Intelligent Automation for COVID-19 Vaccine Administration | Notable Health

Streamlining Vaccine Distribution with Automation

Addressing the challenges of effective and affordable vaccine distribution in 2021, Notable Health is applying its automation platform to assist in this critical effort. Founded in 2017, the company initially focused on reducing the approximately $250 billion in annual administrative expenses within the healthcare sector.

Addressing Administrative Burden in Healthcare

Notable Health’s initial goal was to leverage automation to replace repetitive, time-intensive tasks common in healthcare administration. Early in January, the company announced its intention to adapt this technology to facilitate vaccine distribution management.

According to Muthu Alagappan, Notable Health’s Medical Director, a typical patient interaction involves around 90 distinct steps or touchpoints. He postulates that a significant portion of these can be automated.

The Core Technology: RPA, NLP, and Machine Learning

Notable Health’s primary technology utilizes robotic process automation (RPA), natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning to identify individuals eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

By integrating this platform with data from hospital systems’ electronic health records, qualified patients can schedule appointments and access pertinent educational materials.

Expert Endorsement and Equitable Distribution

Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a strategic advisor to Notable Health and a member of the Biden Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board, stated in a press release that utilizing intelligent automation for patient identification, outreach, education, and triage enables health systems to create efficient and equitable vaccine distribution processes.

Simplifying Access for Older Adults

Scheduling vaccine appointments has proven particularly difficult for older Americans, with many encountering challenges navigating online scheduling systems. Alagappan attributes this to poor design choices.

He believes that Notable Health prioritizes the user experience through a simplified approach, requesting only essential and easily recalled information via a text message link. This user-centric design contributes to strong engagement rates, even among older demographics.

Future Potential and Industry Growth

While the platform is currently aiding hospitals and health systems in improving vaccination efficiency, its application of RPA and NLP suggests broader potential for healthcare optimization. Similar technologies in other sectors have achieved substantial valuations and continue to attract investment.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is anticipated to expand within healthcare in the coming years. However, Alagappan emphasizes the importance of combining AI with readily available intelligent technologies to enhance patient care.

The Synergy of AI and RPA

“Intelligent automation represents the convergence of two key concepts: artificial intelligence – understanding what to do – and robotic process automation – knowing how to do it,” Alagappan explained. This combined approach allows Notable Health to overcome administrative obstacles by directing bots to execute tasks efficiently and flexibly.

Current Implementation and Reach

Notable Health is currently collaborating with numerous hospital systems across several states to implement its platform for vaccine distribution and scheduling. The platform is now being used to contact tens of thousands of patients daily.

• RPA automates repetitive tasks.
• NLP understands and processes language.
• Machine Learning improves accuracy over time.