fall through the cracks.
Pre- and Post-Op Communication Overload
ENT procedures require detailed coordination. From sinus surgery to sleep apnea treatments, patients need clear pre-op instructions, reminders, and post-op follow-up. Yet in many practices, these touchpoints are handled by already overwhelmed front-desk staff.
One administrator put it plainly: “We’re still calling every patient to go over surgery instructions – our front desk is maxed out.” That workload is unsustainable, especially when patients miss calls or forget instructions shared days earlier.
Some clinics are shifting to automated patient pathways and texting pre-op checklists and post-op care instructions at scheduled intervals. This keeps patients informed without adding to staff burden. Even small shifts in how these messages are delivered can improve compliance and reduce last-minute rescheduling.
When Systems Don’t Talk to Each Other
Disconnected tools are one of the most frustrating and preventable issues in ENT operations. It’s not uncommon for a practice to have one system for allergy testing, another for surgery scheduling, and a separate EHR entirely. Multiply that by the number of steps involved in coordinating a procedure, and the friction adds up quickly.
The consequences go beyond annoyance. Important details get lost. Staff waste time entering the same patient information into multiple platforms. Delays pile up. And patients can feel the disjointedness, especially if they get inconsistent messages or incomplete prep instructions.
Solving this doesn’t necessarily mean replacing every system. Starting with the EHR with scheduling capabilities, integrating key tools can eliminate a lot of double work and make the patient journey much smoother.
The Prior Auth Bottleneck
ENT treatments often require prior authorization, whether it’s for a CT scan, allergy drops, or a sleep study. And while the clinical need may be urgent, the approval process rarely is.
Staff frequently find themselves stuck waiting on faxes, chasing paperwork, or calling insurers multiple times to get care approved. “We spend too much time chasing prior auths,” one clinic leader shared. It’s not just tedious – it causes delays in diagnosis and treatment, frustrates patients, and adds to staff burnout.
Some clinics have found success by standardizing the intake process to flag cases that need prior auth early, and using tools that help surface missing information before a request is submitted. Reducing these delays starts with tightening internal workflows and finding ways to take some of the lift off the staff.
A Look at What’s Working
Houston ENT & Allergy saw measurable results when working with Luma Health to address missed appointments and streamline referral follow-up. With a reduction in no-shows by 9% and over half a million dollars in new scheduled referrals, small operational changes made a big difference in efficiency and revenue. Their experience highlights that even long-standing pain points in ENT clinics can be tackled with the right mix of process and technology.
Three Things You Can Do Right Now to Reduce Pressure Points
Even small changes can make a big impact on day-to-day operations. Here are three actionable steps ENT clinic administrators can take today:
Map the referral workflow. Identify where referrals are coming from and where visibility is breaking down. Start tracking referral outcomes, even in a simple spreadsheet, to understand the scope of leakage.
Automate one communication flow. Choose one frequently repeated patient message—like pre-op instructions or no-show reminders—and shift it to automated text or email delivery. Free up staff time and improve consistency.
Prioritize one system integration. If tools aren’t connected, pick one high-friction pair (like your EHR and surgery scheduler) and explore what’s possible to integrate or streamline, even if it’s just exporting/importing shared data.
ENT clinic administrators are balancing high-volume care, complex procedures, and the ever-growing expectations of patients, staff, and payers. While every practice is different, the pain points are strikingly similar: missed visits, lost referrals, manual coordination, and fragmented systems. The good news? These challenges aren’t unsolvable.
By focusing on where the biggest breakdowns happen and taking small, targeted steps to improve, ENT practices can protect surgical revenue, support their teams, and deliver the high-quality care their patients deserve.
Want to see how your ENT practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Family medicine clinics are the foundation of community health, caring for patients of all ages across a wide range of needs — from preventive screenings and chronic disease management to sick visits and behavioral health. But providing that kind of comprehensive care, day in and day out, is not without its challenges.
Clinic leaders and staff are often stretched thin, balancing overloaded schedules, heavy administrative demands, and a growing need to keep patients engaged and on track. Left unaddressed, these issues can strain resources, affect the quality of care, and lead to burnout.
Here are four of the most common challenges in family medicine today — and how the right technology can help address them.
1. Overloaded Schedules and Continuity of Care
Family medicine clinics often manage high patient volumes across a broad range of services. Providers might see dozens of patients a day, moving between routine checkups, chronic care visits, and same-day sick appointments. That pace can make it difficult to spend enough time with each patient or to fully address their questions and concerns.
When the schedule is packed too tightly, appointments can feel rushed. Providers may have limited time to review patient histories or care plans, and patients may leave feeling unheard or unsure about their next steps. Over time, that can hurt satisfaction and even deter people from coming in regularly — especially for preventive care or chronic disease management.
On the staff side, the pressure to keep up can lead to burnout. The challenge is maintaining visit volume without sacrificing the relationships and communication that are the heart of family medicine.
The answer? Smarter scheduling and communication
Simple changes — like optimizing schedule templates, enabling real-time availability, and sending automated reminders — can reduce friction and give providers more breathing room. Same-day openings and follow-up workflows can help clinics respond to patient needs quickly, while minimizing no-shows and unfilled appointment slots.
2. Missed Wellness Visits and Care Gaps
Preventive care is one of the most valuable services family medicine offers. Annual physicals, cancer screenings, vaccinations, and chronic condition monitoring help patients stay healthy and catch issues early. But getting patients to attend those visits consistently can be a challenge.
Busy families, older adults, and patients with few symptoms often skip wellness visits. Some forget, others assume they’re not necessary, and many aren’t aware they’re overdue until it’s too late. When preventive care is missed, small problems can go unnoticed — and become much more serious later on.
Clinics also struggle to keep track of who is overdue, especially when visit reminders and outreach are done manually.
The answer? Personalized, automated outreach
Technology can take the guesswork out of preventive care. Systems that identify patients who are due — or overdue — for screenings or checkups can send personalized reminders automatically, including a direct link to schedule. Outreach can be tailored by age, risk level, or health condition, making it easier to run targeted campaigns for things like flu shots, pediatric well visits, or Medicare physicals.
When it’s easy for patients to understand what they need — and even easier to schedule — clinics can reduce gaps in care and improve outcomes across their panels.
3. High Administrative Burden
Behind every visit is a long list of administrative tasks: intake paperwork, prior authorizations, referrals, insurance checks, and documentation. In many family medicine clinics, these tasks are still handled manually — by phone, fax, and email.
Staff spend hours each week chasing down signatures, following up on incomplete forms, or tracking referrals in spreadsheets. That work is time-consuming and takes team members away from patient-facing roles. It can also lead to errors, delays, and missed care opportunities.
Patients feel the impact too. A missing form might mean a delayed visit. A lost referral could mean weeks before a specialist appointment is scheduled.
The answer? Streamlined, digital workflows
Tools that digitize common workflows — like pre-visit forms, consent, and referral tracking — can reduce the workload on staff and speed up care. For example, patients can fill out and sign documents ahead of time from their phone or computer, cutting down on paperwork at check-in. Systems that flag missing info in prior auth requests or track referral status in real time help prevent delays and reduce dropped balls.
When clinics spend less time on paperwork, they can spend more time on patients.
4. Patient Disengagement and No-Shows
It’s common in primary care: a patient misses their appointment, and the slot goes unfilled. Sometimes they forgot, sometimes they couldn’t get there, and sometimes they didn’t feel the visit was worth it. These no-shows don’t just affect clinic revenue — they can also interrupt care continuity and delay treatment.
Disengagement is especially common in underserved populations, where barriers like transportation, work schedules, language, or lack of trust can keep people from seeking care. Once a patient starts missing appointments, they’re more likely to drop out of care completely.
At the same time, clinic staff are left trying to follow up, reschedule, and fill the empty slot — often with little success.
The answer? Timely reminders and smart scheduling tools
Automated reminders — delivered in the patient’s preferred language and format — are one of the simplest ways to reduce no-shows. Giving patients an easy way to confirm, reschedule, or ask questions without calling in removes common friction points.
One especially effective tool is a smart waitlist system. When a cancellation happens, the system can automatically offer that opening to another patient based on their availability, urgency, or past appointment requests. Patients get seen sooner, and clinics keep their schedules full without needing staff to manage the back-and-forth.
Helping patients stay connected to their care — and making it easy to come in — improves outcomes, satisfaction, and overall clinic efficiency.
3.8x higher conversion rate for preventive screenings
30% increase in access to preventive care
67% fewer unanswered phone calls
82% of patients responded to appointment confirmation texts
Over $650,000 in annual revenue growth tied to better patient engagement
“Luma Health offers and confirms appointments at any hour of the day, which allows patients to have quicker access to their primary care and behavioral health providers.” — Samantha Guthman, Chief Operating Officer, Alexander Valley Healthcare
Taking Action: How to Get Started
Even small improvements in communication, scheduling, and paperwork can ease the pressure on staff and improve the care experience for patients. Here are three steps clinics can take right now:
Review your no-show rates. Identify patterns and test automated reminders combined with a smart waitlist to reduce lost appointments.
Simplify your admin tasks. Use digital tools to streamline intake, referrals, and authorizations, freeing staff to focus on patients.
Reach out proactively. Identify patients overdue for care and send personalized reminders they can act on immediately.
Family medicine clinics don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. But by adopting the right tools and focusing on areas with the biggest impact — like appointment access, preventive care, and patient communication — they can improve outcomes, reduce burnout, and create a better experience for everyone.Ready to see how your practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with Luma Health today.
Internal medicine clinics are essential for adult patients. They focus on preventing illness, managing chronic conditions, and making sure care stays on track. But these clinics are under more pressure than ever. Staff are stretched thin trying to care for large numbers of patients, meet quality goals, and keep up with changes in healthcare – all while trying to avoid burnout and keep patients happy.
Let’s look at the biggest everyday challenges these clinics face and share ideas to make things run more smoothly.
Too Many Patients, Not Enough Time
Most internal medicine doctors have over 1,500 patients which means they’re responsible for a huge list of tasks: from yearly check-ups and vaccines to chronic condition follow-ups and lab tests. Keeping track of who needs what, like a diabetes screening or cancer check, is hard to do without a system in place.
Many clinics try to use reports from their EHRs or spreadsheets, but those take a lot of time and aren’t easy to act on. When patients fall through the cracks, clinics miss important care and risk falling short on quality scores – especially if they’re in value-based contracts.
Too Many Systems That Don’t Work Together
Internal medicine clinics often rely on several different tools: one for the EHR, one for scheduling, another for messaging, and maybe another for telehealth. The problem? These tools often don’t talk to each other.
Staff end up switching between systems, retyping the same information, and trying to track down updates. This wastes time, increases the chance for mistakes, and slows down care. Patients might miss follow-ups or never hear back on test results—all because the systems aren’t connected.
One internal medicine clinic leader said, “We’re juggling multiple systems: EHR, patient messaging, telehealth – it’s a mess.”
Follow-Up is Exhausting
Internal medicine clinics carry much of the weight when it comes to care coordination. Teams spend hours each day calling patients to confirm appointments, deliver test results, check in after hospital discharges, or follow up on chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or COPD. Front office staff and care managers alike often juggle multiple lists, just trying to make sure no one falls through the cracks.
But even with all that effort, the results can be discouraging. Patients may not answer calls, ignore voicemail messages, or forget what they were told. Others assume the clinic will call again if it’s important, or believe their specialist is handling next steps. And when follow-up depends on busy staff chasing patients down one at a time, it’s hard to keep up – especially when the volume of outreach grows with each new care gap or test result.
Internal medicine practices often serve patients with complex, ongoing needs, where continuity matters. A missed lab result follow-up or a delayed check-in after starting a new medication isn’t just an administrative miss. It can lead to worsened health outcomes. But with limited staff and disconnected systems, creating a reliable and scalable follow-up process is a real challenge.
Without a structured, repeatable way to stay in touch between visits, patients can quickly fall off the radar. This not only delays needed care – it can impact quality scores, increase unnecessary hospitalizations, and contribute to staff burnout from constantly trying to play catch-up. For many clinics, improving follow-up isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about ensuring patients actually get the care they need, when they need it.
Referrals That Go Nowhere
From abnormal lab results to new symptoms that require specialist evaluation, internal medicine providers are often the first point of contact for a wide range of health concerns. As a result, referrals to cardiology, endocrinology, dermatology, gastroenterology, and other specialties are a regular part of daily clinic operations.
But once that referral leaves the clinic, visibility often disappears. Did the patient ever call the specialist’s office? Did the appointment get scheduled? Was the visit completed, and if so, was any follow-up information shared back with the primary care team?
In many internal medicine clinics, tracking referrals is a manual, time-consuming process. Staff may enter notes in the EHR, send a fax, or make a few follow-up calls, but without a closed-loop process, it’s hard to know which patients followed through and which never made it to their appointment.
This referral leakage is a significant problem. Patients may forget to schedule, feel unsure about next steps, or hit delays due to insurance or prior authorization issues. Others may not realize how important the referral is or assume someone else is handling it.
And when referrals go untracked, it doesn’t just affect the patient’s care—it can reflect poorly on the clinic’s performance, especially in value-based care arrangements where outcomes and care coordination are closely measured. Missed specialist appointments can lead to gaps in diagnosis, delayed treatment, and preventable ER visits or hospital admissions.
Three Ideas to Try Today
Internal medicine clinics don’t need to replace all their tools to start seeing improvements. Here are three simple, high-impact changes that can help:
Consider one-to-many messaging:Luma’s Broadcast solution helps send messages at scale – and personalized to each patient. So whether you need to let folks know about a weather closure or remind them about due care gaps, it’s easy to communicate with patients.
Follow up on referrals: Make it standard practice to check whether referred patients completed their appointments – and follow up if they didn’t.
Start Small, Make a Big Difference
Internal medicine clinics are doing tough, important work, and it’s not getting any easier. But by focusing on the biggest pain points and making some smart changes, clinic leaders can ease the load for staff and make sure patients get the care they need.
Running efficiently, staying connected with patients, and keeping things moving aren’t just nice to have anymore. They’re the foundation of good care and the key to success in today’s healthcare system.
Want to see how your internal medicine practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Running a gastroenterology (GI) clinic involves juggling many tasks: scheduling procedures, communicating with patients, coordinating between departments, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. When things go wrong – like missed appointments, patients not following preparation instructions, or referrals getting lost – it affects both patient care and the clinic’s financial health.
Fortunately, practical solutions, including technology like Luma’s can help address these common issues by simplifying operations and keeping patients engaged.
Why Missed Appointments and Poor Prep Hurt Clinics
Colonoscopy appointments and other GI procedures are essential for diagnosing serious conditions like colorectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, and ulcers. They’re not just important for the patient – they’re also a major part of how GI clinics stay financially healthy. These procedures take time, space, and staff to prepare, and they often require coordination across the front desk, clinical team, and even anesthesia or surgical staff.
So when a patient cancels at the last minute or doesn’t show up at all, it isn’t just an empty slot on the calendar. It’s a ripple effect. Staff who were prepped for the visit now have unexpected downtime. Rooms sit unused. Other patients who could have taken the slot miss the chance to get care. And for procedures that require pre-authorization or specialized prep, that time is even harder to fill at the last minute.
Poor preparation is another common and costly problem. Colonoscopies, in particular, require patients to follow a detailed bowel prep routine in the days before their procedure. If patients don’t follow these instructions exactly, the doctor may not be able to complete the exam safely or effectively. That means the procedure gets canceled or rescheduled, the clinic loses time and revenue, and the patient is left feeling frustrated.
This happens more often than most people realize. Prep instructions are sometimes forgotten, misunderstood, or lost in the shuffle, especially if they’re given over the phone or printed out once during a rushed appointment.
As one clinic administrator put it: “When a patient doesn’t show up, that time is gone – and so is the money.” But even when they do show up, if they’re not prepared, it’s almost the same outcome.
Reducing missed appointments and poor prep is not just about revenue. It’s about making sure patients get the care they need, when they need it – and that the clinic can run as efficiently as possible.
Better Communication, Less Work for Staff
Behind every successful procedure is a series of small but critical communications: confirming the appointment, explaining how to prepare, answering patient questions, and checking in afterward. In many GI clinics, these touchpoints are handled by staff making phone calls, leaving voicemails, or mailing paper instructions.
This process is time-consuming, and it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks. Front-desk staff may be juggling hundreds of calls per week. Nurses might be explaining the same prep routine five or six times a day. And if the patient doesn’t pick up, doesn’t call back, or forgets what they were told, staff have to start all over again.
What makes it more difficult is that the tools in use – EHRs, scheduling systems, and patient messaging platforms – often aren’t built to work well together. A staff member might have to enter the same patient information into multiple systems just to send a reminder or follow-up. That slows everything down and increases the chances of mistakes.
Some clinics try to work around this by building their own processes or tracking communication manually, but these stopgaps don’t scale. As patient volumes rise and expectations grow, staff burnout becomes a real concern.
That’s where automation can help. Systems make a big difference, especially those that send appointment reminders, prep instructions, and follow-ups automatically and pull from the same up-to-date patient record. Not only do patients get the right message at the right time, but staff can focus on the kinds of conversations that actually need a human touch: calming nerves, answering complex questions, or coordinating special needs.
Better communication doesn’t just benefit patients. It helps clinics run more smoothly, reduces last-minute cancellations, and gives overworked staff some breathing room in their day.
Keeping Referred Patients from Slipping Through the Cracks
Gastroenterology clinics often face challenges in managing referrals. Patients sent by primary care providers don’t always complete the scheduling process, which can result in missed opportunities for care and lost revenue. In many cases, the referral process relies on manual tracking, spreadsheets, or inconsistent follow-up, making it hard to know which patients actually scheduled and which fell through the cracks.
Another common bottleneck is the prior authorization process, especially for advanced procedures like endoscopic ultrasounds or certain treatments for chronic conditions. These approvals often require multiple steps and documentation, leading to delays that can frustrate both patients and staff.
Improving visibility into the referral pipeline and streamlining the authorization process can help clinics reduce delays, close care gaps, and build stronger relationships with referring providers.
Real-World Impact for GI Practices with Luma
The implementation of Luma Health’s solutions has led to tangible improvements in various gastroenterology clinics:
These examples show how using connected technology can help GI clinics solve everyday problems, take better care of patients, and bring in more revenue.
Getting Started: Simple Ways GI Clinics Can Improve Right Now
If you’re looking to make your gastroenterology clinic run more smoothly, here are three changes that might deliver a big impact:
Automate patient messages: Set up systems to send reminders and instructions ahead of time. This helps patients show up prepared and on time, which keeps the schedule on track.
Stay on top of referrals: Make it easier to follow up with patients who were referred to your clinic so they’re more likely to schedule and show up.
Make prior authorizations less painful: Use tools that flag missing info and speed up approvals, so patients don’t have to wait as long for care.
These steps can help solve everyday problems and make things run more efficiently.
Healthcare is always changing, and GI clinics need to keep up. By using the right tools and staying focused on both patient care and clinic operations, practices can reduce stress for staff, help more patients, and support long-term growth.
Want to see how your gastroenterology practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Running an ophthalmology clinic isn’t easy. Between packed schedules, surgical coordination, and constant communication needs, administrators are juggling a lot. Add in no-shows, manual referrals, and paperwork-heavy processes, and it’s no surprise many clinics feel stretched thin.
But here’s the good news: the right technology can help reduce that pressure and boost efficiency, improve patient care, and keep schedules running on time.
When One No-Show Disrupts the Whole Day
Procedures like cataract surgeries and injections are the financial backbone of many ophthalmology clinics. But they depend on tight, predictable schedules.
One clinic leader put it simply:
“When a patient cancels at the last minute, or worse, just doesn’t show up, it throws off the entire day.”
Gaps in the schedule don’t just impact efficiency; they hurt the bottom line. Filling those gaps quickly, or preventing them in the first place, can make a big difference.
Referral Leakage Quietly Hurts Growth
Referral networks, particularly with optometrists and primary care providers, are the backbone of many ophthalmology clinics’ growth strategies. These referring partners help maintain a steady pipeline of new patients, especially for specialty services like cataract surgery and retinal care.
But too often, clinics can’t tell whether referred patients ever make it to their first appointment. The problem often stems from manual processes: referrals are logged into spreadsheets or emailed, follow-up is inconsistent, and there’s no easy way to flag patients who are missed.
An administrator highlighted this concern, “We work hard to build relationships with local optometrists, but sometimes those patients never actually make it to us. It’s frustrating – we don’t always know who’s falling through the cracks or how to follow up.” Without a system to follow up and close the loop, clinics risk losing both revenue and referral trust.
Manual Work Slows Everyone Down
Running an ophthalmology clinic means juggling communication at every stage of the patient journey. From sending pre-visit reminders and intake forms, to delivering post-op instructions and follow-ups, every interaction matters. But when staff are stuck making phone calls, leaving voicemails, and copying information between systems, the administrative burden can be high.
Too often, ophthalmology teams rely on a patchwork of disconnected tools: a standalone EHR, a separate ASC scheduling system, and third-party platforms for texting or email. Each one requires logins, duplicate data entry, and manual coordination which creates friction that slows staff down and increases the risk of errors. When systems don’t connect, staff waste time jumping between tools, re-entering the same information, and chasing down tasks by hand. This slows things down, creates room for mistakes, and makes it harder to scale.
One administrator summed it up:
“Nothing talks to each other. We’re stuck flipping between systems and entering the same info over and over.”
This kind of disjointed workflow drags down efficiency and hurts the patient experience. Centralizing communication and automating routine steps can free up staff and help clinics run more smoothly.
Prior Auth and Post-Op Care Are Still Too Manual
Getting prior authorization for high-cost treatments, like anti-VEGF injections for macular degeneration, is often a slow, paperwork-heavy process. Staff have to collect paperwork, submit forms, and follow up again and again to get approval, and patients are left waiting. These delays can hurt outcomes and damage trust.
The work doesn’t stop after a procedure. Patients need to follow detailed post-op instructions, like using eye drops or avoiding certain activities, but it’s hard to know if they’re following through.
“After surgery … unless they call us, we don’t always know how they’re doing – and that’s risky.”
Digital tools that send reminders, check in automatically, and flag issues early can help patients recover faster and take pressure off staff.
Embracing Technology: A Path to Operational Excellence
Many ophthalmology clinics are turning to solutions like Luma to simplify their operations and improve the patient experience. Several ophthalmology clinics have witnessed tangible benefits from implementing Luma’s solutions:
Eye Health America: During the COVID-19 pandemic, they transitioned to virtual visits using Luma’s telehealth platform, achieving a 14% increase in schedule capacity utilization and serving 629 patients virtually in one month.
Laurel Eye Clinic: Implementing Luma’s solutions led to an average monthly saving of $12,500 by reducing no-show appointments.
These examples underscore the potential of technology to transform clinic operations and patient engagement.
Taking the First Step: Strategies to Make Your Clinic Run Better
If you’re trying to improve how your clinic works, here are a few practical things you can do right away:
Audit and automate communication processes: Identify repetitive tasks like appointment reminders and follow-ups that can be automated to free up staff time.
Integrate systems for seamless workflows: Make sure your EHR, scheduling, and communication tools are connected to reduce manual data entry and errors.
Implement a robust referral management system: Track and engage referred patients systematically to minimize leakage and maximize conversions.
These small changes can solve current problems and make things run more smoothly going forward.
Ophthalmology clinic administrators deal with a lot, but these problems can be solved. With tools like the ones from Luma Health, you can cut down on busywork, stay connected with patients, and improve your bottom line. In today’s healthcare world, using smart tools isn’t a luxury – it’s a must.
Want to see how your ophthalmology practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Neurology practices are no strangers to complexity. From chronic condition management to diagnostic coordination, neurology administrators are responsible for more than just filling calendars. They’re orchestrating a high-stakes system of care that affects patients’ daily lives and long-term outcomes.
But delivering that care is getting harder.
No-shows are rising. Providers are overwhelmed. Patients fall through the cracks between consults, tests, and treatment plans. And because neurology reimbursement is heavily tied to time-based cognitive visits, not high-dollar surgeries, missed appointments aren’t just frustrating. They’re costly.
What if smarter, more integrated technology could help?
Across the country, neurology practices are turning to technology to reduce administrative burden, strengthen patient relationships, and improve access to care – without overwhelming already-stretched staff.
Why Neurology Clinics Need a Different Kind of Workflow
Neurology is a cognitive specialty, meaning that much of the value delivered both clinically and financially happens in the context of extended, often complex conversations. Whether it’s adjusting seizure medication, evaluating new migraines, or managing MS symptoms, time is the currency.
But that also means the clinic’s schedule is the lifeline. Every open slot represents a missed chance for reimbursement. Every missed follow-up is a lost opportunity for continuity of care. And every breakdown in communication, from unreturned referral calls to missed MRIs, can delay diagnosis, increase costs, and put patients at risk.
As one administrator shared: “We have a 3-month waitlist for new patients, and then they no-show.”
Or, even more urgently, “We pay upfront for infusions. If the patient doesn’t come in, we eat that cost.”
When visit volume and patient engagement directly drive your bottom line, efficiency isn’t just about convenience. It’s essential for sustainability.
When Patients Drop Off, So Does Revenue
Many neurology patients require lifelong care. But the journey isn’t always linear. A patient gets referred post-stroke but never books the MRI. Another is due for a follow-up but forgets to schedule. A child with seizures needs consistent tracking, but the family is overwhelmed and stops responding.
This isn’t just a poor patient experience. It’s lost revenue and compromised care.
Technology can bridge these gaps with automated communication that adapts to each patient’s condition and care path. Practices can send reminders for MRIs and EEGs, guide patients through pre-visit prep, and stay connected between visits through secure, two-way messaging. Patients don’t fall off the map because the practice stays one step ahead.
Fewer Staff, Higher Expectations
It’s a familiar paradox: fewer available neurologists, higher patient demand. Meanwhile, support staff are buried in portal messages, phone calls, prior authorizations, and scheduling tasks. Providers are burned out on charting. Admins are overwhelmed.
Technology alone won’t solve staffing shortages but the right technology can reduce the pressure.
Digital intake workflows can collect clinical forms ahead of visits. Secure messaging can relieve phone lines. Referral management tools eliminate bottlenecks. Appointment readiness workflows ensure patients show up with everything needed for an effective, on-time visit.
That means fewer delays, more efficient encounters, and less burnout for everyone involved.
Outcomes, Access, and Reputation
Long wait times aren’t just frustrating – they’re risky. Research shows that patients who wait more than a month for a new visit are significantly more likely to no-show. And in a specialty where the average wait can stretch for weeks or months, that’s a real problem.
When patients give up on scheduling or never hear back after a referral, they often seek care elsewhere or not at all. That’s not just a lost visit. It’s lost continuity, poorer outcomes, and weaker practice performance in a value-based care world.
Solutions like Luma Health prioritize speed and personalization. Referred patients receive timely outreach with simple scheduling options. Follow-ups are proactively nudged. Educational materials and checklists keep patients informed between visits. And after the visit, automated surveys invite feedback, helping you monitor satisfaction and build a stronger online reputation.
Customer Outcomes in Neurology
Neurology clinics using Luma Health are seeing measurable improvements across key performance areas:
A 61-day reduction in average patient wait times
Staff savings of up to 2–3 hours per day through communication automation
Improved visit adherence with fewer no-shows and cancellations
DENT Neurologic Institute, one of the largest private neurology practices in the country, has adopted Luma’s platform to streamline scheduling, follow-up, and patient communication. By meeting patients where they are, whether it’s through SMS reminders or personalized intake workflows, DENT has reduced administrative load and improved continuity for its chronic care population.
