The recession has a way of bringing savings strategies into the mainstream. Competitive coupon clipping, for example.

There’s a great article in Healthcare IT News about how the recession has also driven a trend to more automated calls in healthcare – especially when it comes to connecting people with clinicians who offer health and wellness support.

It’s no secret that as the US healthcare system serves more aging and newly-insured people, the nursing shortage is widening. Demand for RNs is expected to continue to grow at 2 percent to 3 percent per year, while the supply of RNs is expected to grow very little as large numbers of nurses begin to retire.

So how can we help these folks be more efficient, without burning them out?

We like to say that Eliza never has a bad day – meaning that automated calls are really well suited for carrying out repetitive tasks in what are (by definition) a consistent way. Such as asking members a series of health screening questions.

By identifying and handing off patients who are already engaged, this approach gives nurses a morale booster too, since they can focus on the most rewarding parts of the job that demand that uniquely human touch.

Like coupon clipping, the benefits can be quantified in dollars and cents, as well as in hard-to describe-but-just as-important ways. Like feeling smarter about how we spend our resources.

So what’s your best strategy for weathering the recession?