Skip to main content

BPM Tools Enable Insurance Case Managers to Eliminate Negative Perceptions

Joshua Hoffman
November 2, 2015

Insurance case managers, particularly those involved with workers' compensation cases, get a bad rap as people who care about nothing more than cutting costs. The advanced case management practices enable by advanced business process management tools enable case managers to work in such a way that they overcome this perception. According to a recent Property Casualty 360 report, the emphasis on reducing operational costs across the insurance sector has left case managers getting a reputation as people who simply don't care about those who are injured. This is far from the truth, however, and case managers that want to overcome this perception need to step up their operational capabilities.

Using operational excellence to eliminate negativity in case management

The report explained that most case managers genuinely want to help people. They want to identify the cases where people are legitimately injured and provide the support necessary so those individuals can get the financial support they need. The problem is that case managers face an incredibly complex operational burden in which they must go well beyond recording personal details and gather complex data types from a variety of stakeholders. The inherent complications in this operational scheme create a situation in which case managers must improve their processes to a significant degree if they hope to create more time and resources to focus on people.

"Custom apps break down the barriers that limit case management efficiency."

Using BPM to drive operational gains

Case managers need to get the right information in the right apps in a timely fashion. This functionality is critical as they work to interact with clients in the most informed and efficient manner possible. The problem is that the insurance industry as a whole still places an emphasis on cost controls because they must find a way to combat rising expenses. BPM tools provide case managers with the ability to automate repetitive business processes and use the BPM suite as an application development platform.

Giving case management leaders the freedom to build and customize apps to meet their specific needs - particularly in terms of managing information workflows and relationships - lets those individuals break down the barriers that limit their efficiency. This creates an environment in which case managers can reduce their operating costs substantially, freeing resources to put the emphasis on relationship management. All told, these capabilities come together to help case managers focus on the people they serve, letting them move beyond the perception that they only care about cutting costs.