Class 111 -
Welcome back. Thanks to those who are loyal to the 7:30am class. I really appreciate your participation and committment.
I think the theme for this week is to "Keep the End in Mind" - which comes from the Covey - 7 Habits book. However, very key to tracking and maintaining budget records. You need to keep in mind the internal and external reports that you will be needing prepare so that you set up your systems to track this particular information. There is nothing more frustrating than picking apart numbers to complete forms...i.e. tax returns, financial statements, loan applications.
Keeping the end in mind is also relative to management reports. I have upload samples that I shared in class today. The three reports display very different information from the same data. You will want to familarize yourself with reading and understanding these types of management reports. Variances will alert you to positive or negative aspects of your financial picture. It is important to take advantage of these indicators and make adjustments as needed in a timely manner.
Our other topic this week was patient and financial software. I have links to websites posted.
This week's discussion is:
What software have you looked at and compared? What are your precept docs using? Pro's and Cons...be detailed. What is important to you in your search for software?
"Odd" teams are up!
Have a great week...your plans should be in their first draft and as the power point says, you should be revising, refining, and rejoicing! Reminder that they are due in hard copy on my desk (not in the mail)(not post marked)(not emailed) by 4pm CST Feb 4th!
Alexis
Group 31; Kyle, Johanna, Kyle, Dan, Catherine
ReplyDeleteIn observing different offices, I've seen Raintree, ChiroTouch, and Future Health billing software. For patients SOAP notes, I've seen ChiroTouch, handwritten notes, and specialized Word template being utilized.
The docs that I've had a chance to work with have utilized a combination of RainTree billing software with the specialized Word document for patient notes. I've also seen Chirotouch used, which I personally liked with the ability to import the patients x-rays, manage the patients care plan, and the ability to manage front desk operations such as pulling up the patients charges- all from the adjusting room. This allows the doctor and front desk operations to be all in one place, the front desk can double check that the charges match the services provided.
I think whatever patient note system you use, it needs to be compliant and have the detail that insurance, military/veteran benefits, and medicare require. It also needs to be something that you are comfortable using, with the ability to customize your notes and how you navigate the system. The billing software that you use in your office needs to have enough options to write a bill to either medicare or insurance companies.
Jeremy, Taylor, Sara, Ashley, Joe
ReplyDeleteI have observed alot of successful and unsuccessful offices recently. I observed many things that set them apart. One thing in particular was the organization of the office, how well everyone was in sync with each other. Record keeping is a huge part of practice success. Without proper records you expose yourself to insurance audits and render yourself defenseless in lawsuits. Not to mention you will have a hard time getting paid. The best way to keep records in my opinion is using a EHR system that allows efficiency with minimal effort on the doctors part, so the doctor can be a doctor without having to waste valuable time on record keeping technicalities. As part of the government mandate for all offices to use EHR in the near future they are offering massive tax credits to qualifying programs. Up to $40000 in some cases! So make sure you qualify!Records must be kept neat and orderly so everybody in the office is on the same page, and that all records are acceptable to any potential medicare audit or testimony in court. As far as budgeting is concerned you will need to assess how much overhead your office is running at the current time. Speculation about potential future growth is just speculation. Use current figures and be honest with yourself. I, for instance, will put every dollar I can into a side account for payroll, expenses, etc. leaving just enough money for myself to live on. I would like to have roughly 50,000 in my budget account to act as a buffer against any anomalies that may occure in cash flow. In my opinion, the bottom line is ROI (return on investment). So using EHR with good tax credit incentives will have a good ROI. With budgeting issues I will do what needs to be done and keep it professional, but nothing more. Efficieny is key to running a busy and profitable practice.
