In business, case management can take many forms. From handling simple customer support tickets to conducting workplace investigations, your team needs to be able to address a wide range of scenarios and processes. Each case needs to go through a standardized workflow from start to finish to ensure efficiency and accuracy.
Case management tools help you standardize and centralize your case management practices, especially when multiple team members or departments are involved.
But which case management solution is right for you, and which features should you look for in case management software? Here’s what you need to know about using software to streamline and automate your case management process.
What Are Case Management Solutions?
Case management solutions, or case management tools, usually take the form of digital software solutions that store information about individual cases and help you track your caseloads overall. They can be used by businesses, healthcare providers, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, law firms, and even individual freelancers.
A “case” can refer to anything from:
- A customer support ticket
- A workplace investigation
- An employee complaint
- A business insurance claim
- A client onboarding process
- A leave of absence request
Some case management tools are purpose-built for specific use cases, while others are configurable solutions that can be customized to meet your unique business needs. For example, your human resources department may use a dynamic case management platform like Pulpstream to manage workers’ compensation cases.
Case management solutions can help you standardize your workflows and streamline complex processes in a few keys ways:
- Data management: Store customer or client information all in one place where it’s accessible to your team while ensuring privacy and confidentiality.
- Document management: Upload documents, attach files, store photos, videos, and audio recordings, and even collect e-signatures remotely.
- Stakeholder communication: Make it easy for stakeholders to stay in the loop with automated notifications and a centralized inbox or dashboard.
- Scheduling: Integrate your case management software with your calendar and project management tools to meet deadlines and avoid scheduling conflicts.
Benefits of Using a Case Management System
Effective case management systems offer benefits for everyone: your employees, your clients and customers, and even your HR team. Here are just a few key benefits.
Improved Employee Experience
From the employee perspective, case management tools allow your team members to put aside the pen and paper and easily navigate cases using a cloud-based portal or a mobile app. Not only does it save time and improve business efficiency, it can reduce stress on your employees and improve their mental health.
Streamlined Case Lifecycle
Case management tools help you resolve cases faster by putting all of the resources you need at your fingertips and even allowing you to automate recurring tasks. You can use business process automation to streamline workflows, and use built-in reporting tools to track the life cycle of a case or claim and run more detailed analytics.
Increased Compliance
Traditional case management tools, from spreadsheets to file cabinets, are a recipe for human error. Digital case management tools help you ensure compliance by using the same templates and processes for each new case. Use them to generate and fill out forms automatically and maintain a digital paper trail to comply with regulations.
Types of Case Management Software
Case management solutions range from customer support ticketing platforms to invoice management software. From the front office to back office, businesses of all kinds can use case management software to turn tedious paper-based tasks into efficient digital work streams. Here are just a few key uses for case management solutions.
Incident Management
Workplace incidents include everything from minor accidents and safety violations to cases of fraud, harassment, or abuse. By digitizing your incident management process with case management software, you can gather the information you need for a prompt resolution, and give employees the option to report incidents anonymously.
Use Pulpstream’s case management tools to track audits and inspections and facilitate an effective safety training program for new employees. When accidents happen, use digital anatomy diagrams to keep an accurate record for insurance claims.
Claims Management
Claims management refers to the way that your business handles insurance claims, from commercial insurance to workers’ compensation. This includes documenting and filing the claim, communicating with your insurance adjuster, and cooperating with any investigations needed to substantiate your claim.
By tracking your claims in a cloud-based platform like Pulpstream, you can streamline processing times and avoid claims processing pitfalls. Plus, you can use analytics to monitor claims data and identify patterns by month, type, age group, and more.
Workers’ Comp Case Management
Workers’ comp case management can be used to streamline workers’ comp insurance claims and facilitate the return-to-work process. A case manager’s job is to educate the employee about their options, liaise between third parties like insurance companies and healthcare providers, and ensure that they get the care and support they need.
If you handle worker’s comp cases in-house, use case management software to handle complex cases and ensure you comply with employee regulations like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
3 Features to Look for in a Case Management Platform
Case management platforms vary widely in terms of features, pricing, and functionality, and the right platform for you will depend on your business needs. Here are three key features to look for when choosing a case management platform.
1. Cloud-Based
Legacy case management tools tend to be purpose-built platforms hosted on-premises and maintained by a company’s IT team. Modern tools are cloud-based, which means they’re deployed in the cloud and can be accessed from almost anywhere.
Cloud-based tools give your employees more flexibility to work remotely, log incidents from mobile devices, and access the information they need at their fingertips.
2. Low-Code or No-Code
Although cases themselves can be complicated, case management solutions shouldn’t be. Low-code and no-code platforms like Pulpstream feature drag-and-drop interfaces so you can customize the platform without having to learn how to code. Set roles and assign case ownership automatically based on factors like name, skill, or location.
Even non-technical employees can log into a self-service portal to perform basic tasks like updating their contact information or requesting a password reset.
3. Real-Time Reporting
Case management tools aren’t just for handling individual cases, but also for analyzing datasets and identifying areas for improvement. Track key metrics like case resolution rates, and look for unusual patterns indicating fraud or underperformance.
By using a centralized platform to handle all of your cases, you’ll eliminate data silos and have access to real-time reporting dashboards whenever you need them.
Level Up Your Case Management Processes With Pulpstream
Case management solutions encompass everything from claims management software to purpose-built customer support systems. The right case management system for you will depend on your business needs and what type of cases you need to manage. Look for cloud-based, low-code tools for the most functionality and flexibility.
Pulpstream is an all-in-one case management platform that can handle workers’ comp claims, leave of absence requests, workplace investigations, and more. At Pulpstream, we know that cases don’t always proceed in a straight line. That’s why you can easily customize our mobile framework to accommodate nearly any business process.
Request a free demo today to see it in action and learn more!
