Best use cases, best customers: Jessica Howard

Welcome to the first installment of our "Best use cases, best customers" series, where we spotlight the innovative ways our customers leverage KnowledgeOwl to solve complex challenges across various industries.

When healthcare software meets knowledge management excellence

In an industry where every minute counts and accuracy is non-negotiable, healthcare software companies face unique challenges in managing their knowledge. Today, we're pumped to introduce you to Jessica Howard, a knowledge management trailblazer who modernized how healthcare software documentation can work. Jessica exemplifies the passionate, customer-focused professionals who make the healthcare software industry so impactful.

The knowledge management journey

Jessica's 17-year tenure at a leading provider of cloud-based medical office software serving 26,000+ providers is a masterclass in building effective knowledge ecosystems from the ground up.

"I've always had a passion for healthcare," Jessica explains. "There's no greater feeling than being able to help people when they're sick or hurting. My parents met in nursing school, so working in this industry was a very natural fit for me. After considering different paths, healthcare IT really felt like the best fit for me."

Jessica's compassion led her to choose a behind-the-scenes healthcare role—it's also what makes her exceptional at knowledge management. She understands that behind every knowledge base article, there's a healthcare provider trying to solve a problem while caring for their patients.

Why healthcare software companies need robust documentation

Healthcare software companies operate at a unique intersection: they need to meet intense compliance standards while quickly making complex systems accessible to busy medical professionals. Effective knowledge base software isn't just a nice-to-have; it's essential infrastructure.

For Jessica, strong documentation serves multiple critical functions:

1. Empowering internal teams: Knowledge management content empowers associates by giving them the tools they need to be confident in what they're saying. This helps clients learn they can trust the support associates.

2. Patient care continuity: Documentation that helps providers navigate software means fewer disruptions to patient care.

3. Regulatory navigation: Documentation can provide clear, consistent guidance to all users to maintain compliance with HIPAA, CMS Promoting Interoperability incentive programs, and other regulations.

4. Revenue cycle management: Clear documentation helps reduce claim denials and appeals—a persistent pain point in healthcare.

Finding the perfect knowledge management solution

After evaluating 7-8 different knowledge management systems over five years, Jessica chose KnowledgeOwl—but not for the reasons you might expect.

"We didn't just choose KnowledgeOwl because of features," Jessica notes. "We chose it because the KnowledgeOwl team treated us like humans, not metrics to help meet a quota. They really wanted to be a PARTNER and help us be successful."

This partnership approach proved invaluable when facing unique challenges:

• When clients experienced Single Sign-on (SSO) issues that couldn't be patched for weeks due to approval processes at Jessica’s company, KnowledgeOwl stepped in with a same-day resolution, solving a problem they hadn’t created.

• During critical after-hours updates, KnowledgeOwl's team worked alongside Jessica late into the night to ensure seamless transitions.

That’s not to say that KnowledgeOwl didn’t have the features she needed. For Jessica, as with any medical software documentarian, certain features are absolute must-haves:

• Single-Sign-On (SSO): SSO allowed Jessica's readers to access the information they needed without needing another login. Medical practitioners don’t need another software login; they need to care for their patients.

• Reader groups: Jessica used reader groups to control access to content at a granular level. Serving only relevant content based on role or department saves time and ensures security.

• Versioning: Jessica used KnowledgeOwl's robust versioning system to keep a full history of her docs, making for easier auditing and control. Versioning also allowed her to prepare for changes before they were made and only activate versions once the release was live.

• Glossary: The medical field is very concerned with saving time, and this leads to a lot of jargon and acronyms. Jessica used KnowledgeOwl's glossary feature to define terms and provide on-hover definitions to bring her readers greater clarity directly within the documentation.

How Jessica used KnowledgeOwl to transform support

Under Jessica's leadership, KnowledgeOwl became the foundation for multiple knowledge initiatives that dramatically improved both internal operations and customer experiences:

For internal teams

• Consolidated training documentation in one searchable location, which reduced onboarding time and ensured consistency

• Created trusted playbooks and reference materials for support staff

• Implemented version control to simplify auditing and compliance verification

• Developed role-based content access to enhance security and reduce information overload

For healthcare software customers

• Enabled immediate self-service answers for physicians at the point of need

• Built trust through comprehensive, up-to-date documentation

• Streamlined communication about software changes

• Provided guidance on regulatory requirements and revenue cycle management

The results were impressive:

• 5,000+ annual support call deflections through customer-facing self-serve documentation

• Created, maintained, and updated a comprehensive list of payor exclusions and steps to resolve

• Decreased new customer onboarding time drastically by allowing customers to access the answers they needed directly within their app

The knowledge management professional healthcare software companies need

What makes Jessica's approach to knowledge management so effective in healthcare software? It's her unique combination of technical expertise, healthcare domain knowledge, and genuine concern for end users.

Her resume speaks volumes: Certified Professional Coder (CPC) credentials; a Bachelor's in Health Information Technology; and a deep understanding of healthcare-specific challenges like claims processing, payor reimbursement, denial management, formulary services, and ANSI/EDI transactions.

No surprise, but what we think really sets Jessica apart is the wildly sincere level of care she puts into all she does. This includes:

• Viewing knowledge as empowerment, not just information

• Building relationships across departments to ensure accuracy

• Proactively addressing problems before they impact customers

• Continuously improving knowledge systems

Jessica leverages her motorcycle riding hobby (she owns three bikes!) for "wind therapy" to clear her head and maintain perspective. Her insatiable curiosity drives her to continuously learn and improve.

Partners in knowledge: The future of healthcare software documentation

Jessica's story illustrates why healthcare software companies need both outstanding knowledge professionals and flexible knowledge management systems.

As healthcare technology evolves, so do documentation needs. Today's challenges include:

• Integration with electronic health records and practice management systems

• HIPAA-compliant knowledge sharing

• Support for revenue cycle management

• Navigation of CPT and ICD-10-CM coding systems

• Handling of EDI/ANSI transaction requirements

KnowledgeOwl's focus on security, customizability, and ease of use makes it an ideal partner for healthcare software companies navigating these complex waters.

Connect with Jessica

Jessica Howard is exploring new opportunities to bring her knowledge management expertise to healthcare software organizations. With her proven track record of transforming knowledge systems, building engaged communities, and driving measurable improvements in customer success metrics, she represents the kind of talent any healthcare software company would be oh so lucky to have. 

And if you’re extra lucky, you might get to meet her super buddy Brunhilda, her Vizsla/Labrador mix!

Connect with Jessica via LinkedIn…

…and ask her about her 2005 Honda Element, which she somehow has only put 70,000 miles on!

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This is the first installment in our "Best use cases, best customers" series. Stay tuned as we explore how different industries leverage KnowledgeOwl to solve their unique knowledge management challenges.