Blog above is from Group 1
ReplyDeleteJeremy, Taylor, Sara, Ashley, Joe
Group 27
ReplyDeleteI haven't really compared computer software. The doctor that I'm going to work for uses Chirotouch for soap notes, treatment plans, and to manage the front desk duties. For billing he uses RainTree. Both programs are extremely user friendly. They are easy to use and to navigate through the programs. The only bad thing is that they are both pretty expensive programs. One thing that is important in a software search is to see if they are user friendly and customer service is good, just in case you have a question about the program.
Group 11: Laura, Mariah, Danielle, Mandy and Bonnie
ReplyDeleteIn the office where I am precepting, we are using ACOM billing software. In talking with our billing person, she stated it was purchased in 2008 (before she was hired) for $50,000. She thinks it has more cons then pros. "It does have a chiropractic module but it's a horrible program from a billing perspective." It has some limited function such as, it doesn't have the capability to "auto apply" to the patients bill, which means the computer applies payment to where ever it wants to. This makes billing statements that have been "paid" (on a particular date) look like it hasn't been. She also suggests, she cannot create reports nor can she edit any information. If a mistake is made, she has to delete the entry and start over. She says the company is coming out with a new version, so she hopes it is more efficient. The pros of this billing software is that is user friendly and the office owns the software. She states most companies only lease the software so if you discontinue the contract, all the patient information goes with it.
We use Rapid EMR for new patient information, exams and daily SOAP notes. I have been using this on a daily basis since I started precepting. The new patient is greeted with the check in system (kiosk) by inputing all history information initially. And then allows them to update their symptom information, of their problem areas, VAS, etc. on their scheduled visits. I think it is very user friendly and detailed to help streamline the assessment process. One can also add treatment plans, x-ray diagnosis(es), diagnosis codes, doctor recommendations, etc. All of this helps keep a nice patient electronic file. One just keep adding daily SOAP notes, re-exams, etc. The bonus most definitely is being able to provide a detailed patient report in a timely manner, if requested by an insurance company.
Group 13 [Adam Van Gessel, Dan Synowicki, Eric Carpenter, Rachel Berent, Jeff Elmore]
ReplyDeleteThere are a variety of conditions to consider before picking the right software for your practice. Some of those questions that should be answered are: How much money can I budget for to get the software I want? Do I want a paperless practice? Am I going to have computers directly in the room when taking the daily SOAP note? What features of the software program are important to me? When considering all of these options it’s imperative that the doctor narrows those questions down and selects a few software programs to compare and contrast.
The software programs that we have looked at and compared come from the practices of which the students are precepting.
*Chiropractic Advantage* Pros: Tech Support very helpful and readily available, Great for a cash practice, Works well with a multi-doctor practice, Good inventory control for supplements, Finance reporting available Cons: The software is $3,500, with a mandatory $920.00/ year service plan plus a required purchase of an annual support plan. Too many features that would not be used such as referral tracking, exercise programs, paperless statements for the patient, etc.
*Medisoft*Pros: Simplicity of appointment booking and billing. iPhone app to view appointment schedule away from the office. Tracks the practice performance automatically. Financial information tracked as well as marketing progress. Cons: No chiropractic report feature nor a feature for electronic health records. Cost cannot be found but it’s a $900/year service plan. Additional charge for adding programs for practice reports.
*Lytec Chiropractic* Pros: Editors Choice on chirobillingsoftware.com. Offers various features such as scheduling, prints receipts, billing, transaction journals. Capability of practice analysis for finances in the office. Good for multi-doctor office. The software is $2,300 which is the cheapest of the three being compared. Cash office accessibility. Cons: Important to upgrade to avoid files being corrupted. Tech support is pay at time of service ($35) or option of an annual support plan of $595. Computer to paper printing is hard to read
Within this search that we performed there are a few things that were important to us. First, we want to keep it simple. We are not looking for a software program to be used in each adjusting rooms nor are we interested in a completely paperless office. The web site chiroeco.com was a very beneficial sight for us in determining what we want in our software. Especially on the “Buyers Guide” tab, we were able to answer questions in response to what we are looking for in a program. Through those questions, chiroeco.com produces the best software program that is right for the doctor. In the course of this process, we determined that the biggest product features we were interested in are appointment booking, balance invoicing, HIPPA compliant and patient billing. It will also have a feature to run reports on new patients/mo, how many visits/mo, and any other financial information tracked. The software program we are interested in will not be touch screen nor voice activated and will not have the option of typing the daily notes in the room. Finally, it’s crucial to have tech support at all times and for the services to be free. The receptionist in the office will be dependent on this program and if there is an issue, it needs to be dealt with efficiently and effectively. In the end, the software program for an office will be individually based to fit the doctors’ needs and has to always facilitate the doctor, not hinder the practice in any way.
