Healthcare Payer Digital Transformation: Top 3 Planning Mistakes

November 15, 2023

Randy Farrow

The digital transformation shift for payers can represent a massive change. One of the keys to successfully navigating that change is through thorough planning and preparing. However, skipping, or skimping, on the planning phase can cause a ripple of negative outcomes.

Top 3 Most Common Digital Transformation Planning Mistakes

1. “Filling in the Blanks”

Insufficient information and lack of goal communication can cause people to make up information in the absence of details. Executive decisions can also be misunderstood by the project/operational teams without sufficient information and context. Proactively share information and bring people along on the journey. Always overcommunicate.

2. Scope Creep

Adding/changing scope without considering its impact to your goals and objectives can cause budget and operational consequences. Establish your scope based on your objectives and goals and stick to it.

3. Job Security Mindset

The fear of being replaced by technology is real for a lot of people. This can cause people to not share legacy information so that they can’t be replaced by technology.

Plan for the Digital Transformation

Don’t fall victim to the “Ready, Fire, Aim” approach. Slow down and build the plan, prepare to initiate the next phase, gather requirements, think about the organizational change that will need to occur, be mindful in your decisions, and build in mitigation plans for critical dependencies and dates. Comprehensive preparation empowers your team to pivot and keep going rather than losing even more time having to do that work later, or possibly redoing it.

Ensure your people, processes, and technology are fully aligned before the project commences. Include the following considerations:

Top 3 Digital Transformation Planning Best Practices: Goals, Objectives, and KPIs

In the words of Stephen Covey, begin with the end in mind. What do you want to achieve? Why do you want to achieve it? What will achieving it mean to your members, your staff, your organization?

Define why you have decided to do this, your business goals and objectives, the current KPIs, and what you expect to achieve after implementing this new solution.

1. Define the Why

What are the business and technology goals behind the decision?

2. Evaluate impact on decisions

What are your goals and objectives? Will this have a positive impact on them? How will this change impact your technology, process, and people?

3. Establish a communication plan

Transparency and communication support the change. Focus on building cascade, transparency, and consensus. Document and publish it. These goals and objectives should become core to how you make decisions about scope and changes throughout the implementation and ongoing management of the solution.

HealthEdge: Healthcare Payer Digital Transformation and Professional Services

HealthEdge’s Professional Services provides expertise and support to accelerate your digital transformation. To become a next-generation health plan, you need a digital foundation that enables you to provide a transparent and person-centric experience at lower cost, higher quality, and higher service levels. HealthEdge® solutions provide that foundation – and HealthEdge Professional Services deliver the expertise and support to make the process swift, sure, and effective.

Learn more about HealthEdge Professional Services.