Three Smart Moves to Strengthen Neurology Operations Today
Start by analyzing your no-show rates. Where are you losing the most visit volume, and how could automated reminders or waitlists help?
Review your referral-to-appointment timeline. How long does it take for a new patient to get scheduled? Can you reduce leakage with faster, digital intake?
Take stock of staff bandwidth. What manual tasks could be automated to ease the load, like collecting forms, sending imaging reminders, or responding to refill requests?
Neurology isn’t getting simpler. But your workflows can.
With smarter tools built for cognitive specialties, clinics can reduce administrative friction, strengthen the patient-provider relationship, and improve outcomes without overloading the people behind the scenes.
For neurology clinics seeking better access, better efficiency, and better care, the path forward is already being paved. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel—you just have to optimize how it turns.
Want to see how your neurology practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
In the fast-paced world of orthopedic care, efficiency isn’t just a goal — it’s required. Every missed appointment, empty surgical slot, or delayed referral is a direct hit to revenue, operations, and provider satisfaction. For administrators, keeping high-value procedures moving through the pipeline while managing the mountain of operational tasks is an ongoing balancing act.
Orthopedic clinics have a unique challenge: they’re structured for throughput. Whether it’s a knee replacement or a fracture follow-up, every patient interaction is one link in a tightly choreographed chain of care. But when manual processes and fragmented communication slow things down, it puts pressure on staff, frustrates patients, and leaves revenue on the table.
Here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be this hard.
Orthopedic practices that invest in smarter, more connected technology are seeing measurable gains in access, scheduling efficiency, surgical readiness, and revenue capture, without adding headcount or increasing staff burnout. Let’s break down the most common pain points, and how technology like Luma can help.
The Referral Race: Why Speed and Follow-Up Matter More Than Ever
Referrals are the lifeblood of any orthopedic clinic. A steady stream of patients from PCPs, urgent care centers, and ERs fills consult slots and, ultimately, surgical schedules. But when referral intake is slow, manual, or poorly tracked, patients can fall through the cracks.
In many practices, referrals arrive via fax or email, then sit in inboxes waiting to be processed. There’s no visibility, no accountability, plus it can be hard to follow up. By the time someone reaches out to schedule an appointment, the patient may have already booked elsewhere or decided to delay care and tough it out.
Speed matters. Faster follow-up means fewer lost patients, happier referring providers, and a healthier surgical pipeline.
Missed Appointments = Missed Revenue
Joint replacements, arthroscopies, and spine procedures are some of the most profitable services for orthopedic practices, but they demand precise scheduling and coordination. When a patient cancels at the last minute or doesn’t show up, it’s not just an inconvenience. It’s lost revenue and wasted operating room time. As one orthopedic administrator shared, “Patients wait weeks for an appointment, then don’t show – we could’ve filled that slot!”
To help prevent these costly gaps, technology can appointment reminders through SMS, email, and voice, making it easier for patients to remember and prepare for their visits. If plans change, patients can quickly cancel or reschedule through two-way texting, which reduces friction and increases clinic responsiveness. And when cancellations do happen, a smart waitlist can automatically fill the open slot with another patient already waiting, which keeps your schedules full without creating extra work for staff.
Pre-Op Prep: Stop Chasing Patients
Few things are more frustrating than canceling a surgery because a patient didn’t complete a required form or lab. But in many clinics, staff spend hours each week calling patients, printing instructions, and chasing down imaging or labs – and very often these steps are tracked manually, making it easy for tasks to fall through the cracks.
The consequences? Day-of cancellations, safety concerns, and a waste of valuable surgical capacity. Without consistent, automated communication, practices lose time chasing down patients, printing instructions, and making last-minute calls—all while trying to keep the schedule on track.
Phone Lines Tied Up? Free Your Front Desk
Manual scheduling, phone tag, and voicemail overflow are common pain points. One administrator summed it up: “Our phone lines are slammed, and we don’t have enough staff to keep up.”
Rather than increasing headcount, many orthopedic practices are turning to digital access tools to offload common communication tasks. With modern technology, including agentic AI, patients can self-schedule appointments through referral links, text message reminders, or broadcast campaigns. They can also easily cancel or reschedule appointments via two-way texting – no more waiting on hold. Even lab results and follow-up communication can be handled through secure messaging.
This shift not only reduces call volume but also improves response times and overall patient satisfaction. For patients who prefer texting over voicemail or portal logins, this modern approach meets expectations while freeing up valuable staff time.
Online Reviews Matter, Especially in Competitive Markets
Patient experience may be transactional in orthopedics, but it still matters. In competitive urban markets, where patients have a range of options, online reviews can significantly influence a clinic’s growth trajectory. Additionally, in value-based care arrangements, patient satisfaction scores can directly impact reimbursement.
One missed message or unclear instruction can turn a routine visit into a poor experience. Without a structured feedback loop, issues may go unaddressed, damaging the clinic’s reputation and limiting future growth. For practices looking to enhance their online presence and maintain a competitive edge, an automated feedback loop is both strategic and sustainable.
It’s a low-effort, high-impact way to strengthen your reputation and attract new patients.
Real Results from Orthopedic Clinics Using Luma
Orthopedic practices across the country are already seeing measurable improvements with Luma. Clinics have reported:
A 61-day average reduction in wait times, allowing patients to receive timely care and improving throughput for high-demand procedures.
A 47% increase in revenue, thanks to optimized scheduling, reduced no-shows, and stronger patient retention.
Staff time savings of 2–3 hours per day by automating call handling, appointment management, and follow-up communication.
Dr. Stefano Bini, Chief Technology Officer of the UCSF Department of Orthopedic Surgery, shared:
“Luma Health has completely streamlined the scheduling process and improved patient access across multiple medical centers. Few companies have addressed a pain point in healthcare with such clear, demonstrable ROI.”
These outcomes show that with the right technology, orthopedic practices can deliver better patient care while improving the bottom line.
3 Smart Actions You Can Take Today
Want to start seeing results without a full system overhaul? Try these quick wins:
Audit your no-show and cancellation rates to identify where gaps are hurting your schedule, and implement automated reminders and waitlist tools to keep your calendar full.
Digitize your referral intake process to quickly convert referrals into scheduled visits, preventing leakage and speeding up patient access.
Automate pre-op and post-op communication using templated digital workflows to ease staff workload and keep patients on track before and after surgery.
Orthopedic care isn’t slowing down. And the clinics that thrive will be the ones that move faster, not by working harder but by working smarter. With connected, patient-centered technology, orthopedic administrators can streamline operations, maximize surgical volume, and keep patients moving forward.
That’s better for the bottom line, and better for the people you serve.
Want to see how your orthopedics practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Walk through the doors of any busy OBGYN clinic and you’ll see it immediately: phones ringing nonstop, front desk staff juggling referrals and follow-up calls, and a schedule filled with everything from ultrasounds to postpartum visits to annual exams. For practice administrators, keeping operations running smoothly while ensuring patients get the care they need is a high-wire act.
Behind the scenes, these clinics are balancing complex challenges, many of which have real impacts on care outcomes, patient satisfaction, and revenue. Whether it’s missed postpartum visits that affect value-based performance, or overburdened staff trying to track down lab results and reschedule no-shows, the operational hurdles are significant.
But they’re also solvable.
Technology, when it’s purpose-built for healthcare and tightly integrated with your EHR, can automate a lot of complexity. Platforms like Luma’s are helping OBGYN clinics reduce staff workload, improve patient engagement, and increase retention – without requiring a massive overhaul or change management lift.
Let’s explore five common pain points for OBGYN practices, and how smarter tech can help.
1. Missed Postpartum Visits and Prenatal Milestones
When patients miss postpartum checkups or important prenatal milestones, the impact goes beyond clinical care. It can also jeopardize compliance with bundled payments and value-based care metrics. In many clinics, the responsibility of keeping patients on track falls to the front desk team or to nursing staff, who often rely on inefficient methods like spreadsheets, EHR flags, or paper-based workflows to manage these critical touchpoints.
With Luma, clinics can automate these touchpoints by:
Sending timely, automated reminders via SMS, email, or voice
Allowing patients to confirm or reschedule directly from their device
Broadcasting targeted messages for groups like first-time moms or patients due for postpartum care
This results in higher adherence to clinical care guidelines and fewer missed visits that can compromise outcomes or compliance.
2. The Silent Risk of Patient Drop-Off
For many OBGYN practices, patient relationships begin during pregnancy and taper off afterward. It’s common for patients to switch providers, miss annual exams, or simply never come back. Every missed connection is a lost opportunity to deliver preventive care, as well as a missed opportunity for long-term patient retention.
The key here isn’t just outreach. It’s proactive, personalized re-engagement.
Technology solutions like Luma’s help practices build smart recall campaigns based on patient history and visit cadence. Whether someone is overdue for an annual exam, pap smear, or birth control check-in, the platform can automatically reach out, remind, and invite them back in. This kind of ongoing communication is what turns a one-time patient into a loyal one.
And in a competitive landscape, where retail clinics and telehealth providers are increasingly capturing women’s health visits, that loyalty is essential.
3. Staff Overload and Phone Volume
From appointment changes to lab result follow-ups to insurance questions, front desk teams and clinical staff can get overwhelmed by call volume. One missed message can snowball into a delayed visit, a missed test, or a frustrated patient.
Instead of hiring more staff or adding overtime, many clinics are finding relief in smart workflows. Luma helps by:
Surfacing patient communication alongside the appointment desk
Digitizing and managing inbound referrals and faxes
Reducing inbound calls by automating appointment changes
By automating routine communication, staff can focus on providing high-touch, in-person care right where they’re needed most.
4. No-Shows for Ultrasounds, Procedures, and Annuals
Ultrasound slots are precious. So are colposcopy appointments, IUD insertions, and annual exams. Every no-show leaves a gap in care — and in the schedule. And while reminder calls help, they often come too late or are missed entirely.
With Luma, practices can automate appointment reminders days and hours before a visit, giving patients multiple chances to confirm or reschedule. The smart waitlist functionality can then fill those openings in real time, often with patients who are already on standby for sooner availability.
Clinics using Luma have seen no-show rates drop dramatically. In fact, one OBGYN practice cut missed appointments in half and saw a $10,000 monthly revenue lift after implementing Luma’s reminder and waitlist tools.
5. Slow, Manual Referral and Intake Processes
Every day a referral sits in a fax inbox is a day of delayed care. In fertility consultations or high-risk pregnancy referrals, those delays can disrupt care timelines and patient confidence. Unfortunately, annual referral intake processes often create bottlenecks that slow down patient access.
Luma’s referral management tools streamline the entire intake process, from digitizing referrals to collecting pre-visit paperwork and ensuring the patient is ready for care. Automated outreach keeps patients informed while reducing the phone tag that slows everything down.
Registration and appointment prep solutions can streamline the check-in process and ensure that everything, from forms to pre-visit screenings, is completed ahead of time, so appointments start on time and with all the necessary information in place.
3 Smart Ways to Start Improving Your Workflows Today
You don’t have to tackle everything at once. Here are three actions you can take now to start seeing impact:
Audit your no-show rates. Start by identifying the appointment types with the highest no-show rates. Then consider layering in automated reminders and a smart waitlist to recapture lost revenue.
Map your referral-to-intake process. Where are the delays? How long does it take to convert a referral into a scheduled appointment? Look for gaps you can automate.
Segment your patients for smarter outreach. Create lists based on care timelines (e.g., postpartum, annuals, overdue labs) and use recall tools to bring patients back in proactively.
With the right technology, OBGYN clinics don’t have to choose between efficiency and compassion. By automating the workflows that slow your team down, you make space for better care, stronger patient relationships, and better clinical and financial outcomes.
And that’s a win for everyone.
Want to see how your OBGYN practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Ask any dermatology practice administrator what keeps them up at night, and the answers are surprisingly consistent: empty chairs from last-minute no-shows, front desk teams drowning in manual calls, and schedules that pit high-revenue cosmetic visits against urgent medical needs. Add in clunky tech and poor patient communication, and the result is a frustrating (and expensive) game of Tetris.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
The most successful dermatology practices today are investing in smarter, more connected systems that reduce manual work, improve the patient experience, and grow high-margin service lines—without burning out staff. And the good news? It doesn’t require an expensive overhaul.
Let’s look at the pain points dermatology administrators are facing, and how the right technology — especially when it’s tightly integrated with a practice’s EHR — can make a measurable difference.
No-Shows Cost More Than You Think
Whether it’s a routine skin check or a time-sensitive MOHS procedure, no-shows are a persistent headache. These missed visits don’t just disrupt the schedule — they hit the bottom line, especially when high-value procedures are left on the table.
Many practices try to manage no-shows manually: calls from the front desk, reminder postcards, sticky notes on monitors. But without automation, it’s nearly impossible to consistently reach patients with the right message at the right time.
Here’s where Luma can help:
Automated, tailored appointment reminders via SMS, email, and voice
Smart waitlist tools that backfill canceled appointments in real time
Two-way messaging so patients can easily confirm, cancel, or reschedule
The result? Fewer gaps in the schedule, higher visit volume, and less stress on staff.
Cosmetic vs. Medical Scheduling: Stop the Tug-of-War
Balancing medical dermatology with a growing cosmetic service line is a common challenge. One missed Botox consultation could mean hundreds in lost revenue, but squeezing it in shouldn’t mean pushing back a skin cancer re-check.
What dermatology leaders need is more control and visibility — not just over the calendar, but over how patients are booked, routed, and prepared. With Luma, practices can segment patient communications by visit type to ensure cosmetic and medical visits are managed with intention.
Cosmetic patients can be proactively contacted for follow-ups or reminders, while medical patients receive clear, timely instructions for urgent care. Each type of visit can have its own tailored pre- and post-visit communication, reducing confusion and making room for both care priorities.
This kind of targeted outreach not only boosts revenue, but also helps practices prioritize urgent medical visits.
The Front Desk Is Drowning in Manual Tasks
Dermatology front office staff are often responsible for it all: referrals, intake, reminders, test results, follow-ups, prior authorizations, and scheduling. And while practices have talented, hardworking teams, the reality is this level of manual work isn’t sustainable.
It’s also not necessary with today’s technology. Luma can dramatically reduce the staff burden by automating many of the highest-friction workflows:
Digital check-in and mobile forms for faster intake
Referral and recall management tools to keep patients on track
Prior auth workflows that flag missing info before it causes delays
When these pieces are automated, staff have more time to focus on what truly matters: the patient standing in front of them.
Poor Communication = Poor Retention
Many dermatology clinics find that patient retention is surprisingly low. Why? Because communication often stops once the appointment ends. Patients forget to schedule re-checks, misunderstand follow-up instructions, or miss a call with test results.
The solution lies in delivering timely, consistent communication that keeps patients engaged between visits. With Luma, clinics can automatically send secure messages when it’s time to come back, provide easy access to test results and follow-up instructions, and share educational content that builds trust and encourages return visits.
When patients feel informed, supported, and connected, they’re far more likely to stay loyal to the practice — and far less likely to fall through the cracks.
3 Smart Steps You Can Take Today
Not ready for a full technology overhaul? No problem. Here are three quick wins to get started:
Map your manual workflows: Identify where your team is losing the most time (referrals, follow-ups, appointment reminders) and consider automation opportunities.
Segment your patient communication: Start grouping cosmetic and medical patients to deliver more relevant messages and increase retention.
Start filling gaps with a smart waitlist: Even without major system changes, implementing a smart waitlist can help you reduce no-shows and backfill cancellations automatically—keeping your schedule full and high-value appointments on the books.
The road to a more efficient, patient-friendly dermatology clinic doesn’t have to be long or complicated. With the right tools in place, practices can ease the burden on staff, improve communication, and grow both medical and cosmetic lines of business—one smarter workflow at a time.
Want to see how your dermatology practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
It’s a familiar paradox in healthcare: volumes are up, but margins are down. According to Strata Decision Technology, U.S. health systems saw outpatient visits increase by 5.6% and inpatient admissions by 4.6% year-over-year as of March 2025. Gross outpatient revenue rose by 10% in the same period, yet the median year-to-date operating margin has fallen to just 0.9%, the first drop below 1% in over a year.
This trend, outlined in the recent Health Management Academy report “Health System Margins Take a Fall” (May 2025), highlights a sobering truth: cost growth is outpacing revenue growth, and many systems are finding it harder than ever to maintain financial sustainability, even as demand for care continues to rise.
The Expense Squeeze: Non-Labor Costs Take Center Stage
Labor has long been a primary cost concern for health system CFOs, but now non-labor expenses are rising faster. Drug expenses rose by 11.5%, supply costs by 10.8%, and purchased services, which includes everything from cleaning contracts to revenue cycle support, jumped by 9.5% year-over-year.
These increases are difficult to offset through traditional productivity improvements or staffing cuts alone. As the report notes, these expenses “continue to outpace growth, compressing margins to increasingly unsustainable levels.”
The implication is clear: cost control efforts must expand beyond headcount. Leaders will need to examine the systems, contracts, and workflows that drive non-labor spend.
Outpatient Growth Brings Its Own Challenges
The shift toward outpatient care is continuing, and while it’s often been touted as a way to lower costs and improve access, it’s not a magic wand. Outpatient revenue may be rising, but these services often bring thinner margins than traditional inpatient care, meaning health systems must see more patients just to break even.
Operationally, outpatient settings mean more appointments, more communication, and more coordination. This higher-volume, lower-margin model demands precision and efficiency.
Managing capacity constraints smartly becomes essential in this setting, and health systems must focus on optimizing every slot, room, and provider schedule. That means reducing last-minute cancellations, improving schedule accuracy, and ensuring patients are ready to be seen.
Industry data underscores the urgency of this challenge. According to the Sg2 2024 Impact of Change report, outpatient volumes are projected to increase by 17% over the next decade, reaching 5.82 billion annual visits, driven by an aging population, increased incidence of chronic diseases, and a higher demand for mental health services.
To address these capacity challenges, health systems are increasingly turning to technology solutions. For instance, AI-powered software can help optimize scheduling, reduce no-shows, and improve patient flow. A LeanTaaS report found over 90% of hospital leaders cited staffing limits and inefficient discharges as major barriers to patient flow.
Investing in the right tools, systems can match capacity to demand without burning out staff or compromising patient care.
Executive Response: Strategic Alignment Over Shiny Objects
In this climate, health system leaders are rethinking their approach to innovation and investment. According to the report, CFOs and CSOs are prioritizing:
Cost containment across both labor and non-labor categories
Strategic initiatives with demonstrable margin improvement or ROI
Technologies that support operational efficiency or revenue capture
New projects are under tighter scrutiny. The focus is shifting away from experimentation and toward execution. We hear a constant refrain from our Luma customers and partners: “we must automate since we’re being asked to do more with the same or less people resources.”
As The Health Management Academy notes, “Initiatives that clearly improve margin, reduce cost, or accelerate ROI will rise to the top of the executive agenda.”
Technology’s Role: From Nice-to-Have to Need-to-Have
While some health systems may slow their tech investment in response to budget pressures, innovators are doubling down on tools that demonstrate clear financial value. Platforms that automate manual workflows, reduce appointment leakage, or accelerate revenue cycle processes are becoming more essential, not less.
At Luma, we’ve seen this shift firsthand. Many of our health system partners are using our platform to:
[lead with an Access bullet, something around capturing new /retaining existing patients]
Reduce no-show rates with automated reminders and smart waitlists
Streamline intake and referral workflows to reduce overhead and improve throughput
Engage patients through cost-effective digital channels like text messaging instead of manual calls
Get creative and think big when automating processes to reduce manual work across the access, revenue cycle management, and clinical spaces
In an environment where every hour and every dollar counts, these types of improvements are not just helpful. They’re critical.
Where Do Health Systems Go From Here?
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to the margin challenge. But some strategies are emerging as consistent priorities:
Be ruthless about ROI. Whether it’s a service line expansion or a new vendor contract, every initiative must show financial value.
Target the cost centers you can control. Drug pricing and supply chain issues are often outside your immediate influence. Focus on workflows, communication, and staffing efficiency where you can make an impact.
Consolidate where it makes sense. Strategic alignment and vendor consolidation can support tighter margins.
Invest in patient access. Higher patient volume only drives margin if appointments are kept, follow-ups are timely, and throughput is optimized.
Final Thoughts: Focused Innovation Wins the Day
The data is clear: volumes are up, but costs are rising faster. For health system leaders, the challenge now is to drive financial performance in this new normal. That means focusing not just on cost cutting, but on optimizing and identifying where investment in people, process, and technology can yield the greatest margin impact.
Innovation isn’t off the table. It’s just under new constraints, and perhaps becoming even more vital. The most effective solutions will be those that prove their worth in real terms: time saved, revenue created/captured, and costs avoided.
That’s the future of operational strategy in healthcare. And it starts now.
For oncology practices, each day is a balancing act of delivering coordinated, compassionate care to patients navigating serious and often complex conditions, while also managing a complex web of administrative responsibilities behind the scenes.
From chasing prior authorizations for chemotherapy to coordinating infusion chairs, labs, scans, and specialists visits across multiple locations, it’s no surprise that oncology administrators are overwhelmed. As one practice leader put it, “Scheduling is a constant puzzle”
The complexity adds up. Staff burnout rises. Referral or authorization delays lead to treatment delays. No shows become more frequent, especially when patients are feeling unwell or unclear on pre-visit instructions.
Amid all of this, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
When complexity slows care, everyone feels it
Unlike other specialties, delays in oncology aren’t just frustrating, they can be dangerous. A missed infusion or delayed scan can ripple through an entire care plan. Meanwhile, patients often need more support, not less, to stay on track during treatment.
The good news? Oncology practices are finding ways to ease the burden on staff and patients alike, without sacrificing the quality or humanity of care.
Reimagining the patient journey
Imagine this: A patient undergoing treatment receives a friendly reminder about their upcoming appointment, along with tailored prep instructions based on their specific visit type. If they’re feeling unwell, they can quickly reschedule with a few taps, rather than missing the visit entirely.
Behind the scenes, referrals, lab orders, and imaging requests flow seamlessly between providers and departments. Staff are no longer stuck on the phone coordinating next steps—they’re focused on higher-value work. And pre-authorizations for infusions or specialty meds move faster because everything is tracked and organized in one place.
The payoff? More patients complete their treatment plans on time. Fewer cancellations. Less chaos for staff.
Small Changes, Big Results
This isn’t just theoretical. Technology is playing a critical role in how oncology practices are delivering care and supporting their teams. Platforms like Luma Health are helping practices streamline operations, enhance patient engagement, and reduce the daily friction that weighs down both staff and patients.
At Monterey Bay GI Consultants, automation helps the specialty practice reduce the time and cost of outreach, saving $5.7 million in external call center expenses while driving $412,000 in increased referral volume. While not an oncology practice, their story shows how operational efficiency directly benefits both patients and practice revenue.
Banner Health saw similar results with a 20% reduction in no-shows for CTs, mammograms, and MRIs and a corresponding revenue boost. The key in both cases was consistent, personalized communication with patients—at scale.
For oncology, where communication needs to be not just timely but deeply compassionate, that kind of scalable personalization can be a game-changer.
Bringing Consistency to Complexity
One of the biggest challenges in oncology is variability: different sites, different teams, different instructions. But patients don’t see departments—they see one care experience. When intake instructions vary between locations, or when follow-up communications fall through the cracks, trust erodes.
Platforms like Luma help standardize workflows so every patient gets clear, accurate information, no matter where they’re seen. Automated care pathways and templates ensure consistency while still allowing for the empathy and human touch that oncology care demands.
And for patients moving through long and complex treatment plans, visibility matters. Practices can track where each patient is in their journey and ensure they’re ready for the next step, whether it’s an infusion, a scan, or a follow-up.
By automating the routine—like appointment reminders, pre-visit instructions, and follow-ups—oncology teams can focus on what matters most: delivering excellent care, with compassion and clarity.
Practical Steps to Enhance Your Oncology Practice
Improving oncology operations doesn’t have to start with a full-scale transformation. Here are three actions practices can take today to begin easing operational strain and enhancing patient experience:
Audit your communication touchpoints. Where are patients getting confused or falling through the cracks? Map the journey from referral to treatment and identify opportunities to clarify, automate, or standardize.
Start small with automation. Pick one workflow to automate—like referral outreach or lab coordination—and measure the impact. Even a single change can reduce hours of manual work.
Give patients an easier way to engage. Whether it’s through two-way text messaging, mobile intake forms, or digital prep instructions, offering modern, convenient tools can dramatically reduce no-shows and improve satisfaction.
By taking these steps, oncology practices can enhance patient care, reduce staff burden, and improve overall operational efficiency.
Cancer care will always be complex. But by combining compassionate care with the right tools, practices can create a more supportive, efficient environment for everyone involved.
And that’s a win worth showing up for.
Want to see how your oncology practice could benefit from smarter workflows and more connected patient experiences? Schedule a personalized demo with the Luma Health team to explore how our platform can help you streamline operations, reduce no-shows, and support your patients every step of the way.
Healthcare organizations under pressure to reduce costs are often tempted by offshore call centers offering rates as low as $7.50 per hour. On paper, that sounds like a smart move—especially when access center teams are struggling to keep up with rising patient demand, missed appointments, and burnout.
But as leaders at several health systems have discovered, what looks like a 20x cost savings on paper rarely plays out that way in practice. When you add up the full cost of offshore staffing—and compare it to what modern AI can offer—there’s a strong case for investing in automation instead.
Here’s why AI-powered access solutions like Luma Health’s Navigator are not only more cost-effective, but a smarter, more scalable choice for healthcare organizations looking to modernize patient engagement.
The Hidden Costs of Offshore Call Centers
1. Turnover and training burn resources. Offshore call centers, especially those supporting healthcare, face high employee turnover—ranging from 30% to 45%. Every time an agent leaves, organizations incur hidden costs: onboarding, training, and productivity losses. If it takes up to three months to fully train a new access center agent, that’s three months before they’re even able to support patients confidently.
2. Management overhead adds up. Managing offshore teams introduces friction. Organizations must accommodate time zones, language barriers, performance oversight, and quality assurance processes. Add in the infrastructure to securely handle sensitive data and the model quickly becomes more complex—and expensive—than anticipated.
Even when healthcare organizations outsource offshore staffing through an agency—avoiding the need to manage those teams directly—the burden doesn’t disappear. Practices still face high costs, delays from turnover, and frustrating coordination challenges. The agency may handle day-to-day management, but communication gaps, time zone friction, and inefficiencies still land squarely on the practice’s shoulders. The promise of “hands-off” management often turns out to be more complicated in practice.
3. Compliance and security risk. Partnering with an offshore vendor can introduce risk: U.S. laws including HIPAA may not be enforceable in other countries and enforcing contractual obligations including anything referenced in a Business Associate Agreement may be difficult. Offshore vendors, depending on locale may not maintain the same standard of security and privacy controls we have come to expect in the U.S. and auditing their processes may be more difficult. These factors could lead to increased compliance and reputational risks that healthcare systems cannot afford to take lightly.
Why AI Agents Are Built for the Realities of Patient Access
1. AI is always on. Solutions like Navigator don’t clock out at the end of the day. They operate 24/7, instantly engaging patients for scheduling, appointment cancellation, rescheduling, medication refill intake and more — no shift coordination or overnight staffing required.
