How cloud communications improve outcomes for small healthcare practices

By Spectrum Business

Connectivity is increasingly central for small healthcare organizations. Packaged solutions like Care Ready Connect address broad needs providers for an all-in-one voice communications, WiFi and internet access service. For some providers who already enjoy robust internet access, cloud communications services represent a next logical step.

Internally, cloud communications promote collaboration and transparency. Externally, they reduce complexity and enable closer patient support.

In a previous post, we examined how patient experience is prioritized when practitioners focus on connectivity. This connectivity can be leveraged with the use of cloud services that allow providers to be nimbler and more cost-effective while giving patients transparency in their own wellness journeys. 

Two services are particularly relevant. UCaaS, or Unified Communications as a Service, is a cloud-based platform which brings together voice, video and other secure messaging tools. CCaaS, or Contact Center as a Service, facilitates faster, more productive patient interactions with the ability to utilize AI.

For any smaller healthcare practice, either cloud service can be transformative in building a patient-centric experience. Brought together, with the help of a managed services provider, they help drive efficiencies while creating happier outcomes for physicians and patients.

Streamlining office operations around UCaaS functionality allows smaller healthcare providers to better manage costs while improving patient outcomes. Key UCaaS services for this include internal collaboration tools, AI-managed scheduling and expanding treatment models around telehealth services. 

Medical professionals, especially at smaller practices, can no longer afford to work in data silos when treating patients. UCaaS enables rapid sharing of electronic health records (EHRs), body scans and other vital information. It opens channels for closer communication and collaboration among professionals.

One reason outdated legacy systems remain in place for healthcare organizations is their perceived compatibility with stringent HIPAA compliance protocols. But UCaaS is uniquely adaptable to those same demands while at the same time being more user-friendly.

CCaaS is all about enhancing patient experience. For smaller practices, this is essential in providing the same level of attention increasingly offered by (and expected from) larger healthcare services. 

With the help of AI tools, CCaaS platforms facilitate everything from appointment reminders to chatbots to prescription refills. Patient accessibility is emphasized at every point in the health journey, from consultations over a mobile device to intelligent call routing.

For smaller healthcare providers, centralizing how patient contact is managed extends the reach of a practice without straining staff resources. Calls are routed to where they need to go. Uptime is emphasized. Time spent with patients becomes more meaningful because it is better focused.

Consolidating cloud communications services offers healthcare organizations numerous advantages. They include reduced hardware and maintenance costs to faster file sharing. These enhancements are easier to uncover with support from a managed services provider (MSP).

MSPs can advise on optimal ways of improving cybersecurity, increasing bandwidth and sharing important data. The right MSP will know the economies of your practice to identify where technology solutions make clear economic sense, and when they don’t. As your healthcare organization grows over time, expert guidance is critical for scaling capacity to meet your needs.

Having a technology partner who can offer the right communications solutions is a valuable step on your journey to success. This includes the ability not just to offer UCaaS and CCaaS functionality but a platform that brings both cloud communications services under one Unified Customer Experience (UCX) umbrella. This combination, increasingly popular among larger enterprises, ensures more consistent service while simultaneously improving organizational transparency.

Spectrum Business is a leading technology partner for healthcare practices across the United States, including 80% of the largest. Why not see how Spectrum Business can help you?