Group 13 [Adam Van Gessel, Dan Synowicki, Eric Carpenter, Rachel Berent, Jeff Elmore]
ReplyDeleteThere are a variety of conditions to consider before picking the right software for your practice. Some of those questions that should be answered are: How much money can I budget for to get the software I want? Do I want a paperless practice? Am I going to have computers directly in the room when taking the daily SOAP note? What features of the software program are important to me? When considering all of these options it’s imperative that the doctor narrows those questions down and selects a few software programs to compare and contrast. The software programs that we have looked at and compared come from the practices of which the students are precepting.
*Chiropractic Advantage* Pros: Tech Support very helpful and readily available, Great for a cash practice, Works well with a multi-doctor practice, Good inventory control for supplements, Finance reporting available Cons: The software is $3,500, with a mandatory $920.00/ year service plan plus a required purchase of an annual support plan. Too many features that would not be used such as referral tracking, exercise programs, paperless statements for the patient, etc.
*Medisoft*Pros: Simplicity of appointment booking and billing. iPhone app to view appointment schedule away from the office. Tracks the practice performance automatically. Financial information tracked as well as marketing progress. Cons: No chiropractic report feature nor a feature for electronic health records. Cost cannot be found but it’s a $900/year service plan. Additional charge for adding programs for practice reports.
Group 13 [Adam Van Gessel, Dan Synowicki, Eric Carpenter, Rachel Berent, Jeff Elmore] Continued...........
ReplyDelete*Lytec Chiropractic* Pros: Editors Choice on chirobillingsoftware.com. Offers various features such as scheduling, prints receipts, billing, transaction journals. Capability of practice analysis for finances in the office. Good for multi-doctor office. The software is $2,300 which is the cheapest of the three being compared. Cash office accessibility. Cons: Important to upgrade to avoid files being corrupted. Tech support is pay at time of service ($35) or option of an annual support plan of $595. Computer to paper printing is hard to read
Within this search that we performed there are a few things that were important to us. First, we want to keep it simple. We are not looking for a software program to be used in each adjusting rooms nor are we interested in a completely paperless office. The web site chiroeco.com was a very beneficial sight for us in determining what we want in our software. Especially on the “Buyers Guide” tab, we were able to answer questions in response to what we are looking for in a program. Through those questions, chiroeco.com produces the best software program that is right for the doctor. In the course of this process, we determined that the biggest product features we were interested in are appointment booking, balance invoicing, HIPPA compliant and patient billing. It will also have a feature to run reports on new patients/mo, how many visits/mo, and any other financial information tracked. The software program we are interested in will not be touch screen nor voice activated and will not have the option of typing the daily notes in the room. Finally, it’s crucial to have tech support at all times and for the services to be free. The receptionist in the office will be dependent on this program and if there is an issue, it needs to be dealt with efficiently and effectively. In the end, the software program for an office will be individually based to fit the doctors’ needs and has to always facilitate the doctor, not hinder the practice in any way.
