What are workflows and why are they so important?
The answer to this question may seem obvious at first glance, but often, when a discussion arises about what workflows actually are — or rather, what they should be — a lot of confusion quickly ensues. On the surface, most would identify workflows as a list of things one needs to complete to achieve an end-goal. You wouldn’t be wrong using that definition, but how do you define those things?
A call, an email, even an in-person meeting can all be conducive to achieving an end-goal, but none of those specific tasks are inherently required to achieve it. You can just as easily get information from a person over a phone call as you would over an email. So if making calls or sending emails isn’t the core of a workflow, then what is?
The answer is simple: workflows are a breakdown of a larger process into smaller stages and substages. A call, email, or meeting are simply tasks that take place within those stages.
This may seem like an exercise in semantics, but consider how we break down any complex task. If you want to bake a cake, you follow stages: preparing ingredients, combining them, baking, and cooling. Each stage includes substages and tasks — like mixing in a specific order or measuring ingredients.
This breakdown helps us conceptualize complex processes so we can execute them effectively. In healthcare, this has enormous implications for patient outcomes. Even small deviations in onboarding or service delivery can have serious consequences.
This is especially true given the complexities imposed by state regulations on government-assisted long-term care programs. In consumer-choice states, onboarding can require weeks of preparation and qualification work just to get a patient to SOC (Start of Care). This makes software essential for guiding back-office teams through onboarding — for both patients and caregivers.
A platform that captures workflow stages and separates mandatory substages from general tasks is critical. It ensures teams work efficiently, reduces reliance on managerial intervention, and empowers staff to navigate issues independently — like understanding Medicaid codes without waiting for a supervisor.
Another advantage of defining workflows properly is standardization. Agencies can focus on customizing outcome-driven tasks rather than reinventing state-driven workflow requirements. And of course, this structured approach has significant analytics benefits — more on that soon.
Ultimately, these insights led us to rethink how Bolt should handle workflows — all while preserving the powerful customizability that has always defined our platform.
If you would like to learn more about what these changes will look like, don’t hesitate to book a demo with us today!
