Like many organizations, pre-2020, Central States Health & Life Co. of Omaha envisioned a more gradual shift to automation and digital processes – until necessity forced the organization to rethink how they were using core technologies like OnBase to enable remote work.

Here’s how Jen Van Haute, Assistant Vice President, Account Services, and her team at CSO transformed the incoming mail process with Workflow and why, in this case, it paid off to “go big or go home”.

• • What they learned from a first-time venture into automation – and what they might do differently next time
  • How digital mail with Workflow has lowered pending business, leaving less on the table each month
  • How careful planning and sticking to their project schedule were critical to meeting their project goals

The problem

CSO faced challenges with document access, workflow management, and disaster recovery. The manual paper-based process hindered remote work during the pandemic, delayed document processing, and posed risks in disaster scenarios. Existing processes lacked efficiency, document tracking, and collaboration capabilities. The need for efficient document handling and accessibility prompted the organization to initiate a workflow project.

The solution

The company transitioned from a paper-based process to a digital workflow solution using OnBase. The goals were to improve document access, streamline workflow management, and enhance disaster recovery readiness. The team aimed to integrate the workflow alongside their existing insurance processing system, ensuring that tasks were assigned appropriately, keywords were added, and documents were made searchable. They also developed a custom print driver for electronic documents, simplifying their digital ingestion.

Results

The implementation of the workflow solution had a huge impact on the team’s efficiency and even profitability. Document access improved significantly, allowing employees to work remotely while maintaining efficiency. Workflow management became more streamlined, reducing the time and steps needed to process insurance documents. The introduction of automated processes reduced pending cases and increased the speed of document handling. The organization quickly saw a reduction in the backlog of pending documents, and the team’s response to changing work conditions, such as remote work due to the pandemic, became more flexible.

Takeaways and what’s next

The organization plans to continue implementing workflow solutions for other business areas, such as investment approvals, new account onboarding, and accounts payable. The success of this project has inspired the company to explore further digitization and automation opportunities to enhance overall business operations.

Interested in learning more? Watch Jen’s presentation from OnBase Camp Innovation Day and check out other content from the day.