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Filling In the Blanks Of Your Practice Management Software
As many dentists are well aware, there are numerous integrated technology systems that are part of the modern dental practice. Few will argue that the Practice Management Software (PMS) is the most important component, as it ties many of these different systems together. PMS systems continue to improve themselves, but as most dentists know, those changes are often incremental and don't address the needs of every user. The recent releases of Dentrix G2 and Eaglesoft 13 are perfect examples of this: a few new features, but many lingering “gaps”. Fortunately, there are a number of third-party programs and services that can fill these gaps where the practice management software may fall short. These include charting, online confirmations and scheduling, progress notes, digital signature pads and paperless systems, patient education, appointment reminders, in-office communication and fee analysis. The goal of this article is to present an overview of the main types of systems out there. In future articles, we’ll explore these in more depth.
Online Confirmations and Scheduling
Of all the areas in dental software development, this seems to have generated the most interest. When it comes to confirming patients, there are various companies that have taken different approaches. Elexity, a relative newcomer, uses a system of voice calls in the office manager’s voice that are tracked through a computerized management program, allowing offices to know if the patient was reached, how long they stayed on the phone, and giving them the opportunity to confirm. Smile Reminder works on the premise that most of our patients have cell phones and all cell phones since 1998 can accept text messages, so the software will send out text reminders to the patient. Uappoint and DemandForce focus on sending automatically generated emails and allowing the patients to click on links in the email to confirm the appointment. DemandForce also permits the practice to send email surveys to the patients to gauge their satisfaction with the practice.
Many of these products are now exploring ways to develop some type of online scheduling system; Uappoint already has this feature. They may face some resistance from staff members who are reluctant to give up control of the appointment book, but a hybrid system that would allow patients to request appointments based on certain criteria should prove to be an added bonus for the practice.
Paperless Systems…the Missing Link?
I am not a huge fan of the term “paperless”, as there are still many systems that use paper, such as insurance forms, walkout statements, and printed images. However, more and more practices are doing away with the physical paper chart that needs to be carried from room to room. The problem for many of these offices is that they had no way to deal with the numerous forms that required patient signatures, such as HIPAA forms, Informed Consent, and Medical History. Enter Dentforms. Dentforms allows the practice to create digital reproductions of all of their paper forms. The patient can then sign either a digital signature pad or a Tablet PC in order to enter their signature into the record. Not only does this system work with most of the practice management software companies, but they also have an online component so that patients can fill out their medical and dental history forms before they arrive at the office. The online forms are then downloaded into the practice’s server, bringing all the necessary information to the practice automatically. Another newcomer to the field is Paperless Technologies. The exciting feature about their product is that not only does it handle forms requiring signatures like Dentforms, but it can actually populate the fields in the PMS program. So, for example, the patient can fill out all of their information, such as address and histories, on a Tablet PC and that information will automatically be entered into the PMS program as text, thus eliminating the need to have a staff member enter it. This can be a huge time saver for the practice.
Progress Notes
For offices that wish to be paperless or chartless, there’s no doubt that there has to be an effective and easy method to enter progress notes into the clinical record. While many PMS programs have similar systems in place, they are often clunky and difficult to use. For example, any system that uses exploding codes and that requires the user to go back and edit the teeth, surfaces, anesthetic, etc. will be time consuming. There is an excellent alternative in Easy Notes Pro. Developed by a dentist, it integrates with almost every practice management software on the market. Rather than use macros that need to be edited, this software reduces the entire clinical note to a series of mouse clicks, where the practice can customize the options so that the choices are specific to that practice. Most offices will be able to enter an entire procedure’s notes in under one minute with a program like this.
In future issues, we’ll explore some of these in more depth, as well as evaluate some other excellent programs on the market.
Lorne Lavine, DMD is the Founder and President of Dental Technology Consultants. Dr. Lavine holds two prestigious certifications, the A+ Certified Technician designation and the Network+ Certified Professional. These designations demonstrate proficiency in computer repair, operating systems, network design and installation. Dental Technology Consultants provide dentists a full range of services relating to the implementation of technology.
Dr. Lavine can be reached directly at 1.866.204.3398.