2. AI agents scale instantly. Need to handle a surge in call volume or launch a new service line? AI can scale up in minutes — not months. No hiring pipeline. No onboarding lag. No burnout.
3. AI eliminates training gaps. There’s no ramp-up period for Navigator. It launches with predefined workflows and can be configured to match your organization’s protocols. Staff training isn’t needed—and consistency is guaranteed.
4. AI agents reduce human error. Unlike offshore agents who rely on training and manual processes, Navigator handles workflows with accuracy and automation, minimizing the risk of miscommunication, data entry mistakes, or missed follow-ups.
The Real Financial Picture
Let’s revisit that $7.50/hour offshore agent. Sure, it’s cheap upfront — but it doesn’t tell the full story.
Training cycles cost time. Every new hire or attrition cycle delays service and drains staff resources.
Manual outreach costs scale poorly. Texting, calling, and rescheduling at volume overwhelms even large offshore teams.
AI solutions cost less in the long run. It doesn’t take breaks, quit, or require constant retraining—and it’s been shown to reduce delivery results.
The Security and Compliance Advantage
Navigator is built specifically for healthcare with privacy and security at its core. It’s HIPAA-compliant, integrated with leading EHRs, and rigorously tested to meet enterprise-grade security standards. Navigator builds upon Luma’s existing security programs and certifications in this area, including HITRUST CSF r2, ISO 27001:2022, US-EU Privacy Framework and TX-RAMP Level 2. Additionally, our annual SOC 2 Type II process reinforces our dedication to security and compliance. We’re committed to the gold standard in healthcare information security. We believe so strongly in our security programs that our policies are available publicly, without NDA at https://policy.lumahealth.io.
Luma employs robust data protection measures to safeguard sensitive information and access to data is strictly controlled through least-privilege principles, multi-factor authentication, VPNs, and context-aware access.
Navigator harnesses cutting-edge leading foundational AI models from trusted partners such as Vapi, Deepgram, OpenAI, Claude, and Elevenlabs. These models are regularly updated, with new versions released periodically — typically when they offer significant improvements in capabilities and performance.
It’s important to note that no patient data is ever used to train any models, and we operate on a zero-retention model, so no data is retained any third parties.
Final Takeaway: Cheap ≠ Scalable or Effective
Offshore agents may seem like a bargain — but in healthcare, speed, reliability, and data integrity matter more than hourly rates. When the true cost of managing offshore resources is considered, the math changes quickly.
AI agent solutions like Navigator are purpose-built for modern access needs: reducing staff burden, closing gaps in care, and delivering a better experience for patients — day or night.
Want to explore what AI-led access could look like for your organization? Let’s talk.
FAQs
How does pricing for Navigator compare to offshore call center models in real terms? While specific pricing details are not publicly disclosed, Luma Health emphasizes that its AI-native Patient Success Platform reduces manual tasks, leading to increased efficiency and revenue. For instance, you can review the real outcomes that UAMS has seen using Navigator, suggesting significant cost savings compared to traditional staffing models.
Can Navigator handle both inbound and outbound workflows? Yes. Navigator is designed to manage both inbound and outbound patient communications.
What specific workflows can Navigator automate today? Navigator can automate a range of workflows, including:
Patient scheduling
Appointment confirmation
Appointment cancellation
Appointment listing
Appointment rescheduling
Prescription refills intake
Solve patient questions based on prescripted info from a website or other input
And more!
How does Navigator integrate with my EHR or practice management system? Navigator offers bidirectional, seamless integration with all major EHRs—including Epic, eClinicalWorks, MEDITECH, Oracle Cerner, and athenahealth—ensuring patient data flows smoothly and securely between systems. Backed by over a decade of experience in building deep, robust EHR integrations, Luma is uniquely positioned to deliver reliable, scalable connectivity that reduces manual work, minimizes errors, and enables smarter workflows. Unlike other solutions, our proven integration track record means you won’t be left troubleshooting or relying on partial connections.
What are the limits of AI agents in complex patient interactions? While Navigator handles a wide array of patient interactions, complex cases may still require human intervention. Navigator agents are designed to triage and escalate issues appropriately, ensuring patients are attended to appropriately and in a timely manner, receiving the necessary attention without overburdening staff.
What kind of results have other health systems seen? Healthcare organizations using Luma Health’s platform have reported:
What’s the implementation timeline and IT lift? Luma Health emphasizes ease of implementation with its platform. It happens in four key steps with each step taking approximately 7 business days: 1) solution design, 2) account configuration and QA testing, 3) user acceptance, and 4) go-live including go-live readiness. Dedicated support throughout the process ensures a smooth integration with existing systems, minimizing IT burden.
Can we configure Navigator to reflect our branding, scripts, or workflows? Absolutely. Luma Health offers configurable workflows, allowing organizations to tailor the agent workflow to their specific needs and maintain consistency with their brand identity. (YouTube)
How do patients respond to interacting with an AI agent instead of a human? Patients have responded positively to interactions with an AI agent, appreciating the convenience and efficiency. Luma Health’s platform is designed to enhance patient engagement, leading to improved satisfaction and outcomes.
Right now, uncertainty is the only constant in healthcare. Leaders are grappling with budget cuts, shifting policies, legal challenges to long-standing mandates, and an exhausted workforce. The landscape is evolving rapidly, often without clear guidance on what’s next or how to prepare.
But throughout this unpredictability, one thing hasn’t changed: people still get sick. Families still need answers. Communities still rely on timely, high-quality care. In fact, the need for accessible, efficient healthcare has never been more urgent.
This is not a moment to pause. It’s a moment to refocus — and double down on patient access and operational efficiency.
The New Normal of Uncertainty
Across the industry, leaders are feeling the squeeze from every angle. At the policy level, questions around Medicaid expansion, telehealth reimbursement, and DEI initiatives have created a fog of confusion. Funding windows open and close without warning. Priorities shift seemingly overnight. And no one’s quite sure what will be funded — or when.
Operationally, the pressure is relentless. Staffing shortages are hitting hard, not just in clinical roles, but also in IT departments and access centers. Burnout is no longer just a concern; it’s the reality. At a recent industry event, one executive remarked that call volumes at their access center were spiking — not because of new demand, but because frustrated patients couldn’t navigate existing digital tools. The system is overloaded.
Financially, most health systems are operating with little room for error. Margins are flat or shrinking. IT teams are being asked to stretch aging systems further while driving innovation on tighter budgets. In this environment, every inefficiency becomes a liability.
And then there’s the patient experience — the part of the story that can get overshadowed.
The debates about policy are ongoing, but one thing is clear: people still need care. Delaying that care doesn’t make the need go away, it just makes it more urgent later.
What Happens If We Wait
In times of uncertainty, it’s tempting to hold still. To wait for clarity before making changes. But in healthcare, waiting often makes things worse.
Delaying or deprioritizing access initiatives won’t stabilize the system — it will destabilize it further:
Backlogs grow
No-shows increase
Revenue leaks worsen
Health outcomes decline
And once patients disengage from the system, rebuilding that trust is possible but it takes more time, and money, to bring them back.
Focus, Not Freeze
Instead of freezing, healthcare organizations must focus. That means getting smarter about where and how they invest in access and efficiency.
Lean Into Efficiency
Efficiency doesn’t mean doing more with less. It means doing the right things, better.
Implement intelligent scheduling that adapts to patient preferences and acuity.
Use automation and AI to streamline administrative workflows.
Centralize access operations to create consistency across departments.
Small improvements in how appointments are booked, how reminders are sent, or how patients are guided through the system can lead to big wins — for both experience and revenue.
Prioritize Access
Even modest improvements in scheduling or communication can yield major results:
One health system reduced no-shows by 27% through automated appointment reminders
Another saw a 15% boost in revenue simply by offering easier self-scheduling
Remember: prioritizing access is essential to healthcare because access is the gateway to outcomes. If patients can’t get in the door (whether that door is physical, digital, or operational) nothing else in the care journey can happen.
Build Resilience Into Your Tech Stack
Technology, too, plays a key role. The future isn’t about ripping out what’s already in place. It’s about building resilience into what’s already working.
This isn’t the time for short-term patches. Invest in systems designed to evolve:
Rules-based workflows to automate repetitive tasks
Modular architecture that extends the life of existing platforms
Low-code automation to adapt quickly to new policy or market demands
When done right, these investments don’t just help organizations weather uncertainty. They make them more agile, more adaptive, and ultimately more effective.
Leading Through Uncertainty: A Call to Action
This moment calls for leadership — not paralysis. The health systems and clinics that come out stronger won’t be the ones that waited. They’ll be the ones that acted with purpose, even amid ambiguity, in order to:
Keep patients at the center — always.
Treat access as a strategic lever, not just an operational concern.
Make deliberate, high-impact investments, even when budgets are tight.
Because at the end of the day, uncertainty doesn’t change the mission. It clarifies it. If anything, uncertainty makes it clearer than ever: every patient deserves access to timely, compassionate, and efficient care. People still need care. They always will. And the systems that serve them need to be ready — not someday, but now.
In healthcare, solving challenges always requires more than a single step. From scheduling appointments and verifying insurance to managing care transitions and reducing no-shows, the path to better patient outcomes is rarely straightforward. Just as healthcare organizations rely on interconnected systems like electronic health records (EHRs) and practice management software, AI solutions are most effective when they work together seamlessly.
This is where agentic AI comes in. Agentic AI refers to a system of specialized AI agents—each designed to perform specific tasks—working in coordination to achieve a larger goal. Think of it as a team of experts, each contributing their skills to move a patient smoothly through their care journey. By handling tasks autonomously, these agents reduce administrative burdens and allow healthcare teams to focus on what they do best: caring for patients.
At Luma Health, we believe the future of healthcare lies in the collaboration of AI agents. Our AI-powered Navigator solution uses agentic AI to streamline workflows, improve patient experiences, and drive measurable outcomes. From automating routine tasks to providing actionable insights, our network of AI agents supports both operational and patient care teams in delivering exceptional care.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how multiple AI agents work together to solve complex healthcare challenges, the benefits of agentic AI, and how Luma Health is helping providers navigate this new era of intelligent automation.
What is Agentic AI and How Does it Work?
Agentic AI is like having a team of digital assistants, each with its own role, working together to achieve a common goal. Each agent is specialized, meaning it has a clear task—whether that’s gathering data, analyzing information, or triggering actions.
As Ivan Viragine, AI Engineering Manager at Luma Health, explains: “An agent is a combination of a large language model (LLM), a prompt, and a set of tools. In Navigator’s case, we have one agent for verifying a patient’s identity, another for listing appointments, and others for tasks like confirming visits. These agents work together to achieve their goal of understanding and fulfilling the user’s request.”
These agents coordinate in real time, adjusting their actions based on new information. For example, if a patient cancels an appointment, one agent verifies the patient’s identity, another lists the upcoming appointments to confirm which one to cancel, and a third cancels it directly in the EHR. This intelligent division of labor reduces administrative burden and ensures patients receive timely care.
This multi-agent or “agentic AI” approach also improves accuracy and reliability. Instead of relying on a single AI to parse an overwhelming set of rules or data—like expecting one person to memorize and apply a 100-page manual—agentic AI distributes the cognitive load. Each agent focuses on a smaller, well-defined domain (like one chapter of that manual), and a coordinating supervisor directs requests to the most relevant agent. This specialization not only speeds up performance but also reduces the risk of error or confusion—especially critical in healthcare, where mistakes can have serious consequences. The result is a system that’s more capable, precise, and less prone to “I can’t help you with that” dead-ends.
Why Healthcare Needs Agentic AI Systems
Healthcare operations are inherently complex. From scheduling and follow-ups to prior authorizations and patient communications, these processes often require complex coordination with large groups of people. Disconnected systems lead to inefficiencies, delays, and frustrated patients. On top of that, healthcare staff are burdened with administrative tasks—research shows that clinicians spend nearly 50% of their time on paperwork and administrative work, taking away from patient care.
Healthcare needs multi-agent AI systems. Many real-world patient interactions are too nuanced for a single agent to manage. Imagine a patient who wants to cancel her upcoming PCP appointment and refill her child’s prescription—all within one call to the clinic’s access center. A common scenario, yet far too intricate for traditional, monolithic AI systems to handle effectively. This is where multi-agent AI shines.
One way to understand the power of agentic AI is through analogy: imagine asking a person to memorize a 100-page instruction manual and then locate the answer to a very specific question. The likelihood of them missing or mismanaging the task is high—because the answer might live in a tiny paragraph on page 56. But if you break the manual into chapters and assign a smaller expert to each one, then have a supervisor route questions to the right expert, accuracy improves dramatically. Each specialized agent only needs to sift through a narrow slice of information, which significantly reduces the risk of misunderstanding or error.
This is especially critical in healthcare, where the consequences of a mismanaged task can directly affect patient safety or delay care. Smaller, specialized agents reduce cognitive load and hallucinations—two well-documented risks in large language models—resulting in more reliable performance.
Think of agentic AI like a surgical team. Each member—surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurse—has a well-defined role. Similarly, AI agents specialize in distinct functions:
Data collection agent: Gathers patient information from EHRs and appointment systems.
Analysis agent: Reviews that data to detect care gaps or conflicts.
Action agent: Sends reminders, confirms appointments, or alerts care teams.
As Hwee Min Loh, Senior Product Manager at Luma Health, describes it: “Agentic AI means that the reasoning framework is spread across multiple specialized agents, rather than relying on one massive list of instructions. This reduces common issues like hallucination and enables more accurate, reliable outcomes. Navigator ensures all patient requests are directed to the right specialized agents.”
Real-World Use Cases of Agentic AI in Healthcare
At Luma Health, we see the impact of agentic AI systems every day. One compelling example is our work with UAMS (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences). Faced with rising call volumes and patient communication challenges, UAMS partnered with Luma Health to deploy our Navigator AI platform.
With Navigator’s agentic AI approach:
Intelligent routing: Calls and messages were automatically routed to the right AI agent based on patient intent, and transferred to a staff member if Navigator could not support that request today.
Automated schedule checking: Agents assisted in verifying patient identity, looking up appointment information, and assisting with appointment confirmation or cancellation
24/7 support: Patients are able to get information about their upcoming appointments and take appropriate actions anytime.
The results were transformative—UAMS saw a 20% decrease in patient no-shows and significantly reduced call center volume. Staff were freed from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on providing high-value care. Learn more in our UAMS case study.
Looking Ahead — The Future of Agentic AI in Healthcare
The future of multi-agent AI in healthcare is exciting. As AI systems become more adaptive, predictive, and personalized, hospitals will increasingly rely on agentic AI to anticipate patient needs and proactively manage care.
Adaptive systems: Agents will learn from real-time data to refine decision-making and respond to evolving situations, ensuring continuous process improvement.
Predictive insights: AI agents will leverage advanced analytics to predict patient risks, recommend preventive interventions, and reduce hospital readmissions.
Personalized experiences: Patients will receive tailored communication and support through AI-driven interactions that account for their medical history and preferences.
Healthcare organizations will further integrate agentic AI for proactive care management—reducing administrative burdens, improving operational efficiency, and ultimately enhancing patient outcomes. At Luma Health, we’re excited to continue leading this transformation, empowering providers to deliver exceptional care through the power of many AI agents.
AI Agents Must Collaborate
No single AI agent can solve healthcare challenges alone. Just as healthcare providers work as teams, AI agents are most effective when they collaborate to streamline operations and enhance patient care.
At Luma Health, we are committed to applying the power of multi-agent AI to make healthcare easier for providers and patients alike. By leveraging Navigator’s agentic workflow, we help healthcare organizations reduce administrative burdens, improve operational efficiency, and ensure patients receive timely, high-quality care.
How does agentic AI integrate with our existing systems like EHRs or practice management software?
Luma’s Navigator platform is designed to integrate seamlessly with leading EHRs, scheduling systems, and communication tools. Whether you’re using Epic, Cerner, Athenahealth, or other platforms, our AI agents can access and act on real-time data through secure API connections and industry-standard integrations.
What is the implementation timeline? How much lift is required from our IT team?
Most organizations see their first AI workflows live within weeks. Our dedicated team handles the heavy lifting of that first implementation, with minimal demands on your IT resources. We tailor the rollout to your existing workflows and provide hands-on support to ensure a smooth transition. There are also self-serve tools available so that you can build your own workflows in a no-code, easy-to-use interface using Navigator’s individual agentic AI skills.
Is this secure and HIPAA-compliant?
Yes. Security and compliance are non-negotiable. Luma Health is HIPAA-compliant and HITRUST-certified, and all agent actions are fully auditable. Our platform ensures patient data is handled securely at every step, with encryption and strict access controls built in.
Will Navigator replace my staff?
Navigator is designed to augment, not replace, your team. By taking on repetitive and time-consuming tasks like scheduling, appointment reminders, and eligibility checks, our AI agents free up your staff to focus on high-value interactions that improve the patient experience and operational outcomes.
What happens when the AI doesn’t know what to do?
Agentic AI is built to collaborate—with each other and with your team. When an agent encounters a complex or ambiguous request, it automatically escalates the task to a human staff member. Patients never hit a dead end, and your team is always in the loop.
How do I measure the ROI of agentic AI?
Navigator includes built-in analytics that track key performance metrics—reduction in call volume, no-show rates, scheduling efficiency, and more. Our clients often see measurable impact within the first few weeks of deployment.
Can we customize workflows or agent behavior?
Yes. Each Navigator agent can be configured to fit your needs, such as modifying the welcome and end message, the agent’s voice, and the action it can take with your patient. Whether you want agents to follow specific scripts, recognize custom intents, or trigger internal protocols, we give you the flexibility to stay in control. There are also self-serve tools available so that you can build your own workflows in a no-code, easy-to-use interface using Navigator’s individual agentic AI skills.
How do patients feel about interacting with AI agents?
Patients appreciate fast, 24/7 access to the help they need—without waiting on hold. Our Spark AI is designed to be transparent and patient-friendly, clearly indicating when they’re interacting with a digital assistant. When needed, agents seamlessly hand off to staff, ensuring a smooth and trusted experience.
Changing your electronic health record (EHR) system is one of the most significant technology decisions a healthcare organization can make. But while most teams are laser-focused on the EHR transition itself, they may miss a critical opportunity: reevaluating their broader tech stack.
At Luma, we’ve seen firsthand how organizations like University Hospitals took a comprehensive approach to their EHR migration. Stacy Porter, who previously served as the VP of Digital Transformation at University Hospitals in Cleveland, says: “When you’re implementing a new EHR, it’s not just an opportunity — it’s an obligation to look at your entire digital portfolio.”
Here’s why evaluating your IT landscape during an EHR transition can unlock long-term value and how Luma can be an invaluable partner in the process.
1. Consolidate and Simplify Your Digital Portfolio
An EHR change often reveals redundancies and inefficiencies. Before University Hospitals switched to Epic, according to Porter, they completed a capability mapping exercise to compare their existing digital tools — including platforms like Salesforce, Conversa, and RevSpring — against Epic’s capabilities. This allowed them to make informed decisions about what to keep, what to replace, and where gaps existed.
Rather than defaulting to piecemeal solutions like Twilio for patient reminder texts, Porter asked: “Is there a vendor that can consolidate these functions and provide additional value?” Enter Luma Health. By selecting a partner like Luma, they reduced their vendor sprawl and ensured seamless interoperability with Epic from day one.
“When you’re implementing a new EHR, it’s not just an opportunity — it’s an obligation to look at your entire digital portfolio.”
Stacy Porter, former VP of Digital Transformation at University Hospitals
2. Co-Design for Long-Term Success
When evaluating vendors during an EHR transition, consider how co-designing can prevent future headaches. Porter emphasized this strategic approach: “We co-designed with Luma, so when we turned on both Epic and Luma, everything worked by design — no overlap, no retrofit.”
By collaborating with Luma early in the process, University Hospitals avoided unnecessary IT buildout later. This streamlined implementation and reduced the burden on their IT team, with Luma handling most configurations and only needing operational input.
3. Minimize Change Fatigue
For both patients and staff, transitioning to a new EHR means significant change. University Hospitals took a “rip off the Band-Aid” approach to minimize disruption. “Change once, change deep,” Porter said. Rather than subjecting patients and staff to waves of adjustments, they implemented Epic and Luma Health simultaneously.
This reduced the need for multiple rounds of training and communications, ultimately leading to smoother adoption and fewer frustrations.
4. Communicate Effectively
One of the most critical factors in a successful transition is proactive communication. Porter highlighted the importance of clear, consistent messaging to both patients, staff, and providers about what’s changing and why. Now imagine repeating that process three, six, or nine months later when introducing another solution — it’s a scenario best avoided.
By implementing Luma alongside Epic, University Hospitals ensured that everyone was aligned and informed upfront, reducing confusion and frustration.
5. Choose the Right Partners
Not all vendors are equipped to navigate the complexities of an EHR transition. Aditya Bansod, Luma’s co-founder, advises organizations to think holistically: “Every EHR conversation is part of a larger IT conversation. Use this as a moment to clean up your tech stack. Luma can be part of that.”
By choosing a partner like Luma, healthcare organizations can consolidate disparate tools, bring legacy systems into the future, and maximize their EHR investment.
EHR conversions take a lot of consideration from all fronts, and these five reasons make it clear: an EHR migration isn’t just a system switch — it’s a strategic opportunity to modernize and streamline your entire digital infrastructure. Here’s a quick recap to guide your planning:
Consolidate and simplify: identify and eliminate redundant tools by mapping capabilities across your digital ecosystem, ensuring a streamlined, interoperable solution.
Co-design for success: collaborate with key vendors early to reduce future IT burden and ensure seamless integration from day one.
Reduce change fatigue: limit disruption by aligning new systems — like your EHR and patient engagement platform — for a single, comprehensive rollout.
Communicate clearly: avoid confusion by sharing consistent, upfront messaging with staff and patients during the transition.
Pick the right partners: select vendors who understand the bigger picture and can help modernize your tech stack while maximizing your EHR investment.
An EHR migration is not just a software upgrade — it’s a pivotal moment to evaluate and optimize your entire digital strategy. With the right planning, stakeholder engagement, and vendor support, your organization can turn this period of change into a long-term advantage.
At Luma, we believe the healthcare industry has moved beyond the initial hype of artificial intelligence (AI). While AI once dominated conversations with grand promises and speculative claims, it has now become table stakes. The industry is entering a new phase, one where AI is treated like any other technology investment — evaluated with rigor and held accountable for delivering real outcomes. For healthcare leaders, this shift requires a focus on practical applications and measurable impact.
AI should not be designed or deployed with the intent to replace your workforce. Instead, it enables your workforce to focus on patient-facing interactions over administrative busywork.
To explore what this shift looks like in practice, in this blog post we’ll follow the journey of Hayes Valley Health Center, a mid-sized hospital navigating the realities of AI adoption. Hayes Valley is fictional, but its challenges are anything but. Modeled after the experiences of Luma customers, the health center faces mounting pressure to improve operational efficiency, deliver high-quality care, and enhance experiences for both patients and staff. Like many health systems, they’re excited by AI’s potential but have struggled to move beyond the buzzwords.
Throughout this post, we’ll explore how Hayes Valley Health Center approaches AI adoption with a focus on outcomes, applying the same level of diligence and strategic thinking they would with any other technology. From identifying clear goals to measuring success, their story serves as a practical guide for healthcare organizations striving to turn AI’s promise into real-world progress.
AI as a Productivity Booster, Not a Workforce Replacement
Like many health systems, Hayes Valley’s leadership initially viewed AI as a way to reduce staff costs. They hoped that chatbots could replace human schedulers, handling appointment management and patient inquiries with minimal human intervention. It seemed like a quick win to drive efficiency and lower expenses.
The reality didn’t match expectations. While the AI chatbot excelled at simple tasks, it struggled with more complex patient requests. Patients seeking specialized care, needing to reschedule complicated procedures, or asking detailed insurance questions grew frustrated. Staff often had to step in without sufficient context, leading to inefficiencies and dissatisfaction on both sides.
Recognizing this challenge, Hayes Valley recalibrated their approach. Instead of positioning AI as a replacement for human schedulers, they deployed it as a productivity booster. The AI was assigned three key tasks:
Routine appointment confirmations: automating simple interactions to save staff time.
Frequently Asked Questions: providing quick answers to common inquiries.
This shift freed staff to focus on higher-value patient interactions. Without the burden of routine tasks, they could provide more compassionate and personalized support. AI operated behind the scenes to streamline workflows, while human schedulers brought empathy and expertise to complex situations. The result was a better experience for both patients and employees.
Luma’s AI-powered Navigator product supports this kind of balanced approach. Navigator uses conversational AI to assist with appointment management and patient inquiries, ensuring staff can dedicate their time to what matters most. By handling the repetitive, AI enables healthcare organizations to scale their services without sacrificing quality.
The key lesson Hayes Valley learned is clear: AI is not a substitute for human expertise. Instead, it’s a powerful tool to enhance productivity, reduce operational friction, and improve care experiences. When thoughtfully applied, AI empowers staff to excel in their roles, making healthcare more efficient and empathetic for all.
Prioritizing Real Use Cases Over Shiny Tech
What can all of us learn from the missteps of the fictional Hayes Valley? We must shift focus to AI solutions designed to solve practical, high-impact problems, and it should integrate seamlessly with existing systems and staff workflows.
Before adopting any new AI tool we recommend asking four critical questions, based on input from health system leaders we work with who have successfully adopted and deployed AI:
Does it solve a real problem? Solutions should address specific operational or clinical challenges, not just add novelty. Select a single, targeted operational problem (clinical applications of AI likely will be more complex to implement) and start there.
Can staff actually use it? AI needs to be intuitive and empower staff, not require extensive retraining or IT intervention. If possible, involve end users in the evaluation process for any AI tool that they’llbe expected to work with. Educate any frontline staff using an AI tool about its purpose: to support their work by reducing administrative tasks, not to replace them.
Does it integrate with existing systems? Interoperability is essential. Disjointed AI tools create more headaches than they solve. Ask AI vendors specifically about how many years of experience they have integrating with your EHR. Speak with at least two reference customers who have worked with the vendor for a minimum of one year.
Is it easily measurable? Without proper measurement, the value of AI tools will be unclear. Identify 1-3 specific metrics that inform progress on the problem the AI tool is addressing, then measure those metrics regularly to ensure that it’s truly delivering value. In addition, consult with your AI vendor to understand whether there are additional metrics to track to drive continuous improvement of the AI learning and performance.
Future-proofed, AI-native platforms like Luma’s are designed with these principles in mind. Built to adapt and grow with healthcare organizations, they ensure today’s AI solutions won’t become tomorrow’s technical debt. Platforms that anticipate industry needs and prioritize interoperability are the ones that will drive lasting impact.
Moving Forward with Practical AI
Hayes Valley Health Center’s journey offers lessons for effectiveAI adoption — avoid the hype, invest in practical solutions, and ensure AI tools support (rather than replace) healthcare teams.
By aligning AI investments with clear goals, empowering staff with adaptable tools, and maintaining a disciplined roadmap, organizations can drive meaningful improvements.
The key takeaway is simple: AI should empower, not complicate. With the right mindset and technologies, AI can become a powerful tool for transforming healthcare—enhancing experiences, improving outcomes, and making care more accessible for all.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences handles 95% of after-hours calls with AI automation for healthcare call centers
Healthcare call centers are overwhelmed. Agentic AI can help – right now.