PartII - Group 13
ReplyDelete*Lytec Chiropractic*
Pros: Editors Choice on chirobillingsoftware.com. Offers various features such as scheduling, prints receipts, billing, transaction journals. Capability of practice analysis for finances in the office. Good for multi-doctor office. The software is $2,300 which is the cheapest of the three being compared. Cash office accessibility. Cons: Important to upgrade to avoid files being corrupted. Tech support is pay at time of service ($35) or option of an annual support plan of $595. Computer to paper printing is hard to read
Within this search that we performed there are a few things that were important to us. First, we want to keep it simple. We are not looking for a software program to be used in each adjusting rooms nor are we interested in a completely paperless office. The web site chiroeco.com was a very beneficial sight for us in determining what we want in our software. Especially on the “Buyers Guide” tab, we were able to answer questions in response to what we are looking for in a program. Through those questions, chiroeco.com produces the best software program that is right for the doctor. In the course of this process, we determined that the biggest product features we were interested in are appointment booking, balance invoicing, HIPPA compliant and patient billing. It will also have a feature to run reports on new patients/mo, how many visits/mo, and any other financial information tracked. The software program we are interested in will not be touch screen nor voice activated and will not have the option of typing the daily notes in the room. Finally, it’s crucial to have tech support at all times and for the services to be free. The receptionist in the office will be dependent on this program and if there is an issue, it needs to be dealt with efficiently and effectively. In the end, the software program for an office will be individually based to fit the doctors’ needs and has to always facilitate the doctor, not hinder the practice in any way.
Group 3- Danielle, Seth, Jeff, Mike, Jess
ReplyDeleteWe have looked at a couple different office software systems recently, some more in depth than others. The program we were most impressed with was by far Chirotouch. We did the online demo with a practing Doc, which was very helpful and full of great information. The software does eveything from scheduling, tracking patients throughout the clinic, Daily SOAP notes, coding and billing. The programs interface seems extremely user friendly and integrates a large amount of patient information at the doctors disposal during each visit. The software systems almost seems like an extra employee in the office, which could cut down on monthly overhead by eliminating the need to expand staff. The largest downfall was cost. Even with referal incentive programs and a group discount it was a large portion of capital. We briefly looked at EON Systems Documetor that was installed and in use in a running office. The doctor seemed very satisfied with the tools it was equipped with, but in the short time we had to work with the program it was much less user friendly than the Chirotouch softrware system.
So...the doctor that i am looking to work for uses the EMR. As a Pod 2 intern, I've been using the EMR since last year. This is a very easy program to use and it is very organized. The importance of software to me is that it is easy to use.
ReplyDeleteGroup 7: Adam, Brock, Tanya, Barry, Sally
ReplyDeleteAll of us currently use the ProSoft EHR in the Palmer clinics. The ProSoft EHR's pro's are: user friendly and patient searchs are very helpful when looking for file numbers. Cons: Software is slow, the patients SOAP notes are not accessible though the system, and the software freeze's
often.
I have seen and used ChiroTouch on limited basis. It appears more interactive and user friendly than ProSoft. On the downside the Chirotouch is more expensive.
Team 19: Frankie,Erin,Rob,Joohye,Nicole
ReplyDeleteMy precept Doctor uses TPS2000 EON Solution. It is the only software that the clinic has been using for 11 years. The software program looks like a Microsoft excel sheet with different icons that guides you through. The program is very easy to manage patient scheduling, patient accounts and submitting insurance claims. The office doesn’t utilize the follow up center for insurance claims in the program, so it is hard to comment on that. The office doesn’t have to purchase tech support up front, however it is always available.
The program has the option for creating doctor reports and soap notes, but the office doesn’t find it user friendly.
Overall, the staff finds the program to be simple and easy to use.
Ty Cruse, James Leipold, Galen Stolp, Kelly Douglas, Brett Braber.
ReplyDeleteOf all the offices that I have observed the one thing that I think was the most important was organization and communication. Record Keeping needs to be a top priority on your list. Good records help you get paid and protect you from lawsuits. I like chirotouch for soap notes, treatment plans and to manage the front desk duties. For billing I like RainTree. I agree with some of the other posts that the programs are user friendly. I think being user friendly is important because you dont want you or your staff wasting to much time on programs they dont understand. The only bad thing about these programs is they are expensive but I think very worth the price.