Interested in speaking to Dr. Lavine about your technology concerns? Email him at Drlavine@thedentistsnetwork.net
Interested in having Dr. Lavine speak to your dental society or study club? Click Here.
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When to Call a Financial Planner?
Now, would be a very good time to pick up the phone. In reality, however, most dentists don’t consider working with a financial planner until a significant or life changing event occurs, such as marriage, birth of a child, divorce, death, disability, purchase of a practice, etc. And even then, many doctors will try to handle the details themselves. Unfortunately, with busy practices and even busier lives, critical particulars of financial security can become lost. And few dentists have the time or background to effectively consider all areas that affect their financial picture.
Financial planners help clients develop and implement a comprehensive financial plan, says Ken Rubin of Ken Rubin and Company, Certified Public Accountants and Financial Planners. He is a Dental CPA/PFS (Personal Financial Specialist). Mr. Rubin explains that a financial planner should consider everything from cradle (determination of guardians for children, college education funding, etc.) to grave (estate tax reduction, wills, trusts, smooth transfer of assets). The financial planner should also look at all revenue areas, from investments, to income, to cash flow, to budgeting, while simultaneously protecting against financial risk. He notes that like a chain, a financial plan is only as strong as its weakest link
A personal financial specialist (PFS) or certified financial planner (CFP) also should help the doctor establish a retirement plan for him/herself as well as a tax deductible plan for the office. “Generally, you should work with a financial planner who will take a comprehensive approach rather than segmented, and be wary of those who want to sell you huge life insurance policies,” explains Mr. Rubin. Excessive amounts of life insurance are often sold to unsuspecting clients under the guise of “financial planning.”
When choosing a financial planner, check their credentials. Absolutely anyone, including you, can call him/herself a financial planner or financial advisor. However, those offering financial services should be licensed and carry certain designations. For example, CPA/PFS, which is among the highest credentials given, is only available to members of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) that specialize in financial planning. In addition, to fulfilling extensive experience and testing requirements, the designation requires those awarded the credential to meet certain ongoing requirements to retain the certification. Mr. Rubin notes that fewer than 4,000 financial planners have earned the PFS designation.
The Certified Financial Planner credential is awarded by the CFP Board of Standards after a candidate has completed a series of exams in the areas of financial planning, taxes, insurance, estate planning and retirement planning. CFPs also must meet continuing education requirements to retain certification. There are over 50,000 CFPs nationwide.
If you choose your financial planner carefully, you can expect them to help you choose your investments wisely, which Mr. Rubin says should generally be comprised of a well-diversified portfolio of mutual funds and/or stocks and bonds. “It shouldn’t be sexy or something you will be bragging about at cocktail parties, but in the long run, you will generally get at least a 10-12% return on the average. If someone insists on trying to hit a home run financially, I tell them to limits this investment to 5-10% of their total portfolio. This reduces their downside if they end up striking out.”
He urges dentists to invest in real estate as well, including their home and their practice. “Don’t pay rent for 40 years to a landlord. In the long run, if the dentist owns their facility when they go to sell the practice they often will make more on the sale of the building than they would for the practice alone.”
The most important step is to begin saving for retirement immediately. The more time you have, the less risk you have to take on your investments. “Every year I hear from dentists who hit age 50 and have been spending as much as they’ve been earning and now it’s a huge shock to prepare for retirement.” emphasizes Mr. Rubin. “These dentists will try to hit a home run on their investments, and most of the time they strike out and become even further behind.”
So how much should you set aside? There’s no magic number, says Mr. Rubin. “Some say put 5% away, some say 10%, the more you save the better. But you don’t want to be so frugal that you’re not having any fun in life. You need balance; the key is to start early on a consistent basis and letting time work for you rather than against you.”
Ken Rubin can be reached at (619) 299-6161.
Sally McKenzie is CEO of The McKenzie Company, Inc. a nationwide dental management, practice development and educational consulting firm. Working “on-site” with dentists since 1980, McKenzie Management provides knowledge, guidance and personalized systems that have propelled thousands of general and specialty practices to realize their potential. Sally can be reached directly at 1.877.777.6151
Interested in speaking to Sally McKenzie about your management concerns? Email her at Sally@thedentistsnetwork.net
Interested in having Sally speak to your dental society or study club? Click Here.
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