Like many access leaders, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Michelle Winfield-Hanrahan had a legacy workflow in her contact center – and it was hurting patient experience and staff efficiency.
When a patient called after the contact center – also commonly known as an access center or call center – had closed for the day, they left a voicemail on a dedicated after-hours phone line. The workflow had been created to avoid costly overnight staffing. “Staff shortages don’t only affect nursing and clinical roles, but their effect spans into the call center as well,” said Winfield-Hanrahan.
UAMS’ Epic-integated Luma AI solves healthcare call center challenges
But the after-hours line presented a challenge for staff the next day. Many patients used it to let UAMS know that they needed to cancel an appointment – and staff needed to take action on those requests right away.
“The team was using three hours’ worth of time every day just listening to voicemails from patients who called in after hours. Then, they had to manually cancel appointments,” said Winfield-Hanrahan. “We had to try to backfill those appointments or lose the revenue.”
UAMS needed healthcare call center automation to improve the patient experience, save time for staff, and avoid this lost revenue.
The AI-powered healthcare call center agent that cleared 800+ hours of work overnight
Luma’s Navigator AI concierge was the solution. With HIPAA-compliant, zero-retention agentic AI that integrated with UAMS’ Epic EHR, patients easily cancel their appointments after hours. The next day, staff simply see an up-to-date schedule – no manual follow-up required.
“We were looking for efficiency — and we found it with Navigator,” said Winfield-Hanrahan. “Navigator completely took that manual work off our plates.”
Winfield-Hanrahan cites Epic integration, a quick implementation time, and minimal change management as benefits that encouraged her to use Navigator. “Implementation took just three weeks from start to finish,” she said.
UAMS also chose Luma’s AI concierge because it complemented and expanded on the patient access options UAMS already offered with the contact center and MyChart. “Navigator sounds and acts like a human, and it’s so helpful,” said Winfield-Hanrahan.
With Navigator, UAMS has seen results including:
95% of inbound calls to after-hours line are automated
88% callers verified as current patients
800+ fewer access center hours spent processing cancellations annually
~10,000 calls handled annually without staff intervention
4% of total call center inbound calls handled by AI vs. staff
Reduced call abandonment rate in the call center
Results at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) using Luma’s Navigator
To hear more about UAMS’ story and their results from Navigator, check out the following resources:
In this webinar, Michelle Winfield-Hanrahan dives deep into how she chose and implemented Luma’s AI concierge in UAMS’ call center.
AI that works with Epic (not against it)
Today, your staff might be dealing with overwhelming call volumes – and many of these calls are for simple needs, such as a cancellation or an FAQ, that don’t require the experience and knowledge of a dedicated staff member.
But calling a business or health system and reaching an AI agent is no longer in the far-off future. Organizations like UAMS are using them every day to provide a better patient and staff experience, and ultimately serve more patients with fewer resources.
An AI concierge allows you to decant, or deflect, simple calls to an AI agent while your staff handle higher-complexity calls and patient needs. Worried that patients won’t want to use AI, or that AI lacks a personal touch? This strategy gives you the best of both worlds. Patients who are comfortable with self-service can quickly meet their own needs using AI, while those who need to reach a staff member can stay on the line.
Here are some of the benefits of AI in healthcare call centers:
Convenience and quality for patients: Needs are solved easily and naturally — even after business hours.
Less manual work for staff: Fewer calls and portal messages to handle, plus visibility into every patient interaction in real time.
More efficiency for your access center: Staff spend less time on straightforward calls and administrative tasks.
Legacy workflows and the potential for problems in healthcare call centers
Maybe your organization doesn’t struggle with an overloaded after-hours phone line, like UAMS did. But don’t discount the value that AI might bring to other challenges your call center is facing. Winfield-Hanrahan, an experienced access leader who has consulted with many health systems to improve their call center workflows, encourages fellow leaders to consider other legacy workflows that might create problems in healthcare call centers and impact your patients and staff.
Call centers are costly to staff, and agents can be difficult to retain, said Winfield-Hanrahan. “It’s a challenging job, and we want to make sure that our agents are spending time on ‘true-to-task’ work helping patients – not on hours of administrative tasks,” she said.
Research backs up this challenge. Contact center attrition rates are anywhere from 30% to 60%, with one poll of 400 contact center employees placing it at 42%. And the attrition rate for agents is about 1.3x higher than the average annual attrition rate in the US. Another recent study reported that more than half of contact center agents are on the verge of burnout.
If your organization is experiencing any of the following challenges, you might have legacy or manual workflows that AI could help automate with minimal process changes or change management:
High call volume and long hold times
Low enrollment rates for MyChart or your patient portal – or low patient portal engagement
High attrition rates for your call center staff or agents
Too many calls to handle – both outbound calls and inbound calls
Manual follow-ups to compensate for inefficient or overly-manual workflows (such as manually canceling appointments)
Lengthy turnaround times for referrals
Think AI isn’t for you? Here are an access leader’s tips for evaluating and choosing an AI concierge
Not sure whether AI is the right fit for you, or how to go about evaluating and selecting the right AI concierge? The benefits of AI in healthcare call centers don’t require you to reinvent all of your workflows – a smart application of AI automation, like UAMS’, can make a big difference overnight.
Winfield-Hanrahan offers these tips for fellow access leaders:
Clearly define the problem you’re solving and the intended outcome. Winfield-Hanrahan is open to new technologies like AI, but emphasizes that the specific problem, goals, and metrics need to be clearly defined before introducing them.
Avoid falling for the hype cycle, but use AI if it’s the right fit. According to Winfield-Hanrahan, Navigator was a good fit because UAMS already had experience with Luma’s deep Epic integration and ability to create customized workflows. “I look for vendors that can be a partner,” said Winfield-Hanrahan. Navigator was secure, connected to UAMS’ other workflows, and could expand to more use cases in the future – all justifying using AI beyond just industry hype.
Have the right people at the table to evaluate the function AI will be solving. In the call center example, Winfield-Hanrahan points to her deep experience with call center workflows as key to the evaluation process – and she recommends that technology or digital transformation leaders include relevant stakeholders if they’re looking to implement AI.
Start with a low-risk use case that doesn’t require significant change management. After-hours cancellations were an ideal initial use case for AI at UAMS, because they didn’t significantly change workflows for staff or patients.
Ready to see Navigator in action?
We’re here if you want to chat about Navigator, how UAMS is using it, or creative ideas for how it could solve inefficiencies in your call center. See Navigator in action here.
Want to join the conversation with other healthcare leaders talking about the latest technology, challenges and opportunities, and creative ways to improve healthcare delivery? Tune in to Digital Health: On Air, our podcast discussing pressing healthcare topics with experts and leaders like you. You can find it on Spotify or YouTube, too!
Digital discovery continues to reshape healthcare. Many patients now begin searching for a new physician or specialist by typing a few words into Google, looking for a trustworthy and easy-to-reach practice. An optimized Google My Business (GMB) listing can make the difference between a patient booking an appointment or scrolling right past your practice. This guide explores how GMB can influence patient decisions, build credibility, and connect providers with people who need care. Keep reading to learn how patients can find your practice right from Googles with Luma’s Schedule with Google feature.
Seeing GMB as a Digital Front Door
A GMB profile acts as the virtual entrance to your practice. Patients see critical details—location, hours, phone number—right in search results. Offering high-quality photos, precise service descriptions, and consistent contact information quickly reassures prospective patients that your practice is both professional and welcoming. When people search “pediatrician near me” or “cosmetic dermatologist in Springfield,” they often decide in mere seconds whether to explore your profile further or move on.
Why It Matters
Instant Credibility: A complete, polished listing signals that your practice is organized and dependable.
Improved Local Visibility: Fully built-out GMB profiles often land higher in local search results.
Easy Patient Engagement: Links to your website, directions, and call buttons make it a one-stop shop for busy patients. Adding the ability to schedule directly from GMB, such as with Luma’s Schedule with Google feature, makes it even more likely that patients will choose you instead of going elsewhere.
Neglecting your profile can mean losing patients who value convenient access to accurate, up-to-date information. By contrast, a profile with helpful information, positive patient reviews, and even the option to schedule an appointment makes it easier for patients to choose your practice.
Getting to Know You – Before Booking a Visit
Prospective patients want a sense of who you are as a practice before calling or booking online. A GMB listing that includes staff photos, a brief statement of practice philosophy, or highlights of patient-centered services can help readers envision a positive experience. For many, seeing a welcoming waiting room or friendly team members relieves anxiety and establishes an early sense of trust.
Thought-Starters
Photos: Show the reception area, exam rooms, or staff members in candid, friendly moments.
Short Descriptions: Summaries of care values, like being family-focused or technology-driven.
Regular Updates: Post holiday hours or seasonal service reminders to show your practice is active and approachable.
By spotlighting the people and values behind your practice, you transform a once-sterile online listing into a genuine invitation.
How Patients Use Google Reviews to Decide
Patient reviews convey real experiences—good or bad—and can heavily influence someone’s choice. A practice with recent, thoughtful feedback typically appears more authentic than one with few or outdated reviews. Consumers read about staff friendliness, the atmosphere, and how providers explain treatment options. Even constructive criticism can have a positive impact if you respond graciously and demonstrate a commitment to improving.
Tips for Reviews
Encourage Authentic Feedback: Invite satisfied patients to leave honest opinions about their visit. An automated system for requesting patient reviews, such as Luma’s Feedback and Reputation Management, can help boost positive reviews by reminding happy patients that you’d value an online review.
Respond Respectfully: Show that you value input by thanking reviewers or clarifying issues.
Guard Privacy: Keep patient information confidential and comply with HIPAA when addressing reviews.
Reviews serve as a two-way conversation. They reveal patient impressions while showing you’re listening and care about delivering quality experiences. Need to drive more positive reviews and manage unhappy ones privately? Check out Luma’s Feedback and Reputation Management product – it encourages patients who respond with a high survey rating to leave an online review.
Make Scheduling an Appointment Seamless with Luma and Google
Google offers healthcare providers the option to enable appointment scheduling right from their GMB listings. With a solution like Luma’s Schedule with Google, patients can click “Book” right from your profile in their Google search. This eliminates phone tag and decision fatigue and catches patients while scheduling care is on their minds. It also appeals to patients who like convenient scheduling or need care soon.
Why It Matters
Convenience Anytime: Booking feels as easy as ordering dinner online, inviting more patients to follow through. Schedule with Google helps build your brand as an organization with a great consumer experience and creates a positive impression with your patients.
Less Friction: Patients can schedule after hours, during a lunch break, or whenever they’re free.
Reduced Call Volume: Fewer scheduling calls hitting the front desk allow staff to devote energy to more complex patient needs.
With Luma’s Schedule with Google feature, new and returning patients can grab available appointments directly from Google without calling or visiting your website. When they book, the appointment details write back to your EHR in near-real-time, so your staff don’t need to manually follow up.
By default, Luma updates Google hourly with your current appointment availability. Schedule with Google can also include open slots from last-minute cancellations.. Practices choose which appointment types, providers, and locations to offer through Google, tailoring the system to match operational needs.
Start Attracting Attention
Google My Business now influences whether prospective patients even consider your practice. A thoughtful profile that includes robust info, genuine reviews, and direct scheduling helps your office stand out in a crowded online space. It’s a practical way to showcase your team’s personality, specialized services, and overall approach to patient care.
Tools like Luma’s Schedule with Google feature seamlessly connect GMB listings to your EHR, removing obstacles that might discourage patients from making that crucial first appointment. Rather than navigating multiple pages or phone calls, patients can select from open slots in real time, letting your staff focus on providing hands-on care.
Standing out in local search isn’t just about keywords; it’s about building trust and delivering real convenience before patients ever walk through the door. By combining a well-maintained GMB listing with Luma’s advanced scheduling capabilities, your practice can create an inviting, patient-centered gateway that’s more than just a listing—it’s a genuine extension of the care you provide every day.
Healthcare is evolving, and so are patients’ expectations. Today, patients are looking for experiences that feel easy, secure, and respectful of their time. Mobile check-in solutions are at the forefront of this change, shifting patient intake from tasks to be completed in the waiting room to a quick and easy pre-visit experience. In fact, patients surveyed by KLAS Research reported that digital pre-visit check-in was one of their highest priorities for their healthcare experience.
For healthcare providers, adopting mobile check-in is more than upgrading technology; it’s about removing barriers so care feels more convenient. Luma’s Patient Success Platform™ makes the intake process secure, simple, and effective.
How Mobile Check-In Redefines the Patient Experience
A trip to the doctor used to mean clipboards, paperwork, and waiting. Now, thanks to mobile check-in, patients can handle intake details on their own schedule—often from the comfort of home. Patients receive a check-in link on their mobile devices, allowing them to complete forms, verify personal information, and sign documents electronically. Once submitted, all the data is transferred directly into the electronic health record (EHR), a step that drastically reduces room for error and eliminates extra work.
For patients, mobile check-in means no more repetitive paperwork and long waits in a crowded waiting room. For healthcare staff, fewer administrative tasks mean more time to spend on what matters: delivering quality care and creating a welcoming environment for every patient.
The Benefits of Mobile Check-In with EHR Integration
Mobile check-in that’s integrated with EHR systems creates a better experience across the board. Some of the key benefits include:
Reduced Waiting Time: Patients can complete paperwork ahead of time, meaning less time spent filling out forms in the office. Staff can then spend less time on data entry, enabling a faster, smoother flow of patients.
Lowered Administrative Burden: For healthcare staff, intake can be a very time-consuming task. Mobile check-in automates much of this process, freeing up time to focus on patient needs rather than paperwork.
Enhanced Accuracy: Manual data entry increases the risk of error, especially with large volumes of patients. By directly integrating patient-provided information into the EHR, mobile check-in reduces mistakes and keeps records more accurate and up-to-date.
Improved Patient Satisfaction: Patients appreciate a more personalized, efficient experience. The ease and speed of mobile check-in show patients their time and comfort are valued, which reinforces a positive impression of the practice.
Reducing Stress with Simple, Intuitive Technology
The healthcare system can feel overwhelming for many patients, with confusing paperwork and long wait times adding to the stress. Mobile check-in alleviates some of these pain points by simplifying a vital part of the process. When patients can check in on their phone, there’s less pressure, fewer unknowns, and a stronger sense of control.
Luma’s platform is built with ease of use in mind so that patients can navigate the intake process without frustration. By taking the complexity out of check-in, Luma empowers patients to focus on their health, making the experience feel more supportive and approachable.
Integrating Privacy and Security in Mobile Check-In
Security remains a top priority in healthcare, especially when it comes to digital tools. Patients need the convenience of mobile check-in without worrying about data security, and Luma’s platform addresses this concern with strong data protection measures. Every mobile form and check-in step meets HIPAA standards, protecting patient information from the moment it’s entered into the system.
Using encrypted forms and secure EHR integration, Luma reassures patients that their information is safe. Security protocols that support a contactless process also reduce the need for paper forms, which protects against unintended exposure. This focus on privacy not only fulfills regulatory requirements but also strengthens patient trust—an invaluable element in any healthcare relationship.
The Future of Patient-Centered Care: A New Standard in Healthcare
A healthcare practice that embraces mobile check-in isn’t just keeping up with trends; it’s stepping into the future of patient care. Practices that integrate mobile solutions reflect a commitment to modern, accessible, and respectful care. In an era where patients expect more than basic treatment, the ability to streamline intake with technology signals to patients that their time, security, and well-being are valued.
Mobile check-in reduces waiting room bottlenecks and minimizes the back-and-forth that can add stress to a visit. This flexibility helps healthcare providers adapt to a world where patients want more than a prescription—they want an attentive and understanding care experience. Luma’s platform allows practices to make each patient’s visit feel less like an appointment and more like a positive interaction centered around their needs.
Luma’s Role in Building Patient Loyalty
Luma’s Patient Success Platform brings together the tools healthcare providers need to make a lasting impression on patients. Patients can schedule their appointments, prepare in advance, and get important updates on their phones – just like they do with other consumer experiences.
With the right approach, mobile check-in transforms intake from a task-oriented process to an integral part of care. Patients who feel valued and seen are more likely to return, and their satisfaction translates into positive feedback and word-of-mouth referrals. Luma’s solutions provide practices with a way to strengthen patient loyalty, showing a genuine commitment to care that extends beyond the examination room.
Creating a More Connected, Caring Healthcare Experience
Mobile check-in solutions create a gateway for patients to feel connected to their providers before they even walk through the door. From safety and security to convenience and empathy, mobile check-in with Luma represents a holistic approach to patient care built on respect and simplicity.
Even if you’ve invested in patient self-scheduling, your staff and patients might be faced with challenges that impact your schedule. Patients often book appointments weeks or months in advance, only to meet life’s curveballs that force them to cancel when appointment day draws near. Without an automated system to address these sudden openings, the only way to fill them is hours of manual calls by staff. Manual outreach to one patient at a time is inefficient and unsustainable – leading to holes in the schedule and lost revenue.
The Gap Left Without an Automated Waitlist
Patient self-scheduling is a huge benefit to patients and health systems, because it frees up staff time while giving patients more control and convenience. But if something changes, how does your organization match patients with sooner slots that they might be waiting for?
Without an automated waitlist, staff are forced to choose between leaving a last-minute opening unfilled or calling one patient at a time to try to fill it. Staff often don’t have the bandwidth for these manual calls – which could take hours – or to keep track of which patients might want an earlier appointment and which slots have newly opened up.
Meanwhile, patients who would eagerly take that newly opened slot never get the call at the right time, and providers’ valuable time goes unused.
The Smart Waitlist: How It Complements Patient Self-Scheduling
A smart waitlist solves the puzzle that self-scheduling alone can’t fix. Unlike a static waitlist scribbled on a sticky note or stored in a spreadsheet, a smart waitlist integrates directly with your EHR schedule. Patients interested in moving up their appointments add themselves to the waitlist. When a slot opens, the system automatically identifies which patients are waiting and offers the slot to them.
Even better, a smart waitlist integrated with your EHR schedule will match patients’ appointments and available offers – so patients receive only offers for the same appointment, duration, and even provider as the appointment they already have scheduled.
A good waitlist uses smart logic, EHR integration, and patient messaging to seamlessly fill open slots on your schedule – all without staff needing to lift a finger.
How a Smart Waitlist Works in Practice
Consider a scenario where a dermatology practice stays booked out for months. Patients schedule far in advance; many would love to move into an earlier slot if it became available. With a smart waitlist, patients who want earlier timeslots enroll themselves easily. When a cancellation appears, the system reviews the waitlist, identifies patients who are eligible for that appointment based on preferences and appointment type, and sends an SMS notification offering the newly opened time. Patients confirm with a simple reply, and the slot is booked in seconds with no frantic phone calls, guessing games, or lengthy delays.
Patients benefit because they’re seen sooner. Providers benefit because fewer appointment times goes to waste. Staff benefit because they avoid chasing patients manually. And the practice benefits with happier patients and providers and more appointment revenue.
Combining Self-Scheduling and a Smart Waitlist for Optimal Results
The most effective patient access strategy integrates self-scheduling and a smart waitlist into one cohesive system. Self-scheduling creates an accessible entry point for patients—booking appointments on their own terms, no matter the time of day. Meanwhile, the smart waitlist captures cancellations, moves patients up, and ensures that patients get the care they need as soon as possible.
Healthcare scheduling continues to evolve, and organizations that embrace innovative, integrated tools stand to gain the most. Self-scheduling marks a big step forward, but a truly complete solution adds the power of a smart waitlist. This combination keeps patients engaged, supports staff, and ensures every appointment slot serves its purpose.
Luma offers a platform that brings these elements together seamlessly. With Luma’s patient scheduling solutions, healthcare providers integrate self-scheduling and a smart waitlist within a single, user-friendly interface. Patients find securing the care they need easier, and providers stay more productive, efficient, and adaptable.
A modern approach to healthcare access shouldn’t leave anyone waiting indefinitely. A smart waitlist elevates self-scheduling to a new level of effectiveness by creating a patient experience that feels responsive and less complicated. Embrace Luma’s patient access tools to transform how your organization manages appointments.Click here to book a demo and see how it works today.
Luma’s co-founders Adnan Iqbal and Aditya Bansod discuss their predictions
As 2024 comes to a close, Luma’s co-founder and CEO Adnan Iqbal and co-founder and CTO Aditya Bansod sat down to share their perspectives on the past year and their predictions for 2025.
Many of the trends from 2025 will continue, they predict, including AI’s continued growth, industry consolidation, challenges for retail care, and focus on health system efficiency. Key changes Bansod and Iqbal predict include EHR mergers and a potential slowdown of interoperability regulation under the second Trump administration.
Their five predictions for 2025:
CVS will split its healthcare business into consumer and payer segments.
EHRs will merge to combat competition from Epic.
CIOs will consolidate systems and use AI to drive efficiency.
AI use will continue to grow.
The incoming Trump administration could slow the pace of interoperability regulation.
A lightly edited transcript of their conversation follows.
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Moving and shaking: Consolidation is in, retail care will face more changes
Key predictions: CVS will split up its healthcare business, EHRs will merge to combat competition from Epic
[Adnan Iqbal] Hello, end of 2024. Let’s talk first about what surprised us this past year. In hindsight, I’d say nothing was surprising.
[Aditya Bansod] Your clairvoyance is unmatched.
[AI] But, realistically, what was surprising was the sheer number of companies in health IT who looked to be acquired, raise money, or enter partnerships – and then stalled out. And less surprising this year was consolidations.
[AB] Stuff has just been changing hands. We’ve seen health systems trading hospitals to each other, just reshuffling.
[AI] That’s a great analogy. It’s the same cards in the deck. We’ve seen the same thing on the payer side this year. And watching Walmart Health shut down was a huge piece in the Jenga tower for retail health. Walgreens is out, CVS is on the table.
[AB] The consumer piece of healthcare is harder to get right than these retailers think. And until they get the consumer experience right, I think it’s gonna be a lot of capital burn without a lot of outcome. I think we’ll see the CVS healthcare business split into at least two companies, the consumer side and the payer side.
[AI] This prediction is pretty unsurprising, but I think we’ll see a lot more consolidation on the electronic health record front, too. In a world where Epic is more dominant, it’ll force others to consolidate, and carve out their parts of the market in 2025.
All-in on efficiency: For CIOs, maximizing resources will continue to drive strategy
Key predictions: CIOs will consolidate systems, use AI to drive efficiency, and potentially reduce team size – all enabling downstream investment in the consumer experience
[AB] Let’s talk about priorities for the CIO. If I were a CIO, the number-one priority on my list for 2025 would be to consolidate my systems. If I’m wearing a CIO’s shoes, I’m likely to be paying a lot for a big suite of tools that have proliferated within my health system over the last decade or so. I need to make sure I’m utilizing everything to the fullest capacity or getting rid of it.
[AI] I’d agree with that. First, I’ll note that every single CIO puts security at the top of their list. But in addition, if I have a CIO’s shoes on, I have to triple down on embracing AI to drive workflow productivity. Because if I do that, I will be ahead of my competition. My health system is well-positioned compared to other nearby systems. We can then focus on differentiating ourselves in an increasingly competitive environment, and making sure we stand out compared to our peers not just for the quality of care, but for the consumer experience.
[AB] Maybe a spicier take, but if I’m no longer wasting money on software, on maintaining and integrating it, then I can reduce the size of my team. And returning economics to the business would then allow the health system to grow and compete on consumer experience.
[AI] That is spicy, it’s provocative, but for all the right reasons. Very on-brand for you.
AI boom: No surprises here – the boom will continue
Key prediction: AI will continue to grow to increase productivity and clinician satisfaction
[AI] AI in 2025 – boom or bust? I think we’d both say boom.
[AB] Definitely boom – the boom won’t stop. We’re just at the tip of the iceberg. Across healthcare, but also life sciences.
[AI] It’s about the way we work. Healthcare is not immune to workers needing to be effective and productive and have meaning and value in their work. Especially for increasingly in-demand clinical care team members, if you can help them be more productive and be more satisfied, everyone wins.
Policy changes: Incoming Trump administration’s effect on regulation
Key prediction: The policy impact of a new administration is uncertain, but it could slow down the pace of interoperability after 2024’s progress
[AB] It’ll be really interesting to see what the regulatory world looks like, especially regarding data exchange. A lot of the changes we’ve seen in 2024 with TEFCA and Qualified Health Information Networks™ (QHINs™), and potential TEFCA exchange via FHIR, was mediated by the Biden administration.With the upcoming Trump administration, we know that rule-making was understood to be slowed down. So the progress we’ve made with preventing information blocking, with information sharing, do we continue the pace?
We hear from safety net and regional hospitals that without good interoperability, their business dies because patients are seen elsewhere, but they need to continue to provide ongoing care to those patients. Level one critical care, maybe they don’t provide that, but they need to know about it.
Anti-predictions for 2025
What’s unlikely to change in 2025
[AI] Alright, what are some anti-predictions or things we’ll laugh at when 2025 ends?
[AB] I’d like to hear your take on PBMs.
[AI] Well, I think PBMs have a lot of money and lobbying power, and they spend it wisely. And I think this incoming administration will be focused elsewhere.
[AB] My prediction that I’ll laugh at is that I think we should have QR codes for our insurance cards. I use my Apple Wallet when I’m boarding the plane, but I still get issued these flimsy little insurance cards. A QR code insurance card makes all the sense in the world. But it’s a pipe dream – not happening in 2025.
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Health equity remains one of the most critical challenges in healthcare today. At its core, health equity is about making sure everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible—regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, or language. Yet, for millions of patients, these barriers create significant gaps in the health care they receive.
Language is one of the most overlooked elements in pursuing health equity. When healthcare providers can bridge language divides through multilingual support, they move closer to creating a more inclusive, patient-centered system. Let’s explore how multilingual messaging transforms patient care and the strategies that make this transformation a reality.
The Link Between Health Equity and Multilingual Support
Health equity isn’t just a trendy phrase—it’s a fundamental goal that demands attention at every level of care. Language barriers are one of the most significant obstacles standing in the way of this goal. Imagine needing medical help but not being able to communicate your symptoms, understand treatment instructions, or follow up on your care plan because you don’t speak the local language. Case studies show that nearly 25 million people in the United States have Limited English Proficiency (LEP), a limitation that creates a clear disconnect between patients and providers.
With this reality in mind, it’s clear multilingual messaging is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline for better healthcare. When a practice invests in multilingual support, it doesn’t just translate words; it makes every patient feel seen, heard and understood. It empowers patients to actively participate in their healthcare journey, which leads to better health outcomes and more meaningful patient-provider relationships.
Strategies for Effective Multilingual Support
Achieving true health equity requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. For multilingual messaging to be effective, it must be integrated into every touchpoint of the patient’s journey. Here are some key strategies your practice can adopt to improve multilingual support:
Patient-Centered Communication: Focus on clarity and simplicity in messaging. Medical jargon is difficult to understand, even for native speakers, so multilingual communications must be clear, accessible, and free from overly technical language.
Culturally Competent Messaging: Multilingual support goes beyond direct translation to consider cultural nuances. Messages that are culturally sensitive help build trust and respect between the patient and the healthcare provider.
Diverse Language Options: Offering Spanish and/or Mandarin isn’t enough. Consider the demographics of your practice’s communities and prioritize all the languages most relevant to your patient population.
Consistent Multilingual Support: Consistent language support across all communication channels is vital—whether it’s appointment reminders, follow-up care instructions, or patient education materials. Consistency builds trust and reduces the feeling of being lost or neglected.
