Have you considered using practice management software for your medical organization? If not already, management software is a great way to renovate the patient-to-doctor experience with data management tools, invoicing systems, and communication options. Larger hospital networks normally maintain their versions of PM software or use third-party vendors. That said, PM software is a good option for private practices seeking to increase efficiency, onboard new patients faster, and make the web portal experience a positive one.
An Overview of Practice Management Software
Management software in a medical setting helps reduce overhead and cut down on lost time due to administrative responsibilities.
For example, management software can schedule online appointments, track and store EMR (electronic medical records), handle invoices, send alerts to patients, process insurance claims, and create reports for staff. In a traditional scenario, these are all the responsibility of onsite staff as its billing department.
It’s a seamless addition to any medical organization’s size, reliant on minimal infrastructure demands, only requiring a solid broadband internet connection with compatible hardware. We’ve already discussed the importance of expanding your brand strength by investing in online resources, and as such, PM software is a great addition to that strategy.
For starters, remember that utilizing software tools is a cost-saving investment. The healthcare industry is afflicted with time sinks, tasks taking away from the primary care of patients. Just as the Dragon Medical One dictation software saves clinicians hours on medical records, so too can management software save on operational labor. Efficiency is the name of the game, and modernizing infrastructure is a component of that. If your practice falls behind on administrative tasks due to a lack of resources, staff, or infrastructure, PM software could be a critical piece in renovating productivity.
Choosing the Right Practice Management Software
Before you can use a tool, you have to use the right one. The same goes for PM software. There isn’t a single application for everyone, and in fact, there are multiple options from different vendors. Selecting the right option is critical, as you don’t want to invest in software that proves incompatible with your medical practice model.
Larger organizations need to make serious considerations about software investment too, as it has far-reaching impacts on the rest of their services. Furthermore, any medical organization must also make considerations for HIPAA and regulatory requirements where relevant, assuring that the use of PM software does not impede their ability to mishandle these guidelines.
Selecting the right practice management software takes some planning. However, the results are worth it when you invest in a suite that reduces the time lost on complex administrative tasks.
Establish a criterion of needs
First, you need to understand what your medical practice needs from management software. When we recommend Dragon Medical One, it’s because it addresses the need for time reduction on electronic medical records. Therefore, the same logic applies to PM software. Are you a full-scale hospital network serving hundreds of patients in a single setting? Or a smaller local practice or specialist serving the community? Both will have varying, scaled requirements.
Set aside a goal and a timeframe for that goal. “We want to incorporate management software by the end of X and reduce time lost on administrative tasks by Y” is an example.
Creating a team to assess PM Software
With your criteria and goals established, you can start serious considerations for vendor software. We recommend establishing a team to seek out ideal choices. Physician leads and administrators are a good fit as they can assess what and who is directly impacted by the inclusion of practice management software. Check all your boxes, from patient registration staff to coding and billing.
With a team, large or small, this will reduce the total time for software implementation and adoption.
Take a look at the patient-to-doctor cycle
Since the point of patient management software is to cut down on time lost in the patient invoice and scheduling cycle, this is the next element to examine. You need to properly document the total patient lifetime from an appointment’s beginning to the final invoice of said appointment. How long does this process take? Are there late charges? What about follow-up appointments for returning patients?
In this examination, you also want to examine each phase of the process, such as the average time a call-in appointment takes. That’s your “bloat,” and what you ultimately want to cut down on. You want to take this data and cross-examine it with potential management software choices to increase revenue and scuttle wasted hours.
Identifying the best PMS features
As you form a comprehensive idea of your goals, needs, and pain points in your invoicing system, you can start considerations for the right patient management software. Remember, these are offered through vendors and each will have different price structures and services. The core function will remain the same (improved management of invoices and patient scheduling), but additional features are better suited to bigger healthcare organizations.
Good management software, however, has specific qualities to always keep an eye out for. Furthermore, you want patient management software that works in tandem with your medical practice, taking advantage of the services and infrastructure you already possess.
- If you use a form of PMS already, what new features will a different service offer
- Set aside time goals for how often you will invoice patients in a timeframe (such as within the hour)
- Determine how likely your patients are to use the new PMS system
- Assess any learning curve associated with PM software
Good qualities to look for in patient management software
Regardless of your needs, there are positive qualities to look for in any type of patient management software.
Versatile Scheduling
Once again, scheduling patient appointments is time-consuming when using traditional over-the-phone methods. A good PMS software will offer tools to create appointments and schedule them within the software. Versatility means patients can also schedule appointments online and have access to flexible timeframes.
Automated Systems
A system that can send automatic reminders to patients about appointments, follow-ups, and invoices is a must-have with any management software. Again, it directly addresses the human-related time cost associated with phone calls. When looking for potential options, always make sure there are automated tools built into the service.
Payment Options
Good PMS software allows patients to pay for appointments online, manage fees, and check invoices. It should also provide them with a detailed list of charges (where applicable). Considering that billing is one of the biggest pain points associated with healthcare, it’s an area of convenience you want to target. It will save both parties time and money. Furthermore, a quality invoicing system is the difference between returning patients and not.
Third-Party Integration
If your practice uses third-party software, apps, tools, and other resources, a frictionless relationship with the PM software is ideal. Some vendors offer varying levels of compatibility, but it’s a trait to look for. What kind of apps or software will vary depending on the size and needs of the healthcare organization, but examples include administrative apps that assist with additional management needs.
Cloud and Paperless Options
EMR is fundamental to modern healthcare practices due to both versatility and cost savings. Physical records cost paper and time, so using management software that works with cloud networks for data storage cuts down on waste.
Simple Payment System
Patient clients should have access to simple electronic payment methods in-line with modern processing. These days cards have updated their payment options with chips or even touchless payments.
Now, let’s examine other tools you can incorporate for better practice management.
Does Dragon Medical One work well with practice management software?
Dragon Medical One can be utilized with nearly any desktop application or website. So, for a quick answer, yes, DMO is perfect when used in conjunction with any practice management software.
Remember that medical management software is based on accurate invoicing and records. You can capture these records with dictation software, and in this case, Dragon dictation software. Dragon Medical One is built with the healthcare context in mind and thus maintains industry-leading accuracy in a clinical setting. Said accuracy is critical when helping patients and documenting correct updates about their condition, treatment plans, or other relevant notes.
For more information, reach out to us today or start your risk-free Dragon Medical One trial.