Mike Pedersen, Paul McCarthy, Lindsay Figley, Colton Roesler
ReplyDeleteThe office I'm precepting uses an older version of Thomas software that it's used since opening eleven years ago. The doctor acknowledges he's aware there is better software and even a more updated version of what is run here, but "if it's not broke, don't fix it" he chuckles. Some of the pros are that billing is easy, printing claims for insurance companies is quick and efficient, as well as posting charges. One of the drawbacks include tracking patients - who has been in too much (I know...I'm SHOCKED!!!!!) and who hasn't been in enough. Space and scheduling is also insufficient, especially for a high-volume practice. In this office, patients sign in and are handed a gray 8x10 file that has their personal information and previous appointment information that they carry with them in to the waiting area that they give the doctor once s/he is ready. I like the idea and it seems efficient, but I think I'd rather have electronic files that I could access on an iPad or something similar that would allow more information in one's file. So far, however, the current system has worked very well over the last several years in this office. I believe in good record keeping and would also like to have clean, consistent files. I agree with previous posts that recognize the importance of tracking cash flow in order to remain on the "plus" side and have seen firsthand what happens when the doctor doesn't stay on top of it and ends up losing several thousand dollars due to dishonest employees.
Group 15: Kristal, Curtis, Joe, Jasmine, Kristen
ReplyDeleteThe doctor I am interning under just recently started using Easy Notes, which provides a readily accessible and user friendly note system. I found on my first attempt of using Easy Notes was surprisingly easy. With the touch screen system I could easily navigate through the regular patient visit and view previous records. It provides all the information that may arise throughout the patient visit; however, you must also be aware that the system may automatically insert statements of progress or subjective findings that may not have been addressed during the actual visit. Although it provides front desk management as well, my doc has yet to integrate the software into his office due to his limited time to train the front desk staff. Although I have not personally experienced another software system I have read reviews from other chiropractors comparing the software that is available today. The Platinum Software system offers notes for the front desk as well as documentation for the patient’s progress. It was said that this system is not very user friendly and requires extensive training by a professional and does not correspond very well to the flow of a regular patient visit. Life systems software had an extensive list of testimonials from satisfied chiropractors on their website, provides the software for multiple or single licensures and regularly updates the software to stay current with new upcoming software systems. Like the Platinum software, extensive hours are necessary to become fluent with Life Systems.
Jenelle Bourgeois and Jenny Li
ReplyDeleteMacPractice is a Mac-based software program for MDs, DC's, dentists and other health care professionals. I'm looking for software that is affordable; has 24-hour access to support technicians on an international level; is customizable; is secure; is fun to work with. Classic Mac characteristics include high security, easy use, and low technical support requirements.
This software has an EMR feature where patients can enter their own information. It can also be paperless-based. Forms can be either purchased or created on your own. There is a plethora of colour, all of which can be customized. Multiple reports are pre-programed, including billing to various insurance companies. There are various additional features that can be purchased, allowing your software to grow with you business and be appropriate for your practice. iPad and iPhone can also be added to the network for portable administration. There are also appropriate features to import outside information such as x-rays, and microsoft documents, including spreadsheets.
The disadvantages are that Macs are not as commonly used as PC's and could make servicing/support more difficult. Macs are also more expensive, however usually less so in terms of technical support. Other information about this program that is not readily available on their website is: cost, support (included?), training, security (in terms of storage of information).
Group 25-Brady Pearson, Carrie Jo Calisesi, Ryan Pribble, Josh Fothergill, Tom Cotter
ReplyDeleteThe office I am precepting in uses VOS (Future Health). It is the version before eConnect was released. It is actually very user friendly and the "recreate" function for notes is very useful if a doctor is seeing a patient multiple times in a small time frame. It also links billing, scheduling and documentation very well. Unfortunately, users of VOS will be forced to switch (maybe for the better) to Certified VOS which is eConnect. The cons would be:the notes look "cookie cutter", the notes are cumbersome (unnecessary information is present, especially in the subjective portion and for radiology reports), and it definitely has a learning curve. It would be nice to link up Dragon Dictation for subjectives and radiology. When searching for software, I would like a personalized version, one that is easy for other health professionals to understand, and efficient.