Multilingual Phone Lines: The phone line is an important part of patient access, and a dedicated multilingual line or even a multilingual AI call agent can make the phone a more accessible access channel for all of your patients.
When these strategies are executed well, multilingual support becomes a natural extension of patient care rather than an afterthought. It becomes a commitment to equitable healthcare that reaches every patient, regardless of their native language.
Technology’s Role in Bridging the Gap
Technology is the bridge that connects intention to impact. Technology in healthcare, especially patient engagement platforms like Luma’s, plays a pivotal role in delivering multilingual support at scale. Let’s look at some ways technology is transforming multilingual communication:
Automated Multilingual Messaging: Advanced platforms, like Luma’s Patient Success Platform, automatically send appointment reminders, follow-ups, and care instructions in a patient’s preferred language via their preferred communication method. More messages go through, and automation means they are all timely and accurate, reduces the burden on your administrative staff, and minimizes the risk of miscommunication.
Real-Time Language Translation Tools: Real-time translation tools integrated into patient communication platforms facilitate seamless conversations between patients and providers. Whether a virtual consultation or a messaging exchange, these tools can make language barriers nearly invisible.
Call Center Support: Multilingual AI agents or call-to-text options help extend the reach of your call center to more patients, regardless of their preferred language.
Data-Driven Insights: Understanding the language preferences of your patient population helps your practice provide truly tailored care. Technology platforms that track and analyze patient data can help you identify language needs, streamline communications, and even predict which languages might be needed as patient demographics evolve.
Telehealth Accessibility: With the rise of telehealth, multilingual support is more important than ever. Telehealth platforms that offer multilingual interfaces and support for translated video consultations expand the reach of healthcare to underserved communities, making care more accessible to all.
Technology is an essential part of strategies to eliminate health disparities. When used effectively, it creates a system where every patient can engage with their healthcare equally.
Conclusion: Bridging the Gap with Luma’s Multilingual Tools
Health equity is not an aspiration—it’s a movement, a mission, and a responsibility that calls for tangible actions. With the right strategies and tools, we can transform the way care is delivered, making it more inclusive, empathetic, and patient-focused. Luma’s Patient Success Platform is designed to meet these goals head-on by offering robust multilingual messaging capabilities that align with the diverse needs of patients.
Luma’s tools empower practices to provide seamless communication that respects every patient’s language and cultural preferences. From automated reminders in 30+ languages to integrated translation services that work in real time, Luma is leading the way in breaking down barriers to care. When patients feel understood, respected, and valued, they are more likely to engage in their health journey, follow through on treatment plans, and ultimately experience better health outcomes.
The goal is clear: health equity should be the standard, not the exception. By embracing multilingual support and harnessing the power of technology, your practice can build a stronger, more connected healthcare system that truly serves everyone. With Luma’s commitment to improving patient success, we’re not just imagining a future of equitable care—we’re creating it. Together, we can make sure every patient, regardless of the language they speak, has the opportunity to access the quality care they deserve.Build your demo and see how Luma can transform your practice.
Insights from CHIME Fall Forum Focus Group show common trends
Ask two different CIOs what they’re focused on for 2025, and you might get very different answers. But when we asked in the context of an “EHR-first” approach that many CIOs say they adopt, we uncovered several similarities.
A group of CIOs came to our CHIME Fall Forum focus group specifically focused on maximizing their EHR investments and the rest of their tech stack. They were asked what they loved – and what they didn’t. From academic medical centers to regional health systems to behavioral health, from the Midwest to the coasts, they pinpointed three similar themes. Here’s what they said:
An EHR-First Approach is Working – Mostly
It’s no secret that Epic is much beloved among its customers, especially CIOs. Several CIOs using Epic said it was a great investment. Epic’s integration and interoperability capabilities in particular got shout-outs:
An academic medical center loves Epic’s Care Everywhere interoperability to inform care for patients who travel in from around the state.
Epic’s ability to integrate with payers was cited as a big efficiency improvement.
But Epic wasn’t the only EHR with devoted customer advocates – MEDITECH received high marks for its collaboration and ability to support co-development with its customers.
Investing in the EHR was consistently highlighted as a priority, with the EHR driving many strategic investments and programs. But these pain points were common, even among EHR advocates:
Training and maintenance are a challenge.
Problem-solving and solutions that have worked for others could be more broadly shared among fellow EHR customers.
It can be difficult to understand how changes to the EHR might affect other decisions or workflows later on.
The Brightest Spots: Co-Creating Clinical Innovations
Focus group attendees often called out clinical workflow improvements co-created with their EHR vendor as a source of pride. Examples included:
Using genomic data in MEDITECH for precision medicine.
Adoption of the Epic physician builder framework, in some cases with 20+ physician builders at an organization.
An updated care team-to-clinician calling workflow.
However, these workflows might not be perceived as bright spots for the EHR vendor as much as organizational points of pride. Several attendees called out their organization’s own reputation for high-quality clinical care as a driving factor in their technology strategy, and many of the same clinical workflows that were highlighted as co-innovations came with their own EHR challenges like speed of deployment.
No-Shows Remain a Persistent Challenge
When asked what they’d most like to change, or what would be their top priority for improvement, the leaders were unanimous. No-shows and related schedule utilization challenges, like filling the open slots and getting patients who missed appointments back on the schedule, were the top answer across the board.
Even CIOs at organizations with robust EHR tools for schedule management and patient self-service called out no-shows as the biggest challenge that technology could solve. Some highlighted the significant revenue losses when slots aren’t filled or the heavy staff lift to fill last-minute openings.
The no-show challenge fit into the larger theme of CIOs’ EHR wish lists: they wanted less maintenance, less manual work, and less starting from scratch to solve the same problems as peers – with great results for basic workflows, plus the opportunity to innovate.
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At the 2024 CHIME Fall Forum, attendees had begun looking ahead. They looked to 2025 and to ways to solve pain points while remaining EHR-first (or, in some cases, switching EHRs to begin building an EHR-first strategy).
For the most part, they felt they were on the right track. An EHR-first strategy unified the technology stack, enabled innovation, and facilitated core workflows well for the majority of attendees. Efficiency was the main pain point, with maintenance, training, and support coming up frequently. No-shows united the entire group as a common and persistent challenge.
Based on the feedback, in 2025, we can expect to see leaders like these focusing on efficiency. Innovative clinical care is a bright spot, but enterprise-wide efficiency and access will likely drive strategy.
Today, we announced the release of Spark, our AI capabilities, and two brand-new Spark-enabled products: Navigator (patient concierge) and Fax Transform (fax automation). We’ve been building Spark over the last year to provide a brand-new way to solve persistent pain points that impact healthcare organizations’ staff and patients. This new technology demonstrates our commitment to smart applications of the latest and most groundbreaking technology, to address real needs and transform frustration into great experiences.
We created Spark because we continue hearing from our customers that they’re doing more than they ever thought possible – and they’re doing it with less. Every provider, front office staff member, end user, nurse, and mid level admin we talk to tells us that they’re serving more patients, that margins are tight, and that staffing is a challenge. Yet, these organizations are doing amazing things like:
Expanding beyond the walls of the organization with mobile clinics at Zufall Health – going above and beyond despite uncertainty in federal FQHC funding.
Reaching out to patients who need colonoscopies and offering Cologuard tests at Virtua Health – ultimately catching hundreds of positive results earlier.
Bringing patients in as active members of their inpatient program at Banner Health – with “Text the CEO” feedback that goes directly from the patient to hospital leadership.
Spark is one way we’re pushing ourselves and our technology to do more to support amazing healthcare organizations like these.
We believe that technology needs to be designed for real needs and real people. It can’t be just cool technology looking for a use case. That’s been our philosophy for nearly a decade now as we’ve pushed the envelope with machine learning, NLP, and LLMs, and we continue to follow that ethos with our AI technology.
Spark: The Details
Spark transforms the tricky and all-too-manual parts of patient access, staff workflows, and healthcare interactions:
Understanding natural language (phone, SMS)
Parsing structured information (faxes, intake forms, etc.)
Providing actionable next steps
Spark builds on our deep EHR integration and patient context already available in the Luma platform. It supports both patient interactions and staff efficiency by relying on:
Bi-directional integration with leading EHRs, including Oracle Health, Epic, eClinicalWorks, MEDITECH, athenahealth, NextGen, and Greenway Health.
Zero-retention generative AI used with healthcare privacy in mind, including OpenAI GPT-4, Claude Opus, deepgram, and others, fine-tuned for healthcare.
Industry-leading information security (HITRUST r2, SOC Type II, ISO 27001:2022, and TX-RAMP Level 2 certified), with Spark built to be in compliance with ISO 42001:2023.
Spark reimagines what it looks like to connect to your doctor, while staying true to our mission: needing healthcare can be hard, but getting it shouldn’t be. With Spark, getting to care is easy, convenient, and works for real lives and real schedules. And on the staff side, hours of frustrating manual tasks are taken care of so staff can spend more time with patients.
About Navigator and Fax Transform, powered by Spark
Navigator empowers patients to self-serve with the guided experience of a customer service agent. It brings deep contextual understanding to voice conversations, intelligently switching to SMS, switching languages, handing over to staff, and even following up on dropped calls.
Navigator provides intelligent concierge support to patients, in many languages.
Fax TransformisAI-powered processing and follow-up for paper and electronic faxes. Fax Transform completes manual steps behind the scenes in seconds, parsing discrete data and classifying faxes so staff simply need to verify.
Real-World Outcomes with Spark
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) saw amazing outcomes with Luma’s Navigator within one month:
98 manual call center staff hours saved/eliminated
95% of phone calls completely automated
82% patient verification success rate
1,200 cancellations processed without any human interaction
“We were looking for efficiency — and we found it with Navigator,” said Michelle Winfield-Hanrahan, RN, BSN, MHA, MSN, UAMS’ Chief Clinical Access Officer and Associate Vice Chancellor for Access. “The team was spending three hours daily just listening to patient voicemails and then going in and canceling appointments. Navigator completely took that manual work off our plates. It sounds and acts like a human, and it’s so helpful. Our outcomes have been very positive, and really exceeded what I expected.”
At DENT Neurologic Institute, Fax Transform is saving significant time and effort:
3x faster fax processing
70% time savings on fax workflows
“We receive a lot of faxes – over 500 per day across the organization – and it’s just impossible to keep up with manually,” said Emily Smythe, DENT’s Manager of Quality & Analytics. “Processing a single fax can take up to five minutes. Fax Transform automates it completely, so it takes 10 seconds or less to file a fax.”
The Future of Spark
We’re so excited to make healthcare access easier for patients and their loved ones and free staff up for great interactions. Navigator (patient concierge), Fax Transform (fax automation), and staff-side efficiency tools are available today, with much more coming throughout 2025.
With Spark, we’ve built the most impactful AI the market has seen yet, one that helps healthcare organizations drive the business with technology, not because of technology. We can’t wait to transform the workflows that our customers have told us are the biggest areas of opportunity – and to continue growing what Spark can do.
Whether you use Epic, Oracle Health, MEDITECH, eClinicalWorks, athenahealth, NextGen, Greenway Health, or another EHR, you’ve likely heard the phrase “EHR first.” With the electronic health record (EHR) serving as the core source of truth for healthcare organizations, the effectiveness of the rest of your technology depends on its ability to seamlessly integrate with your EHR. Effective EHR integration makes patient information accessible and actionable across different platforms, facilitating smoother workflows and better care coordination.
Let’s examine the essential aspects of evaluating EHR integration capabilities and advanced solutions tailored to healthcare facilities’ needs, so that your technology ultimately optimizes patient care and connection.
What is an Electronic Health Record (EHR)?
Electronic Health Record (EHR): An EHR is a digital version of a patient’s medical history and information. It consolidates data from various healthcare providers into a single, comprehensive record. EHRs facilitate patient care management by providing instant access to medical histories, test results, and treatment plans. Leading EHR vendors include Epic, Oracle Health, MEDITECH, eClinicalWorks, athenahealth, NextGen, and Greenway Health.
EHR Integration: EHR integration refers to the process of connecting the EHR system with other healthcare management systems and technologies. Effective integrations result in a patient journey where information flows seamlessly between different systems, improving continuity of care and operational efficiency.
Examples of EHR Integrations
The EHR serves as the source of truth for healthcare providers, and most other systems integrate with it to maintain that single source of truth. Here are just a few examples of EHR integrations you might use:
Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) Integration: Integrating the EHR with Laboratory Information Systems allows for automatic transmission of lab results directly into patient records. This eliminates the need for manual entry, reduces errors, and makes lab results immediately available to healthcare providers.
Radiology Information Systems (RIS) Integration: Connecting Radiology Information Systems with the EHR enables radiology reports and imaging results to be directly accessible within the patient’s electronic health record. This integration streamlines the workflow for radiologists and other healthcare providers.
Pharmacy Management Systems Integration: Integrating the EHR with pharmacy management systems allows for electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) and real-time updates of medication lists, which keeps medication information up-to-date and reduces the risk of prescription errors.
Patient Engagement Integration: Integrating the EHR with patient-facing engagement technology, such as appointment reminders, allows patients to see and interact with relevant information about their healthcare that relates to upcoming appointments or follow-ups. One specific example:
Luma’s Text-First Patient Scheduling Integration. Integrating Luma’s text-first scheduling system with EHR systems simplifies appointment scheduling by allowing patients to book appointments via text messages. This system automates appointment reminders, confirmations, cancellations, and follow-ups, and syncs all scheduling information directly with the EHR.
Wearable Health Devices Integration. Connecting wearable health devices, such as fitness trackers and medical monitoring devices, with the EHR allows for real-time data from these devices to be incorporated into patient records. This helps healthcare providers monitor patient health trends and intervene when necessary.
How to Evaluate a Vendor’s EHR Integration
So, how do you evaluate whether a vendor integrates well with your EHR? The following five factors should guide your choices:
1. Interoperability with Existing Systems
A fundamental factor to assess when evaluating a vendor’s EHR integration is how well the system connects with your existing tech stack.
Key Considerations:
System Compatibility: New vendors should be able to effectively link with your current systems. For example, you might need a patient engagement vendor to integrate with your EHR, your population health management system, and your patient education content library.
Data Exchange Standards:Ensure the integration supports data exchange standards like HL7, FHIR, and DICOM, facilitating smooth communication across various platforms.
2. Ease of Use
The user experience is crucial for ensuring healthcare staff can effectively adopt a new vendor into their workflows without adding extra work or processes.
Key Considerations:
Fit with Existing User Workflows: Look for vendors that integrate seamlessly not just with your systems, but with your existing workflows. Most users should not need to log in or double-document information if the EHR integration is sound.
Effective Use of Information: Choose vendors that integrate deeply enough with your EHR so staff don’t need to fill in the gaps by manually documenting information that was not carried over.
3. Compliance with Regulatory Standards
Compliance with regulatory standards is non-negotiable; any system you bring on board must comply with all legal and ethical practices in healthcare in your area.
Key Considerations:
HIPAA Compliance:Verify the EHR integration adheres to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to protect patient information.
Additional Regulations: Confirm the integration meets any other specific regulations relevant to your region or type of practice.
4. Data Security Measures
Robust data security is essential for protecting sensitive patient information from unauthorized access and breaches. Especially as cyberattacks continue to grow, data security is likely one of the most important considerations when your organization looks to add a new vendor to your technology stack.
Key Considerations:
Encryption: Verify the integration includes strong encryption protocols for data at rest and in transit.
Access Controls: Look for comprehensive access controls that manage user permissions and data access.
5. Customer Support and Service
Reliable customer support is crucial for resolving issues and ensuring the smooth operation of any system integrated with your EHR.
Key Considerations:
Support Availability: Assess the availability of customer support, including response times and the range of support channels (phone, email, chat).
Service Quality: Research reviews or testimonials regarding the vendor’s support service to gauge the effectiveness of their assistance.
Luma’s EHR Integration
Luma’s Patient Success Platform integrates with the EHR to give patients easier access to your healthcare system, such as with patient self-scheduling, EHR-integrated intake and consent forms, and reminders integrated with your EHR schedule.
It checks all the boxes of a solid EHR integration:
Luma is designed to work with a wide array of existing systems, minimizing disruptions and ensuring cohesive data management. Luma integrates with your EHR, population health management system, revenue cycle management system, CRM, and much more.
Luma provides user-friendly solutions and extensive training resources. Automated appointment reminders and follow-ups actually save time for your staff, instead of adding more manual tasks to their plates.
Luma follows the gold standard in information security. Luma is HIPAA-compliant, ISO 27001:2022 Certified, HITRUST CSF r2 Certified, and performs a SOC 2 Type II attestation annually.
Luma is known for its exceptional customer support, with dedicated implementation staff and customer success managers for each healthcare organization. Deep experience with leading EHRs including Epic, Oracle Health, MEDITECH, eClinicalWorks, athenahealth, NextGen, and Greenway Health allows us to effectively support your organization, whether you need out-of-the-box or custom workflows.
Any organization looking improve efficiency and patient care with a new vendor needs to prioritize vendors with good EHR integration. Interoperability, ease of use, regulatory compliance, data security, and customer support are critical factors to help you evaluate systems that will enhance your organization’s work, not add extra tasks or maintenance.
Book a demo today to discover how Luma’s integration capabilities can enhance operations and patient engagement.
Across the health IT industry, leaders are balancing pressing concerns like increasing call volume and the need to maximize revenue with limited resources. And nice-to-have initiatives just don’t cut it anymore, with those that don’t drive revenue left on the cutting room floor. So how do you balance building for the long term with the pressures you’re managing right now?
In the webcast Digital Health: On Air, leaders in a variety of roles have shared the challenges they’re facing – and the strategies they use to achieve success in spite of them. Here are some of their takeaways:
Take an incremental approach
In healthcare, “change can be very, very challenging,” says Arz Raheem, Sr. Director of Digital Transformation at Montefiore Health System. “[But] I think, after many years, healthcare is open to the change that is needed. And even if that’s iterative, that’s fine.”
Investing in a large-scale transformation project might be off the table for your organization right now. That’s okay, according to Raheem and Tarun Kapoor, MD, Chief Digital Transformation Officer at Virtua Health. And it can even be an asset.
“In our hypercompetitive market, speed to impact is worth a lot,” says Kapoor. “And so you have to think about, ‘What is the problem that the consumer is facing in this specific situation? How can I make them successful?’”
At Virtua Health, Kapoor’s iterative approach created real clinical impact. Realizing that some patients weren’t responding to colonoscopy reminder outreach, he took a step back. “Traditionally, we say, ‘you have a care gap. Come into the office so we can talk to you about this care gap.’ Instead, we said, ‘we know you might not have time to come in right now. Can you do a Cologuard® test at home?” After this more tailored outreach to a specific subset of patients, Virtua Health got thousands of home tests back and found nearly 300 patients with positive results.
Instead of taking months to work toward a larger project and hit a number of defined milestones, Raheem says, he’s also seen results from an agile approach where projects are smaller-scale and can be expanded later, if they’re successful. An important caveat: “Be brave enough to kill it if there’s no value.”
Bring varied stakeholders to the table
So, what’s the most important ingredient in this iterative approach?
“We try and find people from operations; finance; security; compliance and legal; who are open to change, who can be our champions,” says Raheem. “[Then] we can take good ideas from ideation to implementation and make sure that we’re creating value,” he says.
Gathering this multi-stakeholder group and approaching challenges from this lens requires a culture shift, says Raheem, from the traditional health IT implementation model.
“Technology has had, in my opinion, a culture of more preservation and maintenance. I say, ‘I’m going to try small things. I think I’m onto something and want to show you what I’ve got.’ But if you don’t have the right support, great ideas will die on the vine.”
At the same time, this “coalition of the willing” across different areas of expertise is especially important for Raheem, who serves one of the country’s leading academic medical centers, to avoid introducing risk with an agile approach.
“We’re agile, but we have to be extremely careful about how we implement change and how we’re introducing new technologies because we’re in an environment that is heavily regulated,” he says. So, “if you don’t have that support, then speed to impact doesn’t really happen.”
Pinpoint your pain points
Another way to create outsize success? Pinpoint very specific use cases for new technology, like Main Line Health.
First, Main Line Health identified that their call volume was too high for staff to handle. Having already successfully transitioned to a centralized call center and offloaded some calls to an external resource, they needed another lever to help patients get to the right place without waiting on hold.
Next, they identified that a majority of incoming calls were to schedule mammograms and DEXA scans. “The largest service line supported by central scheduling is radiology and imaging,” said Noreen Friel, Director of Call Center Operations. “And we’ve been trying to increase access to our digital front door and enable patients to schedule themselves.” With a defined scope of the types of calls they wanted to assist with self-service, they were able to quickly add a call-to-self service workflow for patients that would allow scheduling for mammograms and DEXA scans by SMS if the patient desired.
Since adding in the self-service option for these types of calls, Main Line Health has saved 900+ hours in a single year while still getting patients what they need. Pointing to the success of the project, Friel says: “We already had self-scheduling, and we kept it pretty simple. So it was implemented very fast.”
Look for hidden barriers
As your health system is evaluating what’s necessary for the short-term and where to focus for the long term, Elizabeth Woodcock, DrPH, MBA, FACMPE, CPC, founder and executive director of the Patient Access Collaborative, encourages looking for hidden access barriers.
Hidden barriers, says Woodcock, exist throughout the patient experience and can often be resolved to create more equitable and smooth access to care. These barriers could include:
All patient outreach in English, at an organization where 20% of patients speak Spanish
Confusing parking or lack of directions to the right office at a large health system
Required information, such as address, that prevents patients without that information from completing new patient intake
Lack of accommodations such as free parking for patients who can’t afford a parking deck fee
Better patient access or transformation of the experience doesn’t have to be out of reach if your health system is focused on containing costs through this year and next. Consider low-cost changes that could address these hidden barriers, such as:
Having your call center staff who speak Spanish accessible through a bilingual call center line
Providing detailed instructions for parking and locating their doctor’s office for patients coming to your facility for the first time
Making address or phone number fields optional on electronic new patient forms
Asking patients if there are accommodations that would make getting in the door for their visits more accessible
Woodcock says that the number one best tool leaders can have for transforming patient access is to “really, really listen.” And as part of this listening, understand that finding hidden barriers requires more creative thinking than simply consulting patient feedback surveys, as these are often a “biased sample” of only patients who have been reached in the right way and in the right language, Woodcock says.
Ultimately, Woodcock points out, searching for and addressing hidden barriers is worth it. “Our most vulnerable patients’ voices are not being heard. And because of that, they’re fighting to get in our system.”
Take a look at cybersecurity basics
The rising threat of cyberattacks means it’s impossible to focus on iterative, impactful changes without a strong security infrastructure. And the very digital transformation that helps create these changes creates more risk, according to security expert Brent Williams.
“Healthcare is a target-rich environment,” he says. “Think about the datasets that are out there – it’s really powerful in terms of stealing identities. In the last 10 years, malicious actors have definitely noticed that, as the digital aspect of the healthcare business continues to grow.”
A core component of a secure health system, according to Williams, is a company culture of security. “The term I use is ‘business as usual.’ Security, when it’s done well, should just be part of the fabric of your processes, your technology, your business,” he says. To enable this culture, he recommends:
Making secure processes as low-friction as possible so they’re followed consistently.
Regular staff education
Ensuring that everyone knows about your information security and compliance team and brings them in for new vendor evaluations or new hardware
“It’s the same weaknesses over and over,” like unprotected VPN endpoints or login pages, that lead to significant cyberattacks, says Williams. “So I keep coming back to the basics.” And over time, Williams says, “the team starts to get a bias toward, ‘oh, this is working well.’”
While the added scrutiny needed for cybersecurity at today’s health systems can be stressful, says Williams, this basic hygiene can protect against costly and disruptive cyberattacks and allow your health system to focus on other impactful initiatives.
Conclusions
The CIO is at the center of a number of challenges, from serving more patients with fewer staff to remaining competitive without overspending on expensive digital tools. But amidst these challenges, you’re still responsible for directing your organization toward long-term success.
The experts featured in season 1 of Digital Health: On Air are creating immediate impact with long-term potential with:
Iterative change that avoids devoting long-term resources to projects until they’re proven on a small scale.
Multi-department coalitions to ensure that initiatives have the right context and considerations needed to be successful.
Technology tweaks targeted at very specific pain points, like individual appointment types that create high call volume.
Process changes to solve hidden barriers that might be preventing access to care, driving up ED utilization, or causing frustration and callbacks.
Strong security basics to avoid dangerous, time-consuming, and expensive cybersecurity threats.
Guest post by Renee McKibben, RN, BSN, Regional Operations Director at Maury Regional Health. This article was originally published in Becker’s Hospital Review.
A key strategy for access leaders looking to reach more patients is to think “EHR Plus.”
At Maury Regional Health, we serve patients across eight counties in southern and middle Tennessee, with a lot of variance in how they want and need to access care. We have patients in rural areas with less reliable internet, and we also know that patients have high expectations for their consumer experience.
To be able to provide the access that our patients expect, Maury Regional Health uses the EHR as the key source of truth and expands the channels available to patients through integration.
Three key pieces of our “EHR Plus” strategy:
1) Keep the EHR the source of truth.
Everyone from our staff to our technology and access leaders is aligned in keeping Oracle Cerner our source of truth.
When we evaluate any technology additions, we look for FHIR API connectivity with our EHR to communicate using the most up-to-date information and write back any changes such as scheduled appointments.
In fact, our goal is that our staff don’t even realize all the different vendors we have attached to Oracle Cerner – they simply see it as the EHR. One example is our patient engagement platform. Patients see the messages and self-service options as communication from MRH, and staff see all updates in Oracle Cerner.
What to consider: Especially when short on staff, it’s not sustainable to ask staff to jump through hoops or double-document information. A new system must be deeply integrated to reduce, not add to, the tasks completed day-to-day by staff.
2) Choose additions to the EHR strategically to offer new modes of access.
At Maury Regional Health, we serve an incredibly diverse population with all sorts of technology infrastructure. We know that healthcare isn’t necessarily accessible to everyone out of the box, and we need to match our technology both to what’s available to our patients and to their expectations for their care.
One common request from our patients was the ability to communicate by text message – it’s more convenient for many of our patients and is more accessible if someone doesn’t have reliable internet connectivity.
On the system side we also needed the ability to reach more of our patients at once, such as when a provider is out sick.
By adding on the ability to ingest information from Oracle Cerner, text the patient, and bring back their responses into the EHR, we were able to match our patients’ expectations and give them better access to our services. We’ve been able to create a consumer experience our patients want, while also recognizing $500,000 more in revenue by reducing no-shows across key departments.
What to consider: It’s worth strategically expanding your tech stack to give patients access to their care in the way they want it. Look for opportunities to improve the experience for a wide variety of patients, as well as staff.
3) Prioritize real-time customization integrated with the EHR.
With multiple specialties and sites spread across eight counties, Maury Regional’s access technology needs to offer real-time communication and updates. Healthcare isn’t one-size-fits-all, and customization is a huge priority for all of the products we integrate with our EHR.
For example, we have a lot of demand for our specialists who have very limited availability. It’s crucial that we’re able to prepare patients for those appointments and make sure the care is completed successfully, so patients aren’t delayed waiting for the next available slot. Different specialists and types of appointment might have sequenced diagnostic tests, specific patient forms, or other information that requires very clear communication to the patient.
With our access tools, tight integration with our EHR and customizability of the tools makes sure that the patient gets the right communication, at the right time, specific to their care journey and the way they want to communicate with us.
