| Quality assurance (QA) is one of the most | | | | documents pre-supplied with bar codes containing |
| common goals to which organizations aspire, but it | | | | data from the system-increase accuracy and |
| also can be elusive. Many companies, like food | | | | initiate appropriate tasks. Reporting tools help |
| processing plants, bear considerable costs to hold | | | | managers to track productivity, enabling continual |
| regular inspections and ensure products comply | | | | improvements. Automatic tracking of processes |
| with industry standards. Even with regular | | | | 'in motion' means authorized staff has ready |
| inspections, not all shipped goods are perfect; | | | | access to answers, regardless of policy or claim |
| inspecting every item thoroughly would put many | | | | status. |
| out of business. | | | | Financial Services |
| On the administrative side of business, however, | | | | From loan processing to accounting and audits, |
| technology is available to assure 100% | | | | financial institutions need quick, secure access to |
| consistency in administrative processes, while | | | | information. Customers expect instant answers to |
| accelerating turnaround and improving service. | | | | questions, and a robust EDM system that stores |
| What seemed to be a pipe dream for QA in the | | | | all pertinent data or points to its location helps |
| 80's has become reality, as web-based electronic | | | | them satisfy requests immediately. Digital |
| document management (EDM) and business | | | | workflow pushes documents forward for |
| process management (BPM) technologies have | | | | approvals, denials, signatures, and more, instructing |
| converged and reached full maturity. | | | | the system to initiate the right customized letter, |
| In today's global economy, competition is not | | | | automated call, or other action in accordance with |
| simply defined by other businesses within a | | | | business rules. Straight-through processing of |
| company's geographic area. Standing out can be a | | | | simple applications requiring a limited number of |
| challenge. When products are comparable, the | | | | decisions is made possible by system alerts |
| assurance that goods and services are consistent | | | | notifying appropriate staff members that decisions |
| in quality and will meet client expectations is vital | | | | are needed immediately, enabling some people to |
| to developing customer loyalty that feeds growth. | | | | leave the office with approved documents in their |
| Web-based EDM and BPM enable small businesses | | | | hands. The rules for EDM and workflow at each |
| to compete globally, offering faster, consistent, | | | | site ensure that speed does not compromise |
| and better service. They work together to enable | | | | quality. |
| seamless communications with customers and | | | | Healthcare Administration |
| suppliers to provide the best service possible. | | | | The word healthcare implies that quality is vital. |
| When problems arise, they facilitate instant | | | | This includes patient admissions through human |
| corrective action. | | | | resources, credentialing, patient billing, and HIPAA |
| This article defines the role of EDM and BPM in | | | | compliance. A good EDM system ensures that all |
| providing quality assurance, demonstrated in areas | | | | relevant data is accessible to those who need it. |
| as diverse as: | | | | From electronic health records to lab results, |
| - Insurance underwriting and claims; | | | | insurance data, and billing, EDM provides a |
| - Financial services; | | | | complete overview of patient information, |
| - Healthcare administration; | | | | whenever and wherever it is needed. Integration |
| - Student services; and | | | | with LOB software such as accounting enables |
| - Public communications. | | | | automation of services such as billing as soon as |
| - Readers will understand successful applications of | | | | services are complete, supporting positive cash |
| technology they can model to help their business | | | | flow. Reporting tools let auditors review every |
| compete. | | | | transaction, including who viewed and signed |
| Quality Assurance: EDM and Workflow | | | | documents or initiated requests. This helps in |
| Technologies Redefine QA Delivery | | | | verifying compliance with HIPAA regulations, |
| In order for any business to assure consistent | | | | ensuring and demonstrating consistency in the |
| quality and fairness rather than to simply require | | | | way that every patient (and staff member) is |
| employees to provide it, unnecessary variations in | | | | treated. |
| process output need to be eliminated. Just like a | | | | Student Services in Universities and Schools |
| manufacturing floor's assembly line, well-conceived | | | | From college admissions and student financial aid |
| manual business processes run according to | | | | to educational research, development, and alumni |
| pre-established rules. Despite this, sometimes | | | | relations, students and parents today expect |
| details and hierarchies are overlooked and | | | | reliable information and quick service. EDM and |
| mistakes are made. | | | | workflow help colleges push applications through |
| With EDM and workflow, rules for data collection | | | | quickly and issue decision letters promptly, |
| and an automatic hierarchy of tasks demand | | | | maximizing enrollment opportunities. Workflow |
| consistency. Items move forward automatically | | | | enables customized materials to be sent to |
| only when each step is completed. Workflow | | | | diverse donor groups automatically, following |
| ensures priorities are noted and timelines are met. | | | | pre-set rules. Donations are processed faster, |
| Processes are monitored, measured, analyzed, | | | | optimizing cash flow. EDM also organizes research, |
| and controlled, enabling continuous improvement. | | | | including scanned papers, images, and |
| Staff gains real-time access to all pertinent | | | | communications, for future retrieval and analysis. |
| information they need. EDM and BPM push | | | | Educational institutions benefit by tapping into EDM |
| business processes-such as claims, loans, or | | | | and workflow for back-office processes such as |
| contracts-through the right channels expeditiously | | | | human resources, accounting, and audits. |
| from start to finish, helping managers to control, | | | | Integration with other systems verifies that data |
| monitor, and assure quality. | | | | is correct and complete; automatic alerts ensure |
| BPM tools like workflow perform similarly to the | | | | timely action; and forms are no longer misplaced |
| structure on a manufacturing floor, where goods | | | | or lost. This ensures a higher quality experience |
| are pulled regularly for inspection, except that | | | | for students, parents, and staff who require |
| each task in every process is examined | | | | information or request action. |
| automatically every time to ensure 100% | | | | Keeping the Public Informed in Matters of Safety |
| completion and consistency. Automated business | | | | and Public Health |
| rules force uniformity of data collection, guarantee | | | | When disasters occur, or an event has |
| that processes only move forward when each | | | | catastrophic implications, immediate access to |
| step is complete, respect process hierarchy | | | | information about citizens is critical. EDM centralizes |
| without fail, and report inefficiencies that can be | | | | all file types in one place, or points to its location in |
| improved. | | | | other systems, making it available from any |
| Underwriting and Claims | | | | location. EDM and workflow linked to criminal |
| In insurance, EDM ensures that underwriters, | | | | records and telecommunications systems help |
| claims staff, adjusters, and other preauthorized | | | | prevent crime and enable prompt response to |
| parties can access high-quality data and images, | | | | incidents with pertinent data. They initiate proper |
| and that information is complete. When integrated | | | | notifications to customers who have used |
| with line-of-business (LOB) systems like policy | | | | shopping cards and purchased tainted or defective |
| administration and claims software, redundancy | | | | products. Together, they provide the truest of |
| and errors are avoided. Workflow increases EDM's | | | | quality assurances, helping those who care for our |
| value, automatically pushing and pulling data to the | | | | public safety and health to respond quickly, and |
| right place, wherever it is needed. When policies | | | | even to save lives. |
| are updated, claims are filed, addresses change, or | | | | Quality assurance has always been a key |
| other actions occur. Data added to the system | | | | ingredient in a company's customer services. |
| enables global changes, alerts, or responses | | | | Today, mature technologies make it easier. |
| according to pre-set rules. Online forms-and | | | | Quality is assured....each and every time. |