Group 9-Andy Schieber, Jeremy Kerrigan, Brad Bark, Kyle Durieux, Joe Shepro
ReplyDeleteOne of the offices that I have visited used co-action software. He liked the software and it made patient flow, notes and billing easy, but the program is very expensive. I am not precepting so I am still using the prosoft software at school, but the school will soon be changing over to Future health, and I hear many other schools will be as well. It is an attractive option because the program is free and you just pay the monthly fee and storage and you can buy apps for it when you want to upgrade. Future Health uses cloud technology which means that all the info is backed up in the companies servers. I talked with a rep from chirotouch and he said that their software also uses cloud technology so your info is backed up, but the server is in your office so there is never any lag or connection problems.
When looking for software for your office, you want to get one that is approved for medicare billing because the government will give you money back for it.
Group 23b:
ReplyDeleteI have observed Raintree Software which seemed to be easy to work through. The downside to this program is that it is costly. Other than that I haven't had any experience with other software programs so a comparison hasn't really been an option. Software can be pricey so picking the correct package is important. I don't care for one size fit all packages when I may not use half of the features as somebody else. Support must be easily available. There's nothing like not being able to contact a company after spending money on their product. The software must not be easily hackable, the patient's confidentiality is important for both personal and legal reasons.
Group 5
ReplyDeleteI haven't really looked much in the way of chiropractic software. Most of my experience with any is using the EMR system in the Davenport campus clinic and word processor templates for patient documents. Ease of use is perhaps the most important aspect to look for followed by a ratio of cost compared to features. However, when it comes to documentation, I think that word processor templates would not only allow the most flexibility, but they would also be cheap so long as one knows how to format them. Whatever processor is used though should be able to produce formats compatible with Microsoft Word if the processor isn't Word itself. When it comes to information security though, one can't make the risk of using free software so Norton would probably be the best option. A cheaper route that would still have a high security would be using an operating system such as Linux, but this is one that most individuals aren't familiar with and would require additional staff training.
Kristen, Jasmine, Joe, Curtis and Kristal
ReplyDeleteI haven't personally compared different softwares but I have been with my preceptor for a couple months now and can tell you what he uses. He uses autodoc for documenting (SOAPS), appointments plus for scheduling, metasoft for billing and quicken/excel to keep track of payments. You can see already the disadvantages to what he has right now. It takes an excess amount of time to use all the programs he has and if the computer were to crash which I guess its done before it is a huge hassel to get it fixed and a huge cost! He is in the process of changing everything over to e-connect, that way everything will be in one place. He wont have to go to 5 different programs to document, schedule, bill and keep track of payments. The other nice thing about his new program is that it is online so he can access it from anywhere, and it is a huge time saver!
Group 5
ReplyDeleteI have recently been working with Herfert Software as that is what the office I will be working at right after graduation has installed on their systems. While not being one of the leading or more expensive systems out there it does offer many tools that they carry just without outward aesthtic appeal some of the other software offers. I have also been to another office in Michigan that uses the same software. Overall, it is less expensive than some software and more than others. It has the ability to store all patient information including x-rays which can be brought up within the progtram, HIPAA complient forms and workmans comp forms, as well as preset and customizable tabs for generating SOAP notes efficiently. It also includes areas alowing for electronic or paper billing, mulitiple levels of security for the various positions in the office, and tools for internal marketing such as mail merging tools, label, and email list options. I am still very new to using the system and am most definitly still learning how to use it, but am now more fully aware of the functionality patient managment software serves and the fact that it takes time to learn and use effectively.