Healthcare organizations are facing unprecedented challenges in managing the growing volume of documents, data lag, and manual workflows. According to a recent survey conducted by HealthLeaders and Concord Technologies, these issues continue to hinder clinical operations, staff productivity, and the patient experience. The solution? Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) is emerging as a strategic imperative to power faster, smarter front-end automation and transform healthcare delivery.
The Urgency to Fix Document Chaos
Healthcare executives have long recognized that document chaos slows clinical operations, creates administrative inefficiencies, and increases the risk of disruptions in patient care. What’s changing is the urgency to address these issues. With document volumes growing, staffing shortages persisting, and the shift toward value-based care demanding better coordination and data access, automation is no longer a future investment — it’s a strategic necessity.
Where Are the Bottlenecks?
The survey asked healthcare leaders to pinpoint their most frequent document-processing challenges. The top bottlenecks include:
- Manual data entry of patient or encounter information (50%)
- Routing documents to the appropriate department or workflow (46%)
- Triaging and sorting incoming faxed documents (43%)
- Delays in clinical review or provider sign-off (43%)
- Indexing and uploading documents into the EHR or system of record (29%)
Sixty percent of respondents report spending more than four hours per day on triage and sorting alone — a significant daily labor drain.
The Cost of Manual Workflows
Despite major investments in digital infrastructure, most hospitals still struggle with the fundamental task of getting incoming documents where they need to go, quickly and accurately. Processing the growing volume of healthcare documents is largely manual, with faxes, scanned forms, PDFs, and referrals still being sorted, routed, and keyed in by people. The result? The first mile of the information journey becomes the longest.
Intelligent Document Processing: The Next Essential Step
Once documents are received and processed, their real value begins — but only if they’re findable. IDP is designed to close this gap by turning unstructured files into structured, usable information. The process starts with OCR converting paper documents into raw text, which is then fed into AI models to extract key information. Documents are automatically routed to different queues based on content type and category before a human ever sees them. The final step is delivering patient information into the EHR, typically via HL7 or FHIR integration.
Automation: From Wait-and-See to Must-Have
The stakes for document automation are no longer just about efficiency; they’re about capacity, quality, and access. Leaders can no longer afford to have staff buried in documents while patient needs grow more complex and urgent. Two-thirds of respondents plan to implement document processing technology in the next year, while one-third say it’s on the roadmap but not a current priority.
Real Results: Speed, Accuracy, and Value
AI and automation are rising to the top of the agenda, driven by the promise of real, measurable impact. With the right solutions, organizations can reduce processing time, improve accuracy, and free up staff for higher-value tasks. Some organizations have achieved more than a 95% Straight-Through Processing rate (STP), meaning documents are processed entirely without human intervention. Time savings are significant: processing each document now takes just three to five minutes, down from eight to ten minutes previously.
Conclusion: The Future Is Now
The survey makes it clear: intelligent document processing is no longer optional for healthcare organizations. It’s a strategic imperative that drives efficiency, accuracy, and better patient outcomes. As the volume and complexity of healthcare documents continue to grow, organizations must embrace automation to stay ahead.
Ready to dive deeper into the findings and discover how intelligent document processing can transform your organization? Download the full research brief, What Health IT Leaders See As The Next Top Imperative, to access all the data, expert insights, and actionable strategies.