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How Acclaim Autism is Revolutionizing Patient Onboarding with AI

a mom and his kid child being onboarded for autism care

At Acclaim Autism, we are always striving to enhance the quality of care we provide to families navigating Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We understand that timely access to services is critical, as it can lead to significantly better outcomes. To address this need, we have partnered with Appian to implement an innovative AI-powered onboarding system that greatly reduces wait times and streamlines our intake process.

The Challenges of Traditional Onboarding in Autism Care

Families seeking autism care have long faced long wait times due to the complexities of processing medical documents and navigating the intake process. Traditional methods rely heavily on manual work, often taking months to verify medical records, gather diagnoses, and ensure compliance with strict data privacy regulations like HIPAA.

Long wait times are a major challenge in autism care. According to a 2023 study by Kraft et al., nearly two-thirds of U.S. autism diagnostic centers have wait times longer than four months, with over 15% facing wait times of more than a year. While these wait times have improved over time, this creates significant delays in accessing early intervention, a critical period for maximizing developmental outcomes.

Recognizing these issues, Acclaim Autism decided to innovate by leveraging technology to reduce wait times while ensuring the highest standards of accuracy and data security.

Introducing Appian’s AI Solution

We partnered with Appian and systems integrator Ignyte to integrate Appian’s private AI into our onboarding process. Our goal was to simplify and accelerate the intake process while maintaining HIPAA compliance and safeguarding sensitive patient data.

Appian’s AI solution automates the extraction of unstructured data from medical documents—such as autism diagnosis reports, DSM-5 codes, doctor’s notes, and more. This step is critical as it allows our team to process key patient information, including birth dates, diagnoses, and other details, without the manual burden of sifting through large amounts of text.

Key Benefits of AI-Enhanced Onboarding

Since implementing Appian AI, we’ve seen significant improvements that directly benefit both our staff and the families we serve. Here are some key advantages:

  • Accuracy: Achieving 95% accuracy in data extraction in early testing, the AI pulls out essential information like diagnosis details and medical notes, drastically reducing errors. Acclaim employees still review everything to ensure all data is accurate and up to date
  • Speed: Patient wait times have decreased from 3-6 months to less than month. In some cases, services can begin in as little as 10 days.
  • Efficiency: Automating the most time-consuming processes allows our staff to focus on higher-value tasks, such as personalizing treatment plans and engaging with families.
  • Compliance: Appian’s AI ensures HIPAA compliance, safeguarding all patient information and adhering to strict privacy regulations throughout the intake process.

How does it actually work?

Appian’s AI technology assists in several key areas of the onboarding process:

  • Document Processing: The AI scans and extracts crucial details from diagnosis documents, doctor notes, and other medical records, minimizing the need for manual reviews.
  • Verification: Information such as DSM-5 codes and patient demographics are automatically verified, ensuring accuracy before the patient file is submitted to our clinical team.
  • Compliance Checks: The system ensures that all records meet HIPAA and other privacy standards, reducing the risk of human error in data handling.

This streamlined process speeds up every step, from initial inquiries to final approval, allowing families to access care much faster than ever before. By utilizing this advanced technology, we maintain the highest standards of accuracy and compassion in everything we do.

Why Does This Matter?

For families seeking care for their children, time is of the essence. Long delays not only affect children’s development and early intervention but also add stress for parents waiting for much-needed services. This AI-powered system allows us to serve more families faster, helping children receive timely interventions that can positively impact their lives. It also serves as a proof of concept for future AI application development that Acclaim will roll out in 2025.

“The document extraction software empowers Acclaim Autism’s intake team to spend more time speaking with caregivers and less time with the tedium of document validation”, says William Oswald, Information Technology Manager at Acclaim Autism. “Appian produced a scalable product Acclaim Autism can fit to different teams in our growing company.”

The implementation of AI at Acclaim Autism is just the beginning of how we plan to use technology to improve autism care. As we continue to explore new applications of AI and automation, our goal is to make access to care more efficient, accurate, and family-centered.

By embracing innovative technology, we are setting a new standard in autism care—one where families do not have to choose between speed and quality. We believe that with the right tools, we can deliver both.

At Acclaim Autism, we remain dedicated to finding innovative ways to provide the highest quality care to as many families as possible, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.

References

Kraft, C., Scott Badesch, Shannon, J., Salomon, C., Seal, M., Chettiath, T., Cognoa, Inc., University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Badesch and Associates LLC, CHOC Children’s (Children’s Hospital of Orange County), University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, & Chapman University. (2023.). Wait times and Processes for autism diagnostic Evaluations: A first report survey of autism centers in the U.S. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/wait-times-and-processes-autism-diagnostic-evaluations-first-report-survey-autism-centers-us.pdf

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