Austin Regional Clinic (ARC) is a leading healthcare provider in Texas, serving tens of thousands of patients across its expansive network of clinics. In 2022 and 2023, ARC faced a growing challenge: the administrative burdens on its clinicians were mounting, leaving less time for patient interaction and increasing their feelings of burnout. Simultaneously, patients often struggled to understand their results and other offline communication, leading to unnecessary follow-ups that further strained the system. On top of these issues, ARC needed to ensure compliance with the CURES Act, which added additional complexity to their operations.

Recognizing these challenges, ARC sought a partner who could streamline workflows, improve patient communication, and ensure regulatory compliance. After evaluating their EMR's capabilities, ARC chose to partner with Elaborate for its unique ability to not just manage but significantly reduce message volume and burden—aligning perfectly with ARC's ambitious goals.

Crafting the Solution

The partnership between ARC and Elaborate began in October 2023 with a clear objective: to transform the way clinicians managed their workflows while empowering patients with better information about their health. Within just five months, Elaborate’s platform was deployed across all 27 ARC sites, including an accelerated expansion to 10+ specialty departments including ObGyn, Pediatrics, Cardiology, and Endocrinology.

At the heart of the implementation was Elaborate’s protocolized ntelligence powering result interactions. Automated patient summaries, developed using pre-approved clinical protocols, provided patients with clear, actionable insights into their health. Clinicians no longer needed to spend hours interpreting and explaining results every week—this task, as well as guiding patients to next steps, was now seamlessly handled by the platform. This allowed them to focus their time on direct patient care and more complex cases.

Additionally, Elaborate ensured that ARC’s implementation was not just fast but comprehensive. Training programs and clinician feedback loops were integrated into the rollout process, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and engagement. The platform’s adaptive features, such as expertly delivered multilingual support, also meant that it could meet the diverse needs of ARC’s different patient cohorts and specialties while maintaining consistent performance.

The Impact

The results of this partnership were transformative. For clinicians, the reduction in inbasket burdens was immediately apparent. Dr. Liu, one of ARC’s physicians, remarked, “Elaborate did great! There's no longer a need for me to worry about this or do anything.” Such sentiments were echoed across the network as clinicians experienced a dramatic improvement in their workflows.

Key improvements included:

• $5.30 Doctor Time Saved Per Message: With Elaborate's unique "cure" approach, message volumes are reduced, delivering hard ROI to partners within days of launch.
• 95% Clinician Alignment: Clinician alignment with the platform reached an all-time high, reflecting its ease of use and effectiveness.‍
• 211 Hours Saved Monthly: Clinicians saved hours every month, with some reporting up to a 41% reduction in time spent managing result messages. 87% experienced a reduction in inbasket time relative to their pre-intervention baseline.
• ‍16x Increase in Platform Adoption: From pilot to full deployment, the platform’s usage grew exponentially (all ahead of schedule!)

For patients, the benefits were equally compelling:

• 86% Better Understanding: Patients reported improved comprehension of their lab results.
• 84% Reduction in Follow-Up Messages: Most patients did not feel the need to contact their clinician for further clarification.
• 85% Patient Satisfaction: Positive feedback underscored the platform’s ability to enhance the overall patient experience.

One patient shared, “For years, I often had no idea what GFR was, for example. Now, I understand that it has to do with my filtration system. That’s so  understandable!”

In addition to these achievements, the platform’s compliance with CURES Act regulations ensured that ARC could meet its regulatory obligations without additional strain. The expansion to specialist departments—completed ahead of schedule—highlighted the adaptability of the solution to different clinical contexts.

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Sustained Growth and Innovation

Building on this success, ARC and Elaborate are poised for further collaboration. Plans are already in motion to expand the platform’s capabilities. Upcoming innovations include:

• Bundled Panels: Adding Elaborate's modules around radiology reports and other complex panels.
• Additional Language Expansions: Expanding access to better serve diverse patient populations.
• Next-Generation Automation: Enhancing workflow efficiency with new features like automated patient appointment reminders and expanded clinical decision support tools.

These innovations promise to deepen the impact of the partnership, driving continued improvements in both clinician efficiency and patient satisfaction. By integrating patient feedback and leveraging data insights, ARC and Elaborate aim to remain at the forefront of healthcare innovation.

The story of ARC and Elaborate is a testament to the power of technology in transforming healthcare. By addressing the dual challenges of clinician burnout and patient communication, this partnership has redefined what’s possible in managing the modern inbasket. For organizations facing similar hurdles, the experience of ARC offers a clear roadmap to success.