Case Study — TENNESSEE ORTHOPAEDIC ALLIANCE
TOA Achieves 30% Increase in Patient Appointment Volume
Learn how Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics boost capacity utilization by 3.4%, yield ROI of over $800K.
TENNESSEE ORTHOPAEDIC ALLIANCE
32 locations · 108 providers · NextGen
Specialty
Orthopedics
Locations
32
Providers
108
EHR
NextGen
Key Wins
26%
New Patient Conversions Through Chatbot
88%
Physician Utilization
30%
Increase in Patient Appointment Volume
The Platform
What Is Relatient and the Dash® Platform?
Relatient is a patient engagement platform that helps healthcare organizations automate scheduling, streamline communication and reduce inbound call volume.
The Dash® platform combines intelligent scheduling, automated messaging and AI-powered voice technology to improve patient access and operational efficiency across every channel patients use to reach you.
Intelligent Scheduling
Rules-based engine across every channel.
Automated Messaging
Confirmations, reminders and recalls.
AI Voice Technology
Agentic Voice AI for inbound calls.
The Stakes
Why Patient Access Failures Hurt Growth
When patients can’t get an appointment quickly, the cost compounds — across revenue, retention and team capacity. The math behind broken access is unforgiving.
15–30%
of appointments go unfilled
Churn
Patients leave if access is delayed
Bottleneck
Call centers become a chokepoint
Burnout
Staff turnover and fatigue rise
01 — Context
The Goal
The Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance (TOA) – East Tennessee, with 31 physicians and 33 mid-level providers spread across 10 locations, aimed to enhance patient access, streamline scheduling, and improve overall satisfaction.
Managing numerous providers across multiple locations created scheduling challenges, requiring a solution to efficiently and accurately match patients to providers.
“
Multiple locations along with a wide scope of specialty care create a complex set of scheduling challenges for both providers and patients. We needed a way to fulfill patients’ requests for dates, times, locations, and providers, while also optimizing provider schedules to address new patient appointments and balance our providers’ schedules.
– Tina Snodderly, Chief Revenue Officer
The Challenge
- Complex multi-location scheduling
- Patient-provider matching challenges
- Balancing provider schedules while accommodating new patient demand
- Improving patient access and the overall scheduling experience
02 — Approach
The Solution
With Relatient’s Dash Schedule, both in contact center and self-scheduling,
Dash Engage, and Dash Chat solutions, TOA enhanced their patient access
strategy.
01
Intelligent Scheduling
Smart scheduling tools that help patients find the right provider, location, and appointment time while optimizing provider availability.
- Filled last-minute cancellations more efficiently
- Improved provider load balancing and schedule utilization
- Enabled patients to self-schedule appointments, including outside business hours
02
Patient Engagement
Automated, multichannel communications that keep patients informed and connected throughout the scheduling and care journey.
- Reduced call volume through proactive patient outreach
- Improved patient access to scheduling resources
- Created a more seamless patient experience across touchpoints
03
AI-Powered Chat
Real-time conversational AI that helps patients get answers, navigate services, and connect with scheduling resources online.
- Converted new patients through chatbot interactions
- Accelerated patient response times
- Expanded access to support beyond traditional scheduling channels
“
Dash® has empowered us to communicate effectively with patients and streamline their care journey. We’re responding faster and matching patients to the right providers, which has been a gamechanger for our practice.
– Jeff McPherson, Market President
03 — Outcome
The Relatient Difference
Since adopting Relatient’s solutions, TOA has increased and improved provider load balancing. After their initial investment in an intelligent scheduling solution, they saw an ROI of over $800K due to a 30% increase in patient appointment volume. In addition, Dash Chat has also made patient communication more efficient, converting new patients quickly and enhancing satisfaction.
“
There was absolutely room for improvement on the patient experience level as well as optimizing the providers’ schedules. With Relatient, we now have the tools to create a seamless experience for our patients and ensure they’re supported every step of the way.
– Tina Snodderly, Chief Revenue Officer
Executive Summary
Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance (TOA) needed a better way to manage complex scheduling across multiple providers, specialties, and locations while improving patient access and balancing provider utilization. By implementing Relatient’s intelligent scheduling, patient engagement, and AI-powered chat solutions, TOA streamlined appointment workflows, expanded self-scheduling access, and enhanced patient communications across digital channels. The combined solution improved provider load balancing, increased appointment volume, reduced scheduling friction, and helped convert new patients more efficiently, creating a more seamless experience for both patients and staff.
50K+
Providers
24/7
Access
1
Platform