What to consider: Balance standardization with customization when selecting and implementing access tools. Ensure that your tools have the capability to use EHR data to customize patient communication to each person, while keeping the EHR up to date.
Interested in hearing more about Maury Regional Health’s approach? Learn more here.
Today, we announced the achievement of Oracle Validated Integration with Oracle Health Expertise. This recognition, along with our ability to deploy Luma’s platform directly from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), demonstrates our deep commitment to the Oracle community and the success of our customers.
We’ve long heard from leading health systems that they have the powerful data and patient journey context they need to create great patient journeys, but they need a system to orchestrate and take action on this data set. Luma’s mission is to be that system of action, with next-level orchestration integrated into Oracle Health including:
Conversation history embedded directly in the patient’s chart record in the Oracle Health EHR.
Bi-directional intake, screening, and consent forms that help reduce double-documentation, scanning, and other time-consuming manual work for staff.
Guided patient scheduling (via chat, web, text, or voice) integrated with Oracle Health and personalized to the provider and appointment type the patient needs.
Call deflection to actionable SMS via guided voice, giving patients more options to get what they need without waiting
Automated outreach with next best steps for each patient based on their Oracle Health medical record (including intelligent scheduling, one-to-many personalized communication, and other actionable next steps for patients).
AI, LLM, and NLP-powered patient communication in each person’s preferred channel and language.
More than a suite of capabilities, Luma’s platform is designed to guide each patient along their journey while keeping Oracle Health the source of truth.
Every health system wants to provide best-in-class patient journeys. We’re excited to have achieved Oracle Validated Integration with Oracle Health Expertise because it further demonstrates our commitment to the success of our customers. Luma supports our customers with experienced implementation, data-driven best practices, and personalized solutions that meet their patients’ needs. Additionally, Luma’s validated Oracle Cloud Build Expertise and ability to deploy the platform directly from Oracle Cloud fully support our customers leveraging Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
Some notable successes by our customers integrating Luma with Oracle Health include:
Reduced patient wait times for care by 33 days on average
$500K more captured in annual revenue while caring for a patient population 95% managed by Medicare
Full Oracle integration live within one month
We’re honored to be recognized by Oracle for our continued investment in providing integrated, end-to-end capabilities to our customers.
Tarun Kapoor, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Transformation Officer at Virtua Health, sees patients not just as receivers of care but as active partners in their healthcare journey. To him, true patient empowerment means more than meeting requests—it’s about proactively understanding patient needs.
Traditionally, patients were left on the sidelines, overloaded with information.“The goal is not just a transformative solution, but a mechanism where patients can be empowered,” emphasized Dr. Kapoor. His approach at Virtua Health centers on collaborating with patients as active participants in their care, because engaging patients directly leads to better outcomes for both the patient and the organization.
Empowering patients through consumer choice
“I’ve heard some people say patients are less loyal these days. The way I look at it, you can’t assume people were previously loyal if they didn’t previously have choices,” said Kapoor.
“Today’s patients have choices and they’re exercising those choices, which now makes them consumers. Health systems need to think more like retailers in meeting patient needs with just-in-time information through convenient modalities (like SMS), and that’s where we are having great success with Luma,” said Kapoor.
Empowering patients through personal customization
Through partnering with Luma, the Virtua Health team ensures patients receive tailored, relevant information before appointments. Automated appointment reminders engage patients in a friendly and accessible way, making healthcare feel less intimidating.This personal touch has streamlined visits and empowered patients with important knowledge about their health.
With now a 79.34% appointment confirmation rate, partnering with Luma has changed how Virtua Health optimizes appointments, making patient engagement efficient and impactful.
Empowering patients through larger system change
Dr. Kapoor advocates for patients playing an active and informed role in their care decisions, but the first move must be made by the larger healthcare industry: “Patients will not be able to empower themselves unless we create mechanisms to challenge our current system and ask ourselves, are we creating an ecosystem where patients can be empowered?”
Fostering this kind of active patient participation is not just the future of healthcare – it’s the present, and it’s a journey that Virtua Health, with the help of partners like Luma, is eagerly embracing.
This blog was written based on Tarun Kapoor’s 2023 Lumanate keynote presentation. Watch it here.
With Luma now tightly integrated with Greenway Health, millions more patients will more easily access care, prepare for their appointments, and communicate with their providers
Luma is built on the core idea that it should be easier for patients to get to care, and the newly announced partnership between Greenway Health and Luma makes that possible for millions more patients across the United States.
For patients to be successful, they need to:
Access care more easily.
Easily communicate with their providers.
Be ready for care before their visit.
With Luma integrated directly into the Greenway Health EHRs as the native patient engagement solution, patients can self-service, with every action updating the patient’s record in Greenway. This puts the patient at the center and gets them what they need – without additional burden for staff.
It supports these three pillars that make patients more successful and ultimately creates the positive consumer experience they expect.
Here’s how the Luma-Greenway partnership supports the 3 pillars of patient success.
1. Access Care Easily
Access when and where patients want it
Patients expect more options than a phone call to access care, and research shows that they love having self-service options. Patients will even choose a provider based on whether they can self-schedule or change appointments without calling.
Greenway Patient Connect powered by Luma lets them:
Schedule online (website, chatbot, portal, etc.)
Cancel and reschedule appointments by text message
Know when they’ve been referred to a specialist and get instructions for scheduling
24/7 access
We’ve heard from countless organizations that they want to do more to improve patient access, but don’t have any more staff time to devote to it. They need to do more than ever before to gain and retain patients, with less staff effort.
Luma + Greenway lets patients take action 24/7, integrated directly with their patient record. It means no double-documentation for staff or manually filling open times.
Instead, open times are automatically filled with offers to the right patients based on their appointment needs. Staff simply see fuller schedules in Greenway. For example, at DMOS Orthopaedic Centers, dozens of patients per day booked appointments online in the first full month with Luma.
2. Communicate with Providers
Patient-to-Provider
For patients to be successful without long wait times on hold, they need an easy way to contact their providers with questions.
Luma enables secure staff-patient chat and allows patients to initiate by text or chatbot to get the answers they need. And if they’re on the phone and can’t wait for a staff member, they can receive a text instead to complete actions like rescheduling an appointment.
Provider-to-Patient
To help staff communicate with patients more efficiently, they have options in Greenway Patient Connect powered by Luma:
One-to-many broadcast messaging for important updates like weather closures (helping avoid long hours trying to get in touch with many patients)
Web messaging from staff goes to text messages for patients (convenient for both parties)
Web-to-chat messaging to respond to patients who ask a question via chatbot on their provider’s website
3. Be Ready for Care
Clear next steps
Reminders directly to patients with the next steps they need to know help reduce no-shows and create a better experience for patients.
Reminders from Greenway Patient Connect powered by Luma are driven by the schedule in Greenway and automatically let patients know when to arrive for their appointments, whether they have forms to complete, and more. Patients are more prepared for their appointments, without staff investing in manual calls down a list.
Easy, EHR-integrated actions
Instead of simply engaging patients by text and leaving next steps for in person or over the phone, Greenway Patient Connect powered by Luma lets patients take the next step themselves. It creates the self-service, simple consumer experience that patients have grown to expect.
For example, they can:
Complete intake forms including new patient forms, authorizations, and more
Upload a driver’s license
Let staff know when they have arrived
These actions update the Greenway EHRs directly, allowing patients to actively partner in their healthcare journeys and ensuring staff members have one source of truth.
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We couldn’t be more excited for the efficient, simple consumer experience patients will have access to with the Luma-Greenway partnership on Greenway Patient Connect powered by Luma. Simplifying these everyday interactions, providing self-service options, and removing friction from the healthcare experience are the true opportunities for innovation in healthcare right now. This partnership will improve the healthcare journeys of millions of patients across the United States with these pillars of patient success.
The previous norms for earning and keeping patients have shifted dramatically, as outpatient volumes continue to be lower post-pandemic. Staying competitive often means getting creative to not only reduce costs – which can only be reduced so far – but doing more with your existing resources.
Luma helps your team get more results from the efforts you already implement, helping you contain costs and grow revenue.
Here are innovative ways that peers from the Luma community are containing costs:
Free up resources, then repurpose
Instead of patients filling out forms in the office, Seaview Orthopedics, located in Ocean, New Jersey, implemented an automated intake process using Luma reminders. Patients are sent their intake forms via text before their visit, saving time and removing the manual process for staff. “I never thought that intake forms could be an easy process, especially because there are so many complexities in orthopedics,” said Christina Flaherty, Seaview’s Director of Project Management, “With Luma, we now can focus on next-level growth.”The Seaview team converted the now-empty waiting room space into additional physical therapy rooms, and in just five months, they earned over $765,000 ROI from increased patient volumes.
Evaluate the downstream effects of a pay-per-message strategy
At Specialists in General Surgery in Minnesota, 3-5 full-time staff manually called patients each day to remind them of appointments or pre-op instructions. Their pay-per-message vendor made it costly to remind patients via text, which led to the necessity of daily calls. After making the switch to Luma and using text reminders instead of calls, they started saving over 20 hours of staff time each week. “Luma takes an incredible lift off our team by giving them more time to focus on patients instead of reminder calls. I didn’t realize just how much of a tremendous employee morale booster Luma would be,” said Anita Caskey, Chief Administrative Officer, Specialists in General Surgery.
Look for automation opportunities to save patients and staff time
Like Specialists in General Surgery, CommuniCare, an FQHC in San Antonio, Texas, now automates text reminders before appointments to let patients – and staff – skip the phone calls. In two months, more than half of their patients opted to confirm their appointments via text. The convenience of texting over calling is what patients expect, according to Sean Adams, VP, Chief Performance & Innovation Officer for CommuniCare. With Luma, CommuniCare saved over 3,000 hours of staff time in reminder calls, valued at $41,500 saved per month.
Utilize existing schedule spots to improve outcomes and drive revenue
GPW Health Center, located in Manassas, VA, gained an additional $30,000 in seven months from filling open appointments using automated waitlist offers. Previously, when patients would cancel at the last minute, those appointments would stay empty, creating a loss of expected revenue for GPW. Now, patients who need care sooner get Luma text message offers integrated with the eClinicalWorks EHR. Schedules stay full and patients are being seen sooner, without additional manual work from GPW’s staff.
Want to learn more about how Luma can help maximize your return on investment? Schedule a demo today!
Utilizing an enterprise EHR system is like traveling on a cruise ship. You and hundreds of fellow passengers are on the same journey, for better or worse. The ship is designed to keep everyone onboard happy. You know which destinations lie ahead, but the schedule may be impacted due to weather.
But what if you want to stay a little longer in one port? What if you need to hurry up and meet friends at a different destination? What if you’re a little seasick and want to slow down? You’re out of luck. There’s no diverting the cruise ship from its set route, even when passengers aren’t on board.
We often observe this in healthcare. Many complex organizations benefit from the immense scope and scale of an enterprise EHR to care for a broad patient population, but one size does not fit all. Patient experience and engagement varies widely. Healthcare is a competitive market. In many regions, patients have a choice about where to seek care. Without IT tools in place to smooth the patient journey, this looks like:
Missed opportunities stemming from minimal patient portal adoption
Lost revenue from no-show rates
Stretched staff manually handling custom workflows in business line silos
Patients’ unique needs would benefit from speedboat flexibility to react to market conditions as they change. Enter patient engagement platforms: a solution that natively integrates with your EHR can implement new outreach strategies and realize results now.
In competitive marketplaces, this is not a luxury but a necessity. If you don’t have the ability to reach patients now, you risk losing them to a facility that can. How do we know? Because 87% of surveyed healthcare decision-makers agree that ability to compete in a marketplace is a driver for implementing patient engagement solutions (source). Fortunately, you don’t have to lag behind.
Fill the Cracks, Fast
What if your organization could start seeing changes in a matter of weeks?
Most systems are designed to work when everything is going right: when patients are fully engaged with all of their tools. In an enterprise health system, the multitude of available tools can flow through a patient portal for a streamlined patient experience. But data shows that more than half of patients aren’t using patient portals, even after receiving opportunities to register.
A platform approach to patient engagement can integrate into the native EHR and bridge some of the cracks with a medium that everyone uses: SMS text messaging.
Unlike enterprise EHR modules, API-integrated platform solutions can be implemented and launched within 45 days – enabling your organization to not just keep up with the Joneses, but surpass their assets.
Break Free from Boilerplate
Why are 89% of patients between the ages of 17-74 reluctant to use online scheduling options? Reasons include lack of access to internet, lack of awareness that options exist, low computer skills, and resistance to changing habits (source). It can be challenging to change their ways when limited to boilerplate messaging options and a set number of scenarios. To activate these patients and keep them within a healthcare network, organizations must be able to think outside the box – and step outside of boxes, too.
Partnership with a flexible patient success platform keeps patients on that journey. Over 1,000 messaging scenarios, and the ability to develop more, will accommodate your unique organization – and your patients – right from implementation.
Don’t Despair: Automate
When complexity abounds, organizations hesitate to adopt patient engagement technologies because their processes can vary wildly across the system. Specialities following different workflows keeps organizational knowledge siloed and ensures that valuable staff time is required to keep patients in-network. Many are surprised to learn that complexity doesn’t have to be a barrier to modernization. In fact, implementation of a platform is often an opportunity to simplify workflows and identify streamlined ways to automate tired processes. Administrators and staff alike are often pleasantly surprised to learn that people don’t have to manually undertake every step of the scheduling and intake processes.
The perfect mix
Automation is a hot topic right now, but it’s important to deploy a strategy that keeps humans involved when necessary. Sometimes it’s best to simplify the easy stuff and leave the personal touch for when it’s needed most. Main Line Health saved 15,000 minutes of human time per month when they implemented Digital Call Deflection. Inbound calls could be diverted to conversational SMS text messaging, enabling the call center to focus on patient interactions that benefited from a human touch.
What next?
Learn how an out-of-box solution can reach and activate the 40% of patients who aren’t using your organization’s patient portal. Request a demo here.
Patient care extends well beyond the minutes that a clinician and patient pass in an exam room together. The ensuing visit notes are just one piece of the continuum. Healthcare systems have long integrated selections from a smorgasbord of technology tools to document care, optimize practice operations, and integrate patients’ financial journeys…with varying degrees of interoperability and success.
Moving into 2024, healthcare providers report momentum towards consolidating tech stacks, looking to existing solutions for add-on capabilities before evaluating new vendors. Many EHR vendors are expanding beyond their core functionality of care documentation with solutions across the patient care journey. But organizations should tread with care.
Enterprise EHR is not one-size-fits-all
Every organization has unique aspects that influence operation. The gap between patient expectations and system capabilities can be massive, presenting many opportunities for patients to fall into the chasm between.
What’s holding patients back? Research indicates that barriers to self-service include access to the internet, lack of awareness of services, low computer skills, and change in the habit of making appointments over the phone or face-to-face. But even for patients who engage with technology, a challenging process is likely to disenchant and deter. Patients expect a frictionless experience. Anything less will stand between them and a completed appointment. No pressure, right?
The good news is, in a competitive marketplace, healthcare systems have a huge opportunity to deliver a seamless experience to keep patients coming back.
Most systems are designed to work when everything is going right: when patients are fully engaged with all of their tools.But data shows that only about 20-30% of patients make it through a manual scheduling process to a completed appointment. In their wake, they leave the debris of administrative burden, network leakage, missed appointments, and ultimately: lost revenue.
To capture maximum value from an enterprise EHR, you will need supplemental capabilities and patient engagement guardrails designed to keep the other 70 – 80% of patients in network.
10 Ways that Patient Engagement Platforms Support Patient Retention
End-to-end SMS capabilities: Patient portals can be limiting – many features hide behind walls of clicks and require a patient’s full, unsustained attention. Text message outreach can go beyond directing patients to their portal. Reach more patients by enabling them to make an appointment or complete pre-visit paperwork by way of text messages, start-to-finish.
Smart Waitlist Management: Automate the patient-cancel-staff-scramble with a graceful pivot to an integrated process, filling newly-emptied appointment slots as they arise via automated text outreach.
Streamlined Appointment Management: Enable patients to schedule, reschedule, or cancel appointments through the platform, reducing no-shows and optimizing scheduling efficiency.
Automated Appointment Reminders from a Recognized Phone Number: Text blasts are often ignored or filtered as spam. When patients receive reminders via a trusted organization’s phone number, practices realize improved appointment attendance rates and reduce administrative burdens.
Secure Communication Channels: Stay HIPAA-compliant. Secure communication between patients and healthcare providers can be integrated within the platform.
Health Risk Assessments: Administer and analyze health risk assessments through the platform, aiding in early identification of potential health risks and preventive interventions.
Feedback and Satisfaction Surveys: Collect patient feedback and satisfaction surveys through the platform to gauge the quality of care and identify areas for improvement. Automate post-visit follow-ups and surveys to gather insights into patient experiences and monitor recovery progress.
Pre-Visit Questionnaires: Collect relevant patient information before visits through digital questionnaires, optimizing visit efficiency and information accuracy.
Remote Check-Ins: The digital front door is in patients’ fingertips. Conduct virtual check-ins through the platform, allowing healthcare providers to focus on what’s important and keep schedules on pace patient well-being between scheduled appointments.
Billing and Payment Integration: Streamline billing processes by integrating payment functionalities within the platform, enhancing the financial aspects of healthcare service delivery.
Simple, right?
Having all of these in place is great, but if they don’t integrate deeply with your EHR, your organization won’t reap maximum returns. Overworked staff can’t spend time tracking these things down manually. For true Patient Success, these workflows must be deeply embedded in a native EHR, automating processes with closed-loop referrals and EHR writebacks.
Navigating the happy path in the complex landscape of enterprise EHRs requires a thoughtful approach to patient engagement. By addressing gaps with personalized strategies, proactive waitlist management, and consideration of generational nuances, healthcare providers can guide patients seamlessly through their journey, leading to improved outcomes and increased value from their EHR investments.
It’s the dream come true: your specialty practice is highly regarded in your region, and you’ve built a reputation and the relationships that result in an opportunity to help a patient in your distinct area of expertise.
Of course, you don’t know this yet. This patient, all the way across town, leaves their primary care provider’s office clutching a piece of paper. That single sheet is everything: the referral. But there’s only a 35% chance that you’ll ever realize this moment of opportunity took place, when the referral results in a completed appointment. It’s far too likely that the patient will end up following another path instead.
How much is this costing your practice?
Why does patient drift? It could be based in process: patients want easy scheduling. If they can make an appointment online, great. But oftentimes, new patient workflows are complex and require call-ins. It’s too easy to get lost before the process begins, be it to long hold times at an overworked call center, or phone tag with an office staff. In fact, 45% of referrals resulted in no communication back to the patient.
Once the appointment is scheduled, the wait begins… and the longer the wait, the greater the odds of patient cancellation or no-showing. Maybe they feel better and no longer feel the need for care. But it’s also possible that they are seeking faster service elsewhere… or that, by the time their appointment rolls around, they’ve forgotten completely.
It’s challenging to broadly quantify the cost of these missed opportunities. But it’s safe to say that accounting for wasted/redundant staff labor, no-shows, patient appointment leakage, and lost opportunities for procedures has occurred will add up to big losses.
We suggest three technology-based pillars for successfully changing outcomes:
Provide patients with a direct link to scheduling and provider
Research shows that most patients want convenient ways to contact their doctor’s office, but barriers such as lack of computer availability and reluctance to change habits can be barriers to portal adoption. Yet even older generations are texting. Rather than guiding patients towards friction and roadblocks, send scheduling opportunities directly into their hands. Increase the likelihood of making appointments by sending patients an SMS referral notification when their referral is created. When the message comes from a trusted phone number, the patient is more likely to engage – not just by clicking through to make an appointment by text alone (no need for a patient portal), but by sustained interaction and conversational messaging with their healthcare provider.
Keep patients engaged throughout the lead-in time to appointment, resulting in increased retention and fewer no-shows with minimal staff workflow
Enterprise EHRs often offer a singular appointment reminder with boilerplate language. While useful, this single touchpoint doesn’t offer the same reassurance as customized guardrails. A patient engagement platform enables tailored workflows with cadenced reminders sent to patients. Leveraging insights, such as those provided by Bedrock, helps practices determine evidence-based communication practices to drive results. The goal? The patient feels included and is less likely to migrate their care.
Fill appointment gaps when patient plans change
When life happens to patients, it’s often accompanied by no-shows… and empty appointment windows. With a technology solution that automates the processes of: adding scheduled patients to a wait list, sharing cancellation opportunities, immediately offering newly available appointment times to canceling patients, and rescheduling the slot.
This cuts down on appointment lag for patients on the waitlist and quickly fills available slots – a win-win.
Bonus points if the referral loop can be written back within the native EHR, ensuring that all parties are aware that care has been received.
Managing patients’ health can be challenging, but the referral process doesn’t have to be.
When Michelle Winfield-Hanrahan took the helm as Clinical Chief Access Officer & Associate Vice Chancellor of Access at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in February of 2021, her mission was clear: find a patient engagement platform that supports the institution’s vision. While many platforms offered text messaging solutions, Michelle found Luma Health to be unique in their approach. “Luma really understood what we were looking for and they were willing to partner with us to determine the best fit for our organization,” emphasized Michelle.
One of the main issues Luma addressed for UAMS was the need for patients to effectively reschedule their appointments. Patients who canceled appointments often struggled to find a convenient time for rescheduling, resulting in gaps in needed care, longer wait times, and increased manual work for staff. These challenges ultimately affected the continuity and quality of patient care.
The Journey to Boardroom Buy-In
For Michelle, obtaining buy-in from the organization’s key stakeholders and senior leadership was a crucial milestone. As a new executive at UAMS, she faced the challenge of gaining support to invest in Luma. This milestone wasn’t just about getting approval for Luma; it was also a chance to improve the way UAMS delivers healthcare. Getting stakeholder support not only validated her vision but it also marked a turning point in modernizing UAMS’s healthcare delivery to meet the ever-changing needs of patients and staff.
Here’s Michelle’s blueprint for boardroom buy-in:
1. Align with Organizational Goals
Initiatives should focus and align with the goals of the strategic organization, such as delivering positive patient outcomes and satisfaction. Michelle shared with stakeholders that embracing technology like Luma could reduce patient no-shows, streamline workflows, and improve patient experience. “We didn’t want to lose revenue or compromise patient care, so this became a strategic initiative,” she explained.
2. Create Momentum Across Departments
Positive buy-in from one department can lead to interest in adopting the technology from other departments, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and cross-team collaboration. “Once we saw the success of the texting capability and rescheduling in one department, it sparked interest from others. They saw how we were solving our problems, and other departments started reaching out, asking if we can implement this in their areas. We’re quickly rolling it out to the next service lines,” Michelle mentioned.
3. Showcase Progress and Impact
It is important to ensure that the tool’s impact across different areas plays a role in delivering excellent patient care, streamlining administrative tasks, and keeping operations running smoothly. To show how it affects patient care and operational efficiency, this involves using detailed data reports.
“Luma’s ability to show us everything that we’re doing from their reporting capability has been instrumental in getting better patient communication moving throughout the organization,” Michelle notes.
These reports help put actionable insights into perspective in order to make improvements in daily operations. From reducing the number of canceled appointments to ensuring patients are seen on time and maintaining patient satisfaction—these reports highlight the important role Luma’s suite of solutions plays in improving patient care.
Transforming Healthcare Together
Michelle’s success at UAMS is the story of healthcare evolution: how technology and collaboration can shape patient success. Partnering with Luma Health can help organizations like UAMS usher in a new era where patients can actively participate in their own healthcare journey.
Interview based on October 25, 2023 Patient Access Collaborative webinar featuring Luma Health and Michelle Winfield-Hanrahan of UAMS.
If the current healthcare landscape could be summed up in a question, it might be: do we have enough support staff right now?
As labor costs and staffing challenges increase across every functional area of care delivery, Luma is committed to delivering holistic success for patients and the healthcare system at large, so that your organization can focus on what it does best: providing high-quality care.
Because over 8 million active users interact with Luma on a daily basis, our goal as a platform is to continually adapt, rising to any challenge our customers face. At the end of the day, we strive for holistic success for not only patients, but the healthcare system at large. Staff engagement, efficiency, and satisfaction are key components of that success.
With this in mind, we are excited to announce that commencing on October 31st and continuing through the year’s end, we’ll be implementing automatic updates to introduce our customers to the new UI and features. Designed with staff efficiency in mind, these new products energize pre-existing workflows for the Luma power user.
Updated User Experience
Enjoy a quicker, consistent, and more intuitive way to access our platform.The latest update brings staff a modern User Interface, a simplified navigation designed around key focus areas, and a customizable home page that significantly improves support for patient success. All of the following new products and user functionalities are available only in this new UI, completing the enhanced experience.
Scheduler Assist [early access]
Easier scheduling workflows, now at your fingertips. Scheduler Assist is designed to make staff members’ jobs easier when actively working with patients. Smart workflows streamline the appointment management process, ultimately reducing call wait times, improving patient and staff satisfaction, and providing a direct financial impact on your organization.
Make the most of staff time and create more successful patient journeys with actionable data. With patient behavior insights, visibility into the “true time” providers spend with patients, and more, it’s easy for any role – no matter how reporting-savvy – to understand your organization’s opportunities to better utilize providers or facilitate improved patient outcomes.
Workflow Builder and Workflow Gallery
Turnkey solutions to solve customer problems right off the shelf. Users can choose from a library of pre-built workflows from the Gallery to customize or create new workflows in Luma with an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop interface.
Message Template Translations
Translate templates to any supported languages with just one click. With the launch of our new UI, we’ve added the ability to automatically translate messaging templates in Mission Control. Now you can leverage AI to translate any of your messaging templates into one or more of our 33 supported languages with just the click of a button.
As we close 2023 and look to the healthcare landscape of 2024 and beyond, we want your team to feel more supported, excited, and energized than ever before. We’re here to help guide that journey.
This year at Lumanate 2023, we centered around patient empowerment and partnership. Why this theme? Why now?
We know that the healthcare delivery landscape continues to increase in complexity – where patients (i.e. the customer) are seeking a great health outcome, alongside a stellar consumer experience.
Competition is further amplifying this challenge – patients (i.e. the customer) have far more options to choose from, be it a similar clinic down the street, retail care options like CVS Minute Clinic, or a virtual care option on their phone.
Given the numerous paths to achieving a patient’s desired health outcome, delivering a stellar consumer experience is critical – patients want to play a part in managing their healthcare journey.
Recent research shows that it is a key consideration in their choice of providers.
Patients are 34% more likely to reschedule canceled appointments if they can do so directly from SMS. Luma Bedrock™, based on 8 years of data from 650+ healthcare organizations.
“The benefits of self-scheduling from the patients’ perspective—satisfaction, time, convenience, and engagement—were increasingly referred to as potential rewards…obstacles [may] have historically been organizations’ perceptions…Despite the lack of evidence-based barriers, use of self-scheduling has continued to be reported at low rates.” Journal of Internet Medical Research 24(1): Jan 11, 2022.
“Patients see great potential in the ability to self-schedule appointments and request prescription refills, yet these areas are where provider investment and vendor delivery fall the most short of patient expectations. [When]asked what they most value in choosing a provider organization…patients are placing increased focus on provider organizations’ digital access tools.” “Patient Perspectives on Patient Engagement Technology 2022,” KLAS Research.
Patients are often an underutilized resource. However, when empowered, patients take manual work away from staff and – unlike staff – a patient’s self-service efforts are scalable.
