Address affairs causing healthcare hiccups: Part 2

Software in the healthcare industry

In our previous post, we diagnosed the problems associated with having bad address data in the world of healthcare. If you would like to go over those again, or if you stumbled upon Post 2 before Post 1, you can read about those problems here. 

In this second installment, you'll learn about the solutions to those problems from a software development standpoint.

As you may already know, the healthcare system often relies on robust software systems to keep patient’s electronic health records and billing in the same place. However, many of the APIs available flatline when it comes to providing what this sector needs.

Without geocoding, rooftop accuracy, or autocomplete at entry, a healthcare provider will have a cluttered and chaotic database. The healthcare software that the provider is using will likely lose future business to software that solves these problems, not to mention take some contusions to their reputation. 

Thankfully, Smarty can alleviate the pain of poor address data. 

How address validation tools improve healthcare software

Here are just a few of the ways that people are using Smarty's address tools in the medical-focused software space:

1. Many Americans will type in their addresses in a search bar to get price comparisons of hospitals or general practitioners in their area. The search bar is set up with address validation and autocomplete to make it accurate and easy.
2. One MEDI-CAL insurance provider uses Smarty to verify patients’ records and prevent fraud, as well as map providers to patients.
3. Many providers, including emergency responders, benefit from using Smarty’s Geocoding API to map directly to patients who may need their assistance.
4. Data sets are more easily merged by your company as Smarty standardizes the data. This allows tests or results to be easily tracked and compared without risking duplication or loss of information during information transmission.
5. Registration processes are streamlined for both the patient and the employee at the front desk through patient portal optimization.
6. Some offices even use addresses as an identifier for patients who happen to have the same name and live in the same area.

Address validation tools save money and face

Companies are using address validation software to save a bunch of money, too, specifically from fraud.

Although many business owners know to be wary of invoices that seek payment to CMRA Boxes or PO Boxes, knowing the risk without taking proactive measures is ultimately useless. Address validation programs can help to flag those types of potentially nefarious CMRAs and PO Boxes. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, this helps providers avoid an average of $8,300 a month in losses. 

An added bonus to integrating address validation into your software is that you can help practitioners and healthcare providers alike improve their reputations. Misdelivered packages, late in-home caretakers, and lost or delayed billing are all reputation-destroying mistakes that can be avoided by utilizing address validation applications. Not to mention, lives can be saved by being able to geolocate to a distressed patient. 

The possibilities are endless, so instead of making this list even longer, let’s read some of the reviews from companies who currently use address validation tools to improve workflow, product quality, and customer interactions in software’s realm of healthcare.

Darrell D., a small business owner, stated, “As an ISV, we sell data verification services for healthcare providers so need to verify that a given address exists and what type of address this is. Smarty systems allow us to do both and easily incorporate that into our software services built on Salesforce.”

Mark D., Director of IT Customer Service for an enterprise-level company stated that his company runs a chain of over 200+ healthcare centers. They use Smarty to help patients and family members locate one another and their locations, calling us “simple, accurate, and responsive.”

Other relevant testimonials can be found here.

While this is only installment two of our three-part blog series, we have also written a more in-depth ebook for your digestion. You can download a copy of that ebook to learn more about Address Verification in healthcare here. Or, you can read on to installment three. Or both. “Both is good.” We want to help you help your future clients, boost your product’s value, and catapult you into a more powerful position as the ultimate SaaS in the healthcare platform.