This strategy doesn’t require ‘more technology’ – rather, successful healthcare delivery organizations have focused on framing technology, workflows, and staffing trade-offs with a clear focus on ‘what’s the right thing to do for our customer/patient?”.
Here are three guiding principles we’ve found to be critical in empowering patients:
Don’t rely on the “digital front door” alone
The patient journey extends before and after the front door (and don’t forget that some folks like using the garage door or side door).
Think digital-first, but not digital-only
Patients want an omni-channel experience (i.e. meet them where they are, and pick right back up where they left off) – that’s not one-size-fits-all.
Look for “hidden” pitfalls to patient success
Areas where patients might have trouble reaching you or getting what they need.
It’s time to empower patients. Let’s get started together!
Have you searched for something on a company’s website, then given up and called to speak to a customer service representative when you couldn’t find the answers you were looking for? This experience is all too common – especially in healthcare. Since 2020, digital front doors (DFDs) have become increasingly popular. And with the healthcare staff shortage projected to continue, and even worsen, until 2025, digital entry points into healthcare for patients are more important than ever.
But for too many patients, these “front doors” are broken and far too difficult to navigate – leaving them either without care or forced to navigate their own entrance into the health system. Technology can be a powerful way to improve healthcare equity and patient access, but a dysfunctional digital front door can create more hurdles for patients. Health systems and clinics must evaluate the true effectiveness of their digital strategy to care for as many patients as possible, more equitably, with fewer staff.
The Great Patient Disconnect
I’ve spoken to many health systems who struggle with having provided patients with digital options to connect, but coming up short when these channels and digital front doors don’t seem to be making a difference. This is the “Great Patient Disconnect,” where both patients and providers are engaged in the healthcare journey and have digital tools available, but still struggle to connect.
For many organizations, the primary digital front door available to the organization remains the patient portal. According to the United States Government Accountability Office, however, while 90% of organizations reported that despite offering a patient portal, only about a third of patients use them. It’s clear that this “front door” is insufficient for patients who expect and need more accessible digital touch points across the healthcare journey.
Barriers to patient adoption or effective use can include:
These barriers contribute to this “front door” being accessible to only a subset of patients. For healthcare organizations who provide care to diverse patient populations, not only do these disparities make healthcare access less equitable, but they increase the number of patients who need to request care via phone calls with already overburdened staff.
Despite the relatively low adoption of patient portals, patients of varied backgrounds are motivated to use technology to engage with their care. Data from the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation’s National Poll on Healthy Aging highlights that 75% of surveyed adults aged 50-80 reported having a patient portal, and 85% of those patients reported using it in the last six months.
Meanwhile, patients indicate that the technology offerings available, like patient portals and digital front doors, are not always meeting their needs. A recent meta-analysis shows, for example, that although patients want self-scheduling and self-scheduling has significant benefits, healthcare organizations’ adoption of it remains low – with one of the primary barriers to adoption being the perception that patients would be hesitant to self-schedule.
Modern consumers have access to great digital experiences nearly everywhere they turn. These broken, underused digital front doors are no longer a viable option to serve patients – who need and expect to easily connect with their care in the channel of their choice.
We need to deliver an omnichannel digital continuum
The Great Patient Disconnect shows that a digital front door is no longer the right framework to meet patients where they are. A front door alone isn’t enough – patients need an omnichannel digital continuum that orchestrates all the points of their journey, not just bits and pieces of it.
According to Stacy Porter, VP of Digital at University Hospitals, “We need to move away from ‘random acts of digital’ to truly empower our patients to be successful.” At University Hospitals, every aspect of the patient journey, from digital to in-person, has been designed to avoid gaps, frustrations, and barriers and instead provide an orchestrated experience.
If you’re concerned that your digital strategy could fall prey to “random acts of digital” and contribute to the Great Patient Disconnect, how can you solve potential issues in the continuum to meet patients – your customers – where they are? Look for points of disconnection like:
A scheduling page on your website that directs patients to call instead of offering digital options (not every patient can, or wants to, call during your business hours)
High numbers of patient complaints or negative online reviews about the process of scheduling an appointment (indicates points of friction)
Lack of visibility at your organization about how many communications a given patient is receiving, when, and through what channels (creates a disconnected experience)
Low patient portal adoption rates (could indicate that patients can’t get what they need from your digital offerings)
Limited ways for patients to reach you with questions, or for you to reach them after care (creates a lack of trust in your digital front door and adds frustration)
If you’re seeing more than one of these pain points, it’s time to reevaluate your digital front door and move to an omnichannel digital continuum.
Attributes of an effective, equitable omnichannel digital continuum
An omnichannel digital continuum considers each interaction a patient has with your organization and creates an orchestrated journey across those interactions.
According to Jeff Johnson, VP Innovation and Digital Business at Banner Health, “We can’t just be a healthcare company that does some digital interactions. We must be a digital company.” Banner Health designs every consumer interaction with ‘Patient Sofia,’ their patient archetype, in mind – from finding care to the experience in the hospital and beyond.
What does a digital strategy look like when corrected from “random acts of digital” to an omnichannel digital continuum? Key attributes include:
An understanding of what communications patients are receiving throughout their health journey – whether from their care teams, your organization’s marketing arm, or your automated outreach.
A simple, consumer-first experience for all your patients – no matter what channel or language they prefer.
Consistency across your touchpoints with the patient, regardless of where in your organization they are right now.
Digital options that empower patients to take action without relying on phone calls or manual staff help.
One key factor in an effective omnichannel digital continuum is making it truly omnichannel – accounting for the communication preferences of a wide variety of patients. Most patients love the option for text or web interactions, but some don’t. Plan ahead for these preferences and ensure that patients have the flexibility to successfully get to the next step in their journeys, whether they use all or only some of your digital tools. For example, offer an automated option for a callback or a switch to SMS to patients who might have called despite preferring SMS or web. Doing so can free up your staff to address calls from patients who prefer them.
Finally, digital front doors can be improved by proactively asking for, then acting on, patient feedback regarding the digital options they want and need. The Great Patient Disconnect is exacerbated when patients can’t reach you, then quietly resort to another method or even go elsewhere for their care. By recognizing that simply having a digital front door doesn’t necessarily solve patient access challenges, and a more comprehensive digital continuum is a must, you’re already on your way to creating a better experience for both patients and staff.
Staffing shortages. For the last few years, this dreaded phrase has become an all-too-familiar reality. The health care staff shortage is projected to continue, and even worsen, until 2025. Meanwhile, a recent Guidehouse Center for Health Insights report states that 95% of health system executives are expecting outpatient volumes to increase this year.
To weather these contrasting trends, establishing omnichannel digital entry points for patients is more crucial than ever to save your team time, resources and energy — as well as to create a coordinated continuum across the patient journey.
But difficult-to-navigate digital tools and the lack of capabilities that patients really need can create a conundrum where both patients and providers want to connect but struggle to do so despite existing patient engagement tools.
The Great Patient Disconnect
It’s more important than ever for practices to be able to effectively leverage their digital patient engagement and communication tools to lessen the burden on staff. Many are still recovering financially from the COVID-19 pandemic on top of current budget constraints and expiring pandemic-era funding, and are struggling to staff enough people to reach patients by phone.
Meanwhile, with limited staff, practices are following up on care missed during the pandemic, competing in a crowded health care market, caring for large numbers of attributed patients and more.
I’ve spoken to representatives of many health systems who are dissatisfied with their digital strategy. They’ve invested in platforms or solutions to make engagement easier for patients but still deal with high call rates, no-shows and low portal adoption. This is the “great patient disconnect,” where both patients and providers are engaged in the health care journey and have digital tools available, but still struggle to connect.
Despite 71% of providers reporting that patient engagement is a high priority at their practice, data from CDW Healthcare notes that just 29% of patients said they would give their providers an A in patient engagement. And while 90% of organizations offer a patient portal, overall the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimates that only about a third of patients use them.
This disconnect can impact both patients’ care journeys and the effectiveness of the practice. For example, if pre-visit instructions or other important information are primarily accessible in the patient portal, patients without the portal may not be prepared for their appointments or recognize that it’s time for a follow-up visit. Meanwhile, if patients struggle to access the digital tools you provide, more pressure is placed on overburdened staff to reach them via outbound phone calls.
Addressing the disconnect and improving patient-provider communication
The good news is that patients want to engage with their providers using digital tools. The ubiquity of consumer-focused apps for delivery, transportation, shopping and much more shows that consumers will consistently use a simple and intuitive digital experience. In health care, many of the hurdles that create a patient-provider disconnect are caused not by a lack of engaged patients, but by patients not having access to the tools they need.
Recent KLAS Research data, for example, show that patients often want different tools to connect with their providers, such as self-scheduling and online bill pay, from what their providers are currently offering. Even if a patient accesses your website or patient portal, if they can’t get to an actionable next step, they are likely to call in instead, contributing to the burden on staff. But these patients should not be considered disengaged from their care; in fact, they are very much engaged.
Medical Group Management Association data show that about half of surveyed providers reported an increase in no-show rates between 2021 and 2022, attributed in part to long wait times for an appointment and the cost of appointments. But the 12% of providers who reported their no-show rates were going down cited digital reminders and digital check-in options as some of the reasons for the decline. These responses indicate that accessible digital options can help patients get to your organization and get the care they need.
I believe three factors are key to helping patients better connect with you using digital tools:
Equitable access. Consider whether your organization has a simple path to care for patients who prefer different ways of communicating with you: web, phone call or digital tools like SMS and the patient portal. Are there areas where a patient might reach a dead end unless they resort to a phone call, for example?
Easy communication across the digital continuum. Evaluate whether it’s easy for your patients to get the information they need — and to ask a question if needed. Especially for common needs like requesting a prescription refill, rescheduling an appointment or getting directions to the clinic, are information and additional help easily accessible?
Empowerment for patients. Review areas where patients might self-service or own a part of the health care journey but don’t have the ability to do so today. Ideally, patients can complete all the necessary steps from their chosen channel. For example, can patients take action from the messages they’re currently receiving, in the portal or elsewhere? If a change occurs — such as a patient canceling their appointment via SMS — can they take the next step from that channel, such as rescheduling the appointment for another time?
Considering these factors can help you identify inefficiencies or pain points that might be quietly contributing to the great patient disconnect and increasing the burden on your staff to bridge that gap manually.
Examples of effective digital strategies that bridge the disconnect
With a focus on solving potential points of disconnection, it’s possible to create patient journeys that are smoother and more streamlined and help you and your patients get more out of digital tools, creating a digital continuum of care.
To improve access to care for all your patients, ask patients whether they’re aware of the digital solutions you’re offering today and whether they meet patients’ needs. If you offer self-scheduling in the patient portal for certain types of appointments, for example, you might advertise the capability front and center on your website or let patients with that visit type know about the capability for scheduling their follow-ups during the visit.
To simplify communication before and after care, ensure that answers to common questions are accessible from all of your patient-facing channels —such as your website, the entry to the patient portal and the phone tree when patients call in. Evaluate whether the information is available in simple terms and in multiple languages to avoid access barriers or confusion for patients.
To empower patients, leverage your digital tools to meet patients where they are and with the channels they prefer. For example, you might echo the strategy of one Houston-area specialty clinic that uses its existing patient communication channels to send each new patient an educational video before their visit based on their specific health and appointment needs. Doing so helps meet patients where they are, address patient questions ahead of time and empower them to ask more targeted questions when face to face with the provider.
In a challenging health care environment, it’s critical that we go beyond simply staffing more people to call centers or lamenting low engagement rates or high no-shows. Digital solutions can mitigate these challenges, address barriers to care and streamline staff capacity. To do so effectively, they must be driven by a patient-centered approach that identifies digital dead ends and points of disconnection and creates a unified digital continuum so patients and providers can get to the moment of care more quickly and easily.
With hours of manual outbound calls on their plates and phones ringing off the hook, many organizations using MEDITECH are looking for ways to stretch their limited staff farther to create the best-in-region experience that will continue to differentiate their brand.
Imagine if your own organization had hours more time for each staff member to provide a truly concierge-level experience to your patients – ensuring they were up to date on preventive care appointments, checking in after procedures, providing resources to patients who needed financial, language, or other support, and much more.
These Luma customers have integrated automated and self-service actions using Luma directly into their MEDITECH systems to take manual work off of their staff’s plates and enable a better experience for both patients and staff.
Northfield Hospital + Clinics
At Northfield Hospital + Clinics, “we’re like David between two Goliaths,” said Vern Lougheed, Director of IT. Northfield is located in rural Minnesota, and competes for patients who also have the option to visit large health systems in the Twin Cities like Mayo Clinic.
Northfield chose Luma to power its patient experience initiatives by integrating directly with MEDITECH via APIs. The resulting efficiency helps Northfield stand out: “Our goal is to provide easy access to our organization anywhere a patient wants it,” said Debbie Oathoudt, IT Program Manager. Before Luma, Northfield staff manually called each patient for appointment reminders, totaling 150-200 daily calls per FTE. Now, with reminders that are automatically sent to patients with appointments scheduled in MEDITECH, Northfield saves 80 hours in reminder calls every month. The reminders have also helped decrease no-shows by 15%.
Watch the Northfield Hospital + Clinics story
Phelps Memorial Health Center
For Phelps Memorial Health Center, where many patients travel long distances to get to care, better staff efficiency and more patient convenience have a direct impact on patient outcomes.
API integration with MEDITECH helps Phelps Memorial patients prepare for visits ahead of time by:
Self-scheduling their own visits directly into MEDITECH Expanse.
Responding to reminders that are automatically sent based on their upcoming appointments in the MEDITECH schedule.
Completing intake forms online that are sent back to MEDITECH Expanse before the visit.
Self-service and digital options have been “so well received at Phelps Memorial” by both patients and staff, says Director of EHR Kurt Schmidt. 84% of patients who receive intake forms from Luma complete them ahead of their appointment, and “different departments come to me and ask how they can implement Luma into their workflows,” Kurt said. Phelps Memorial reaches more than 98% of their patient population using Luma.
Get Outcomes Like These
Northfield Hospital + Clinics and Phelps Memorial Health Center show the power of giving scheduled patients actionable next steps. Not only does this help patients remember and prepare for their appointments, but allowing patients to self-service takes hours of work off of your staff. What’s more, data from KLAS Research shows that patients want self-service options and will even select a provider based on available digital offerings.
Actionable reminders that allow patients to cancel and reschedule their appointments and join an automated waitlist
Automatic offers to switch to text message for patients waiting on hold
Automated requests for patients to confirm appointments, complete forms, and more
Did you know that 60% of patients hang up after just one minute on hold? High call volumes can be a pain for both patients and healthcare staff. Patients are left waiting on hold, while staff are overwhelmed with repetitive calls.
The frustration also impacts your business. According to a recent report, 20% of patients say they would change providers to avoid long wait times.
Digital Call Deflection offers patients the option to switch to self-service SMS instead of waiting on hold. They can schedule appointments, request Rx refills, get directions, and more, all without the frustration of waiting on hold. Meanwhile, staff don’t need to monitor a chat line and have fewer calls waiting on hold to answer.
A better, more self-service experience reduces both the number of calls staff need to handle and the risk of losing patients to abandoned calls.
Luma’s self-service SMS chat flows are also configurable and conversational.
The results speak for themselves:
At Main Line Health, a regional health system integrating Luma with Epic, over 20% of patients opted for SMS, saving more than 15,000 minutes on the phone scheduling mammograms and DEXA scans.
At GPW Health Center, a federally qualified health center (FQHC) integrating Luma with eClinicalWorks, more than 25% of patients switched to SMS for a self-scheduling link rather than wait on hold.
At KC Pain Centers, a specialty group integrating Luma with eClinicalWorks, nearly three-quarters of patients who chose to self-service via SMS did so to schedule or manage appointments.
Evelin Manzanares, COO at GPW Health Center, noted, “As a federally qualified health center, we need to serve as many patients as possible while reducing strain on our staff. Luma’s Digital Call Deflection has allowed 25% of our patients to self-serve via text message, ultimately helping them get what they need while our staff focus on more complex calls.”
Digital Call Deflection is a powerful tool for reducing hold times and inbound call volume while providing a better experience for both patients and staff. Want to see DCD in action? Schedule a product demo today.
Digital front door. Before 2020, this phrase was relatively obscure in the healthcare landscape, jumping to the collective forefront when the COVID-19 pandemic drove providers to adapt quickly to digital care options. Three years later, the digital front door is here to stay, promising to:
Reduce administrative burden
Increase mobile and/or portal engagement
Reduce no-show-rate/more appointments filled
Increase patient satisfaction/convenience
Digital front doors (DFDs) can be best defined as a digital platform with one or more of the following features: a portal, mobile app, provider directory, symptom checker, or patient scheduling.
When a DFD works well, it seamlessly connects your communication, outreach, scheduling, and patient information, working in the background while your team provides in-person care.
But what happens when a DFD strategy falls short? Luma’s team of product experts share how to analyze your DFD experience, identify the areas for improvement, and move forward towards greater patient success.
Step 1: How to Identify Broken Digital Front Doors
According to the United States Government Accountability Office, 90% of organizations reported offering a patient portal, but only about a third of patients use them. When you’re doing everything “right,” but still lack patient connection, it can be frustrating to troubleshoot yet another solution.
When a DFD is broken, you may experience:
The Trap Door: Trap doors bring patients in, then let them fall through the floor, resulting in patient frustration and need for additional, resource-consuming follow-up. Typically, the trap door is not a full platform experience. Instead, if this sounds like your organization, you might be using point solutions such as:
Appointment request forms
Chat-only bots
Booking without screening/registration
The Side Door: Side doors occur when patients try to get in touch differently than the organization prefers, creating uncontrolled costs, overworked staff, and a fragmented patient experience. You might have a side door issue at your organization if you have:
High volumes of phone calls
Disconnected messaging tools
Inappropriate patient self-triage
The Rusted Door: Rusted doors occur when getting through the digital front door is too difficult for patients, resulting in low adoption and the organizational belief that patients don’t want or need digital tools. If this sounds like your organization, you might have:
Broken digital front doors create frustrating bottlenecks for patients and staff, resulting in lower adoption of digital tools and a reliance on human capital to smooth the gaps. With healthcare staff reporting higher levels of burnout and sky-rocketing operating costs, you need solutions that work quickly, efficiently, and effectively.
Here are four solutions for mending a broken system, plus discussion questions to prompt further action:
Ensure Omnichannel Scheduling is available for every context
Different patients use different channels. Meeting, guiding, and transitioning from one channel to the next is the difference between a digital dead end and a seamless experience.
Luma Solution: Patient Self-Scheduling
Digging Deeper:
How well do your current scheduling tools match the channels patients want to use?
Where might patients experience unintended bottlenecks? (Trap, Side & Rusted Doors)
What’s the right balance between self-triage and too many qualifying questions?
Simplify appointment management workflows
Life happens at the last minute. Making it easy for patients to cancel and reschedule while letting other patients know an earlier time is available creates two five-star reviews.
Luma Solution: Smart Waitlist
Digging Deeper:
How much time does your current workflow need to recover canceled appointments?
Are you letting patients take action from the messages you send them?
If a patient has a question about their appointment, are you making it easy and fast to ask?
Increase intake ease and efficiency using digital options
Starting on the right track shouldn’t be a pain. Collecting necessary info up front means no wasted time for patients and providers – making it digital means fewer errors and potential back and forth.
Luma Solution: Intake Forms
Digging Deeper:
How seamless do you make going from a booked appointment action to digital intake? Are some channels lacking?
Are you asking the patient to do work that you should be able to streamline?
Prepare in advance for patient customization
Each appointment type and patient have their nuances. Helping the patient complete tasks and follow important directions before their appointment increases the value for both the patient and the provider.
Luma Solution: Appointment Reminders
Digging Deeper:
How do you get visibility into our patients’ preparedness so the care team knows what to expect?
What pre-appointment education could create a deeper discussion between patient and provider?
Can the patient communicate with your team about their specific appointment ahead of time with minimal friction?
Step 3: Further Resources
Our Luma product experts share solutions for fixing broken DFDs in this timely webinar. Or schedule a 1:1 consultation with a Luma product expert today.
We’re thrilled to announce that Luma is now fully integrated into one of the healthcare industry’s top electronic health record providers to deliver powerful new capabilities to the thousands of healthcare providers that use the MEDITECH Expanse EHR. This integration will provide new and powerful features for the thousands of healthcare providers that use the Expanse platform.
As an initial member of the MEDITECH Alliance program, and currently the only patient-facing solution included in the program, Luma collaborated with MEDITECH to validate integration of its Patient Success Platform™ and MEDITECH-enabled workflows for integration with MEDITECH Expanse, including patient scheduling, conversational messages, operational and clinical forms, staff scheduling, and more.
Today’s announcement exemplifies how both healthcare providers and patients benefit when a major health system’s EHR provider opens API technologies. This is especially true when the health system goes the extra mile by providing a mechanism for third-party developers, such as Luma, to validate and perfect their own innovative solutions within a real MEDITECH EHR installation.
Five years in the making
Back in 2018, MEDITECH launched MEDITECH Greenfield, an application development environment to fuel the building and adoption of third-party applications. We paid particular attention to this announcement because it emphasized interoperability and offered support for useful technical connections like RESTful APIs, including FHIR. Better still, the program is backed by the MEDITECH technical teams to help developers (and, by extension, MEDITECH customers) maximize the value of the Expanse EHR.
When MEDITECH invited Luma to join the initial roster of third-party developers for the MEDITECH Alliance program, we jumped at the opportunity. MEDITECH Alliance provides greater transparency for organizations interacting with MEDITECH, and simplifies the discovery and purchasing process for customers who want to broaden the capabilities of their current systems. Over several months, we collaborated closely with MEDITECH’s technical and commercial teams to tightly integrate Luma with Expanse, ensuring a friction-free experience for our mutual customers.
Beta testing in a live customer environment
After thoroughly validating Luma’s functionality within Expanse, MEDITECH invited a healthcare provider, Phelps Memorial Health Center of Holdrege, Nebraska, to pilot Luma within the MEDITECH Greenfield Workspace program. Phelps Memorial Health Center partnered with MEDITECH and Luma Health to leverage MEDITECH’s implementation of the Argonaut FHIR scheduling APIs, creating powerful workflows for staff to more successfully connect with patients.
This FHIR API-based approach to integration is benefitting patients by allowing them to intuitively schedule and manage their own appointments using apps developed within MEDITECH’s Greenfield Workspace environment. The result of this collaboration and integration is a “single pane of glass” into the patient experience and Luma-enabled touchpoints—all fully integrated into the MEDITECH Expanse experience.
“We are an organization committed to providing a quality patient experience. Collaborating with MEDITECH and Luma Health has empowered us to be adaptable in serving our community’s needs,” said Kurt Schmidt, Phelps Memorial’s director of electronic health records. “Using APIs has resulted in more efficient workflows and a better digital experience for patients who want immediate access to their care.”
Benefits for providers and patients alike
Phelps Memorial has experienced efficiency gains and improved patient experience by working directly with MEDITECH and Luma Health. For example, 81% of patients now complete digital intake instead of in-office paper forms.
Phelps Memorial is just one of the many healthcare systems now taking advantage of this deep integration, which uses MEDITECH Expanse APIs to connect appointment, demographic, and schedule data directly with Luma. Then, Luma sends rules-based text, email, and voice reminders to patients based on Luma Bedrock™ data-driven best practices.
When an appointment is confirmed through a Luma communication, the information is instantly sent back into MEDITECH, changing the appointment status to confirmed or canceled. This gives MEDITECH customers an up-to-the-second view of their day. Patients can also schedule their own appointments through Luma, and these appointments are immediately synced to MEDITECH’s scheduling module via MEDITECH Expanse APIs.
Today, we announced Luma Bedrock™. Here, we share more about the background of Bedrock and why it’s already making a difference for our customers.
When we talk to our customers – big, small, rural, urban, and everything in between – no matter how different their business or patient population, they have one particular goal in common.
“We want to meet patients where they are.”
We asked ourselves, “Beyond creating the best possible product and focusing on customer support, what can we do to support these organizations to serve their patients and meet them where they are?” With 8 years’ experience serving more than 650 healthcare organizations, we had a hunch that data could be used to better understand what patients want from their digital healthcare journey, how they most like to be engaged, and what makes them more successful in their care.
And when healthcare organizations across the country are short-staffed and doing more than ever before with limited resources, we believed that sharing this data could make a real difference in how our customers reach their patients.
The Luma Bedrock project began with the scientific method. Our data scientists started by analyzing more than 717,000,000 data points over nearly 81,000,000 patient interactions. They created hypotheses for the best use of every single Luma product, working deep in Python notebooks and machine learning models to understand all the various nuances that could affect how patients connect with their care.
With hypotheses in place, they went beyond the data to gather human insights. Luma’s experts in implementation, product development, solution design, and technical support came together to ask questions and understand how the hypotheses matched up with proven customer workflows and operational processes.
When those things matched up, it was magical.
Our documentation team translated all of these inputs into easy-to-use recommendations and best practices in our Help Center. Any Luma customer can access the articles at any time, free of charge. The articles include actionable recommendations like:
The Luma customer community has already begun implementing these recommendations and seeing results. Every expert-led implementation starts with Bedrock recommendations, giving our new customers a starting point to get immediate results based on insights from the entire community. As they continue to use Luma and work with our implementation and customer success experts, they fine-tune to exactly the right approach for their unique demographics, location, and more — and we welcome their insights to create even more Bedrock resources in the future.
“Bedrock has been a treasure trove of information about how we can better connect with our patients. We are already evaluating how we can implement the findings.”
Christine Beneke, Quality & Process Improvement Supervisor at Specialists in General Surgery
Bedrock is the best of what Luma Health does: bringing together the power of our community, a market-defining Patient Success Platform, and data-driven expertise to create great outcomes and ultimately, patient success.
At Houston ENT & Allergy, CEO Chuck Leider is committed to using technology to improve the experience for both patients and staff. Using Luma integrated with their NextGen EHR, Chuck and his staff get more patients in the door, provide a white-glove experience, and automate manual tasks – all creating revenue savings of $1.2 million in filled appointments, $1.8 million annually in prevented no-shows, and $575,000 in scheduled referrals.
At a Luma community summit for NextGen EHR users, Chuck shared insights that help Houston ENT & Allergy create success for patients, staff, and the system. Here are 3 things he’s focused on:
Solving for Patients’ Pain Points and Feedback
The digital patient experience journey at Houston ENT & Allergy began, fittingly, with patients’ insights.
After years of manual phone calls to remind patients about their appointments, then an automated voice reminder system, Chuck and his colleagues wondered why no-shows weren’t going down. Revenue was majorly impacted by no-shows, and providers were frustrated that they weren’t seeing as many patients as they could be.
To get to the bottom of the issue, Houston ENT & Allergy interviewed 65 patients about their experiences.
“We thought our system was highly effective. But patients were telling us that the calls came through and they didn’t pick them up. Sometimes, they didn’t recognize the number – we have a number of clinics, and they often didn’t realize we were calling about their appointments. At other times, they couldn’t take a phone call because they were in a meeting, for example.”
Houston ENT and Allergy also has a large geriatric population that reported issues hearing the message in an automated call.
With patients’ feedback, Chuck and his team realized they needed a solution that would meet the specific needs their patients pointed out. After moving to text-first appointment reminders with Luma, Chuck calculated that a 9% reduction in no-show rates saves Houston ENT & Allergy $1.8 million in annual revenue.
“Looking at the reasons our patients are having trouble getting to us, and making things simpler for them, has created huge value for our patients. Hearing from them directly has paid off,” said Chuck
Streamlining the Solutions Staff Need to Learn and Maintain
As Houston ENT & Allergy has grown, their tech stack has, too. Now, Chuck is focused on eliminating redundant systems to make staff’s days simpler.
“With several different platforms, it gets very hard to train people. They’re having to master the EHR and multiple other technologies, and it’s challenging,” Chuck said. “Especially if the staff are patient-facing, navigating these systems can interfere with the white-glove experience we want to provide.”
Looking for ways to pare down systems where possible – especially when the system performs a single function – has made Houston ENT & Allergy’s day-to-day operations more efficient, and helps avoid training and re-training on many different systems.
Eliminating unnecessary technology has the additional benefit of saving money, Chuck pointed out.
“We chose to layer in Luma to request feedback after appointments, instead of using a separate system. And just getting rid of that additional system saves us $2,500 a month. With budget constraints, containing those costs makes a difference.”
Automating a Great Experience and Removing Manual Tasks
Like other healthcare organizations, Houston ENT & Allergy is struggling with staff shortages but committed to providing a great experience that keeps patients coming back. According to Chuck, self-scheduling and customizing automated reminders are key to this balance.
“It is harder for us to compete for limited staff, so we look at technology to take on manual tasks,” he said.
Instead of staff “constantly monitoring the phones or on the computer personalizing each message,” reminders integrated with NextGen are automatically personalized based on each patient’s personal information, provider, appointment, and more. From scheduling referrals alone, Houston ENT & Allergy has gained $575,000 in scheduled referrals.
An automated waitlist has provided some of the biggest value to Houston ENT & Allergy. Now, instead of staff answering calls from patients who need to cancel, then reaching out manually to patients who might be able to take the appointment slot, both the cancellations and the waitlist offers are automated.
“We’ve saved over 1.2 million because of Luma’s Smart Waitlist,” Chuck said.
Finally, Chuck encourages other organizations to offer self-scheduling online. It helps reduce phone calls and follow-up, but even more importantly gives patients better access to Houston ENT & Allergy.
“We get great feedback from patients that come in and say how easy it was to get in with self-scheduling. Maybe their kid had an earache in the night, and they can find us online and book an appointment for nine o’clock the next day,” he said.
“Our website is open 24/7. Over the holidays, I saw so many patients booking appointments.”
Interested in using Luma + NextGen to see value like Houston ENT & Allergy? Contact us to learn more.
With fewer staff and more revenue challenges, healthcare organizations need to quickly reach their patients and keep schedules full.
Integrating Luma with their Epic EHRs helps Luma community members superpower their patient outreach. Using patients’ preferred messaging channels makes outreach more effective, while API-based EHR integration means no double-documentation or manual work.
Here are some ways the Luma community gets more out of their workflows.
With Luma integrated with Epic, Luma community members’ outreach is:
Customized
At Franciscan Health, reminders are customized to each patient and appointment type, making them more relevant and actionable.
Details already documented about the patient in Franciscan’s Epic system – from appointment details to preferred contact method – drive the outreach.
For example, patients who have a follow-up appointment the same day or who have previously been seen at Franciscan see different reminders than someone being seen for a new patient appointment.
With these text reminders, Franciscan Health sees a 70% click-through rate – about 50% more than with their previous email reminders.
Text-First
By switching to text-first outreach, Columbus Regional Health immediately saw results. Before implementing Luma, Columbus Regional Health reminded patients about their appointments by automated call, which patients were less likely to pick up or respond to.
“We often have patients make appointments six months out, so it’s important that we provide them with reminders,” said Gayle Wilson, Senior Systems Analyst at CRH.
Luma reminders are automatically sent to patients on CRH’s schedule in Epic. To get even more out of the switch, they made the decision to move from text opt-in to text opt-out, where communication preferences in the EHR use text by default. Now, CRH is sending SMS reminders to more than 80% of their patient population.
Since delivering most reminders via text, CRH has seen no-shows drop by more than 40%.
Actionable
Montefiore Health System in New York sees many of its patients via referral. To ensure as many referred patients get through their doors as possible, Montefiore sends Epic-integrated Luma messages reminding those patients to schedule.
From the message, patients can schedule with just a few taps.
The referral in the EHR is linked to the reminders to keep them up-to-date and actionable. so if a patient hasn’t scheduled, they’ll receive another nudge to schedule. When the patient schedules, the referral is closed automatically and the patient no longer receives reminders.
Federally qualified health centers, or FQHCs, make up a core part of the United States’ healthcare landscape, as more than 1,400 currently provide care.
While these organizations serve different regions and patient populations, they all have one thing in common – the need to reach patients quickly and efficiently, no matter where they are in their journey, what language they speak, or what communication channel they prefer.
To consistently reach more patients and keep those patients healthier, FQHCs are automating their outreach and removing the burden of manual calls from their staff.
Here’s how FQHCs use Luma to amplify their reach:
At Cook County Health, a Chicago-based FQHC serving the second-largest county in the United States, the team needed a consistent method to reach their vast patient population. Since partnering with Luma, CCH has sent over 4.9 million appointment reminders to bring patients in for important vaccinations. “We need a partner that can handle whatever we throw their way. Luma always delivers – whether that’s deep scheduling integrating into Cerner, scalable vaccine operations, patient outreach, or flexible messaging capabilities,” Adam Weber, Executive Director of Operations and Support Services
As the only health center in a 20-mile radius, Alexander Valley Healthcare in Cloverdale, California often has a lengthy attribution list to nurture. Before, referred patients could miss out on preventive screenings or other needed care. With Luma, AVH automated their attribution list outreach, reminding new patients of due care and helping them schedule. Alexander Valley Health scheduled 30% more preventive screenings, with 38% more attributed patients receiving care.
For Ryan Health, which serves patients throughout Manhattan, multilingual messaging has helped amplify communication across their diverse patient population. Using Luma, Ryan Health reaches patients in over 35 different languages.“Luma helps us extend our reach to our neighbors and serve even more people,” said Sam Bartels, executive director of Ryan Health’s mobile, West 97th Street, and Wadsworth locations.
Virginia’s GPW Health Center needed a more efficient way of managing patient communication. Their team was overwhelmed with manual processes, such as calling patients back to reschedule appointments and sending paper mailers to reach patients with details like referrals or test results. Switching to patient self-scheduling and automated reminders significantly reduced the volume of inbound calls and the need for a dedicated team to confirm appointments. Patient engagement has increased by 70%, while no-show appointments decreased by 11%.
The previous norms for earning and keeping patients have shifted dramatically, as outpatient volumes continue to be lower post-pandemic. Staying competitive often means getting creative to not only reduce costs – which can only be reduced so far – but doing more with your existing resources.
Luma helps your team get more results from the efforts you already implement, helping you contain costs and grow revenue.
Here are innovative ways that peers from the Luma community are containing costs:
Free up resources, then repurpose
Instead of patients filling out forms in the office, Seaview Orthopedics, located in Ocean, New Jersey, implemented an automated intake process using Luma reminders. Patients are sent their intake forms via text before their visit, saving time and removing the manual process for staff. “I never thought that intake forms could be an easy process, especially because there are so many complexities in orthopedics,” said Christina Flaherty, Seaview’s Director of Project Management, “With Luma, we now can focus on next-level growth.”The Seaview team converted the now-empty waiting room space into additional physical therapy rooms, and in just five months, they earned over $765,000 ROI from increased patient volumes.
Evaluate the downstream effects of a pay-per-message strategy
At Specialists in General Surgery in Minnesota, 3-5 full-time staff manually called patients each day to remind them of appointments or pre-op instructions. Their pay-per-message vendor made it costly to remind patients via text, which led to the necessity of daily calls. After making the switch to Luma and using text reminders instead of calls, they started saving over 20 hours of staff time each week. “Luma takes an incredible lift off our team by giving them more time to focus on patients instead of reminder calls. I didn’t realize just how much of a tremendous employee morale booster Luma would be,” said Anita Caskey, Chief Administrative Officer, Specialists in General Surgery.
Look for automation opportunities to save patients and staff time
Like Specialists in General Surgery, CommuniCare, an FQHC in San Antonio, Texas, now automates text reminders before appointments to let patients – and staff – skip the phone calls. In two months, more than half of their patients opted to confirm their appointments via text. The convenience of texting over calling is what patients expect, according to Sean Adams, VP, Chief Performance & Innovation Officer for CommuniCare. With Luma, CommuniCare saved over 3,000 hours of staff time in reminder calls, valued at $41,500 saved per month.
Utilize existing schedule spots to improve outcomes and drive revenue
GPW Health Center, located in Manassas, VA, gained an additional $30,000 in seven months from filling open appointments using automated waitlist offers. Previously, when patients would cancel at the last minute, those appointments would stay empty, creating a loss of expected revenue for GPW. Now, patients who need care sooner get Luma text message offers integrated with the eClinicalWorks EHR. Schedules stay full and patients are being seen sooner, without additional manual work from GPW’s staff.
OrthoNebraska is an innovator in orthopedic care, but accessing that care was challenging for patients. OrthoNebraska’s leaders knew they wanted to completely overhaul the patient experience and create a unified digital front door – not just look for a quick fix.
“We wanted a great consumer journey to deliver ease of access as well as quality care,” said Nikki Green, senior manager of patient access. “But we didn’t want to select a vendor that would create redundancy or be unable to scale with us as we grew.”
The first challenge to tackle: high no-show rates. Instead of requiring patients to call to change their appointments, which led to no-shows and thousands in lost revenue, OrthoNebraska envisioned becoming the first orthopedic practice in the region to offer self-scheduling.
Because OrthoNebraska treats such a wide range of conditions, “implementing self-scheduling seemed like a daunting task,” said Green. “We need to get patients to the right provider. The patient’s current needs, their age range, their clinical history, the approach they’re looking for – all of these factors affect scheduling.”
Deep integration with their Cerner EHR was a must-have. Other vendors OrthoNebraska evaluated weren’t equipped to match each patient with the right appointments and providers for them, according to Green.
Ultimately, Green and her colleagues chose Luma as the foundation for their digital front door.
After integrating Luma with their Cerner system, “we felt more comfortable giving that self-scheduling power to patients,” said Green. “We were able to trust that the technical build itself would direct patients to the right provider.”
The choice of a platform over a scheduling point solution has already allowed OrthoNebraska to solve more inefficiencies on their journey to a unified, simple patient experience.
“Our nurses are very busy, so patients calling with clinical questions would need to leave a message,” said Green. “With Luma, nurses can respond to patients via text while they’re multitasking, which has been huge for patient success and nurses’ job satisfaction.”
Green sees wins like these as the first steps in OrthoNebraska’s digital transformation.
“It’s exciting that huge improvements like self-scheduling are just the beginning. We’re confident that Luma will complement the initiatives we’ll tackle in the future.”
Patient Success Advocate Profiles highlight the perspectives of providers and healthcare leaders in delivering world-class healthcare access and outcomes.
Dr. Medhavi Jogi notices the little things – especially when they could cause bigger issues down the road. This skill has served him well during his years of practice in endocrinology. Dr. Jogi’s reputation for thoughtful care has helped place his practice, Houston Thyroid and Endocrine Specialists, on the map.
When he founded HTES, he quickly noticed that his patients often faced the challenge of learning about their new diagnosis and managing it. Dr. Jogi tried to empower each person with as much information as he could during their visit, often spending over 90 minutes in a single visit.
However, “it often became information overload. I’d find myself repeating the same information at each appointment. What I wanted was an automated system to connect with our patients, which in 2009 was crazy talk,” he recalled.
Dr. Jogi found Luma when looking for a better way to teach patients about new diagnoses. “I consider myself to be an educator first, and I needed to find a better way to teach my patients,” said Dr. Jogi. “Luma was the solution I’d been looking for since I started my practice.”
Now, HTES uses Luma to automatically send each new patient an educational video before their visit based on their specific health and appointment needs. “Immediately, we saw outcomes improve – patients were coming to their sessions better informed and ready to dive deeper into nuances of their needs,” Dr. Jogi said.
“Because the videos already covered the basics, appointment times dropped from 90 minutes to often just ten minutes, focusing on more interesting questions and complexities. This absolutely changed my relationship with patients and has kept me sharp as an educator and practitioner,” said Dr. Jogi.
Dr. Jogi credits Luma with helping HTES reach more patients and allowing him more time to focus on the little things about each person and their needs.
“Patients just want to talk to the right person who can help them,” he said. “Luma has helped my practice connect patients in need with the care that will help them be healthier.”
At Luma, the patient comes first–and our job is figuring out ways to make their healthcare journey successful. From easily paying a bill to quickly rebooking an appointment or getting a question answered via 24/7 chat, our goal is to make the hard parts of getting care easier. That’s what patient success means to us.
As our platform has grown, we’ve expanded beyond patient engagement and toward making the entire care journey successful. Our new brand reflects this shift.
So how does our patient success mission translate to our new look?
One of the most key aspects of our new brand is Luma’s new logo. This is our first new logo since our inception in 2015, and we created a logomark with a trifold meaning that represents our core values. The logomark took inspiration from the Chinese character for “light,” an energy spark, and an upward arrow, representing our name and vision for better healthcare.
Warmth has always been a key component of our branding and you can see how that translates in our new palette and visual elements. We’ve added additional vibrant colors, which lends Luma a confident, distinctive style with a dash of optimism to match our mission. We’ve also included more photography to highlight the very real faces of patients and providers.
We also updated our website to focus on the patient’s journey to success, including graphics illustrating the individualized journey, which often extends beyond the point of care. Healthcare is not transactional — it’s personal. As patients, it takes a lot of trust to put our health in the hands of another person, which is why the patient-provider relationship continues to be so essential to good care. Other industries may try to replace or automate face-to-face interactions. Our goal is to enhance them.
The future of healthcare remains bright–and here at Luma, we feel lucky to help our customers share that spark of success, connection, and care with patients.
Today, we announced the Patient Success Platform.™ Here, we share why we believe patient success is healthcare’s top priority.
Patient success has always been our mission.
When we launched Luma back in 2015, we had conviction healthcare should understand a patient as more than just a patient sitting in front of a doctor, and play a more active role in delivering patient success at every step of a patient’s healthcare journey:
Access + Operational (how do I find and get the care I need?)
Clinical (how do I prepare for care and stick to my care plan?)
Financial (how much will this care cost me, and how can I pay?)
Though we’ve used different words over the years, we’ve always focused on making it easier for people to find, access, and get their needed healthcare. As we celebrate the milestone of connecting more than 35 million people in the United States to healthcare, choosing the right words and naming our mission as the core of our company and our product was a natural fit.
‘Patient engagement’ has always been an insufficient way to truly capture our efforts here at Luma. After all, no patient wants to be “engaged” – at the end of the day, patients want to be helped.
Our own stories as patients and caregivers remind us how personal healthcare is, and how hard it can be to need a doctor’s care or advocate for yourself or your loved ones. Needing healthcare in itself is hard, getting the care you need should be easy.
Today, too many patients and their loved ones have to be their own champions – advocating for the care they need, waiting on hold, preparing for visits, collecting medical records, verifying insurance, finding the funds to pay, and more. Then, it starts all over again the next time.
Providers across the U.S. have told us about The Great Patient Disconnect, and how much they want to solve it. But their existing tools haven’t been enough.
With the Patient Success Platform, we’re proud to help address the Great Patient Disconnect and support our customers, who truly deliver patient success every day. The more than 650 integrated delivery networks, specialty clinics, FQHCs, and health systems in the Luma community provide care for more than 35 million Americans, and their impact continues to grow.
We’re also proud to partner with innovators across the healthcare space to amplify our collective impact and make patients more successful. These companies include:
DocuSign, a market-defining company in digital agreements on any device, from almost anywhere, at any time.
InstaMed and Salucro, companies that are simplifying and modernizing patient payments and billing.
Azara Healthcare, which is improving healthcare outcomes for millions of underserved patients through population health.
Change Healthcare, which has achieved scale and touches the lives of nearly every American.
Every offer to see a doctor a week sooner, and every appointment slot filled, creates a tangible difference in a person’s health journey.
It’s an incredible opportunity to be able to bend the arc of healthcare, even by a percent or two – directly impacting and benefiting millions of people.
Making patients successful as individuals, and ultimately changing the hard parts of healthcare in a meaningful way, is our North Star. We couldn’t be more excited to announce the Patient Success Platform!
Why Patient Success is a series from Luma staff about their experiences as patients and caregivers navigating the healthcare system.
“You have so much on your plate, but you’re also trying to spend time with your loved one and make things as normal as possible,” says Kashif Sheikh, a customer success manager at Luma. As a caregiver for both his father and his son, Kashif has experienced the difference that guidance and resources can make for families navigating serious health conditions.
Kashif’s father Dr. Javed Hasan was a primary care physician who often provided extra medication to his Medicare and Medicaid patients at no out-of-pocket cost. “He had such a patient-centric view of healthcare,” Kashif said. When Dr. Hasan was diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer in 2013, “becoming his caregiver put that legacy into perspective.”
A family full of physicians and his father’s care team on speed dial helped ease some of the uncertainty of providing full-time care. “My Dad’s doctors even gave us their personal phone numbers,” said Kashif. “That was a comfort during a really challenging time.”
Kashif’s next experience as a caregiver was quite different. His son Zayd was born with a rare genetic condition and spent much of his first year between the NICU and a bevy of specialists. “The entire first year, Zayd went to 4 appointments a week – a different doctor for each health issue.”
Managing Zayd’s health journey meant daily calls to different offices and hospitals, and multiple Excel spreadsheets to keep track of the details. “My wife Sara is a rockstar at planning, and she handled a lot of the day to day when I first went back to work – and after she returned to work herself as well,” said Kashif. “Our biggest struggle was coordination of care and figuring out referrals – it was a full-time job.”
These experiences ultimately spurred a professional shift to healthcare. “When I started at Luma, things clicked,” said Kashif. “Patient access is incredibly important, and I see administrators light up when they’re able to communicate with patients more easily. It seems simple, but it really makes a difference.”
Kashif is driven to make a difference for other families in his work at Luma.
“Getting the care you need shouldn’t be a burden – needing care is enough stress in itself. My family has been so lucky to navigate this process with amazing healthcare resources, and with physicians in the family who can provide guidance,” Kashif said. “So many others don’t have those resources – we have to meet every patient where they are.”
Why Patient Success is a series from Luma staff about their experiences as patients and caregivers navigating the healthcare system.
“I initially came to healthcare out of a passion for sports,” said Maggie Hanlon, Director of Engineering Operations at Luma. “But it wasn’t until I sustained an injury during a sprint that I truly understood how hard it can be to navigate the healthcare journey as a patient.”
From a young age, Maggie was interested in health from a sports perspective – she played soccer and was a competitive sprinter for a decade – and was excited by technology. “My brother convinced my parents that we needed a computer, even though that was uncommon in the early 90’s,” Maggie said. She eagerly switched majors to study health informatics after discovering the field at university, and gained hands-on experience working as a project analyst for the University Health Network in Toronto.
In 2015, during Maggie’s graduate program, she became a patient herself after tearing her meniscus. “I got the impression the orthopedic surgery I needed would be no big deal, but I wasn’t prepared for how intense recovery would be,” Maggie said. “I realized I didn’t know how to gauge normal symptoms of recovery or when to call my doctor.”
She recalled scheduling a treatment for her knee before commuting to work, not realizing that she’d be in significant pain later that afternoon. “I could have planned ahead and scheduled things differently if I had known,” she said.
Her mum flew to Toronto to help Maggie take care of daily tasks after surgery, but recovery took longer than expected, and Maggie struggled after her mum returned home. “I needed someone to check in and ask ‘how’s your pain level?’ or ‘how is your wound healing?’, but there was no patient-to-provider texting,” she said. “If I needed to get in touch with my doctor, it was by phone calls.” The experience showed Maggie firsthand how much patients rely on hands-on guidance from their care teams.
At Luma, Maggie has made it her mission to get the right information to patients. “When I started as a customer success manager, I realized that the right technology and processes could improve experiences like mine,” she said. Her experiences as a project analyst, and a patient herself, have helped her build workflows and technology to meet customers’ unique needs. “I love technology and computers, but I’m always trying to keep the patient’s real-life experience top of mind,” Maggie said.
“Patient Success is thinking about what we can do for a patient’s care journey, instead of leaving it to them to be engaged,” Maggie said. In her operations role, she’s dedicated to helping patients be more successful across the Luma community. “Anything we can do to make other peoples’ lives easier, and in a way that scales, that’s powerful.”
Today, we announced a new co-development partnership with Change Healthcare. We are so excited to be teaming up with such a passionate and intelligent group of healthcare leaders.
Together, we will create innovative solutions to meet health systems’ demand for a more intentional, unified patient experience by connecting patients’ clinical, operational, and financial journeys.
With a shared patient-first and interoperability-focused approach, our partnership will empower patients on every step of their care journey, from the moment they need care to after they receive it. Take a look at our official announcement here.
Today, we announced our $130M Series C funding led by FTV Capital. You can read the full announcement in our press release, but here, we want to talk about why we at Luma Health are obsessed with unifying and automating every journey that you have as a patient.
In 2015, we set out to build a company with a singular purpose – to make it easy for patients to get access to healthcare. We’d all been patients, and we’d all experienced the frustrations that are all too common – struggling to get an appointment and figure out how much it’ll cost; finding it impossible to ask follow-up questions; spending long wait times in busy waiting rooms; and more. But we’d all also experienced that one moment we need most when we’re sick: time with the doctor to hear our issue and get the help we need to be healthy again. Getting patients to that moment was the founding principle that brought the three of us together to launch Luma Health.
Early on, our ideas were simple and small, even if our vision was big – our very first set of products included a Smart Waitlist and our Actionable Reminders. Simply put, we wanted to match patients who were waiting for care with patients who needed to cancel an existing appointment. To make that work, we had to build some of the deepest hooks and most sophisticated integrations into the system of record in healthcare – the electronic health record. Over the years, we continued to evolve from two initial products to now more than 25 unique products that form a complete end-to-end platform, enabling health systems to automate and orchestrate nearly every part of a patient’s journey.
As we continued to work with clinic managers, practice administrators, physicians, nurses, and health system executives, it became clear that we needed to continue to evolve, and not just automate the simple parts of connecting patients to healthcare, but also to help simplify all the hard, complex, and gnarly stuff, too. We needed to make it easier for patients to connect all three key elements of their journey from patient to person – their clinical journey, their financial journey, and their appointment journey. That’s why we’ve built an engine to put all these pieces together: the Healthcare Engagement Engine™.
Today, we’re excited to announce a $130M Series C investment from FTV Capital, ensuring that we can scale and grow a world-class platform, helping more patients in every care scenario in the United States (and across the world) get access to the care they need. With FTV, we’ve brought on board a new partner who shares our vision of the Healthcare Engagement Engine™, and is committed to scaling this platform to connect patients with their doctors and care team when they need it most.
Since we founded the company in 2015, we’ve been fortunate that we’ve never had to pivot, never had to change our focus, never had to deviate from our founding vision. The need for seamless and simple access to healthcare at enterprise scale has never been more clear as it is now. Suffering through a pandemic has made it crystal clear that the old way of doing things in healthcare not only has to change, but is actively changing. We’re excited to help catalyze that change with our new partners at FTV Capital, our teammates at Luma Health, and most of all, our customers who tirelessly deliver care to patients and to their communities every single day.
This articlewas originally published in the October 2021 edition of the Northwest Primary Care Association’s Northwest Pulse newsletter.
Federally qualified health centers, or FQHCs, are critical to keeping communities across the United States healthy, especially those with significant underserved populations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, their role has become even more important, as many patients postpone or struggle to access routine healthcare needs.
At the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center (ANHC) in Anchorage, Alaska, proactively reaching patients who might not have the resources to get to a healthcare provider is a priority. ANHC is committed to providing a variety of healthcare services to all patients, regardless of ability to pay, and even provides a shuttle service to help people get to the clinic.
With limited staff, however, it’s difficult to find time to call each patient with an appointment for the day, and even harder to call each patient who might need a reminder to schedule their mammogram or a check-in for their chronic conditions. Staff have also been hard at work continuing to coordinate COVID-19 vaccinations and testing for the community.
Automated outreach, integrated with ANHC’s EHR and population health management system, allows ANHC to extend the reach of their staff, helping them connect with patients more often.
“Last year we cared for 11,000 patients, and many of them are covered through Medicare or Medicaid,” said Jason Korlaske, ANHC’s Director of Practice Management. “They might have challenges with transportation to appointments – for example, we treat quite a few elderly patients.”
Historically, to make sure patients were getting in for their appointments, ANHC staff would call each patient to confirm their upcoming appointment or to offer them an earlier option for patients who were on a cancelation waitlist – a significant time commitment. Now, ANHC integrates Luma Health’s patient engagement platform with its EHR to help automate this outreach. Patients can be automatically texted when an appointment spot frees up and accept that appointment through their phones, without any phone calls. Korlaske said that on a given day, patients accept about 40% of appointments offered through the Luma waitlist – which means they see a provider sooner and ANHC has fewer unused times on the schedule.
A similar approach has helped ANHC’s staff provide COVID-19 vaccinations.
“We used text message broadcasts to reach all of our eligible patients at once,” said Korlaske. “Information from patient records in the EHR helped us determine who still needed a vaccine, and we were able to send vaccine screening forms and check-in details digitally.”
If patients weren’t able to make it on the day of their vaccination appointments, ANHC staff contacted patients on the waitlist using the same automated text message workflow that they use for routine appointment offers. Korlaske said that elderly patients in particular were thrilled to receive an appointment, and ANHC even set up a no-contact check-in process to manage the flow of patients arriving for vaccinations.
“We vaccinated more than 4,000 people, which was a big deal for us because we didn’t interrupt or slow down our regular business operations,” he said.
The next step for ANHC is to expand their automated outreach to include critical population health reminders. Making sure patients get regular preventive care, such as cancer screenings and wellness visits, is especially important to the organization, as many community members have delayed these critical preventive measures due to the pandemic. While ANHC was able to adapt and provide many services digitally, such as behavioral health visits, providers are now ramping their on-site schedules back up to regular levels and encouraging patients to come in for care.
ANHC is actively working on automation for proactive preventive care outreach so that staff are able to focus on the needs of the patients in front of them. To accomplish this, they have been working to connect several of their critical patient tools behind the scenes. By building on their existing success with Luma Health messaging and connecting it with their population health management solution, Azara DRVS, the ANHC team has seen enormous potential to expand the positive impacts for their patients.
Azara Patient Outreach (APO) programs available through Azara DRVS integrate with the Luma Health patient engagement platform, and both technologies integrate with ANHC’s EHR. As a result, ANHC staff will be able to report on patients who are overdue for preventive care using data from Azara, then send a Luma Health text message broadcast with one click. ANHC plans to start with a mammogram outreach campaign in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Through text messages, ANHC will provide patients with educational material on the importance of routine mammograms to prevent breast cancer. Patients will be able to schedule their mammograms via text, too.
“One of the things I’m very proud of is we take everything very seriously, and every partner we work with recognizes that,” Korlaske said. “We’re so adept at change now, because of the pandemic, and we really push toward finding more efficiencies by doing things by text or the web instead of old-school phone calls. We don’t sit still – we just have to keep going.”
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