If you’re like most practices, converting to a new Electronic Health Records (EHR) software system is in your cards, especially if you’re thinking of participating in the Meaningful Use Incentive Program. Getting the entire practice on board with such a big change can be stressful and you may not even know how to start! In today's guest post, Software Advice is here to provide tips on training your staff. Check out what they have to say!
Implementing an (EHR) system can seem daunting, especially if your practice is making the transition from paper records. But by providing effective training for your staff, you can avoid some of the most common frustrations.
Research has shown that good training is essential to successful EHR implementation. Training can help your practice avoid setbacks, errors, and even employee turnover in addition to facilitating a smooth transition to a new system.
Software Advice has put together five tips for effective training to get your staff up and running with a new EHR.
1. Assess Computer Skill Levels and Offer Training if Needed.
Step one is especially important for practices transitioning from paper to electronic, where employees may not use computers extensively on a regular basis.
You’ll need to identify basic computer skill levels among your staff and train up anyone who needs it. You can use one of many online resources to assess skills: there are free tests, paid tests, even tests you can create yourself.
If these assessments identify employees in need of basic computer training, you’ll need to get them up to speed. You could pay for classes at a local community college, or even pay an instructor to visit your office for training sessions. Alternatively, you could use free online resources such as Goodwill Community Foundation to help.
Providing basic training to employees who need it will make your staff more comfortable in the new electronic environment.
2. Select Tech-Savvy “Super Users” for Your Practice.
Designate one or two individuals whose role it will be to learn the system inside out and answer questions for the rest of your office. “Super users” should:
- Be highly computer literate;
- Be excited to learn new concepts;
- Be willing to help teach others; and
- Have been with your practice at least one year.
You may know right away who these individuals should be. If not, you can conduct a search of sorts within your practice. Consider offering an incentive, such as extra vacation or a small bonus, to motivate skilled employees to step forward to take on this added responsibility.
3. Train Staff Only on Features They’ll be Using.
It’s not necessary – and in fact, it’s impractical – for all employees to learn every feature of the system. Only the “super users” should know it backwards and forwards. Avoid frustration by tailoring training for the rest of your staff to each person or group.
For example, a billing employee will need to learn how to find insurance information and billing codes, but not how to enter a diagnosis. Don’t waste your time or theirs by training them on features they won’t use. This will speed up the learning process and minimize confusion.
4. Collect Feedback After the EHR Goes Live.
Once the system has been implemented, you’ll probably encounter some snags, such as a function you doesn’t understand or a process that takes too long and needs to be redesigned.
To stay on top of these issues and resolve them quickly, conduct regular feedback sessions in the months following implementation. Be sure to include members of different departments, so that all user groups are represented.
When issues are surfaced, evaluate and prioritize them so that you can tackle urgent issues first. For example, training nursing staff to enter vitals correctly is a higher priority than redesigning an inefficient workflow.
Take the changes one at a time to help your staff adapt more easily and to ensure patient care doesn’t suffer along the way.
5. Use Your EHR Vendor’s Online Resources.
Your staff may come up with questions that your “super users” just can’t answer. If that happens, be sure to take advantage of the online resources most EHR vendors provide.
Typically, the vendor’s website will contain learning and training resources, accessible with a username and password that the vendor provides. Often these resources include manuals, and sometimes even video tutorials, which you can access without having to pay for extra training.
Additionally, you can often find community forums tied to vendors’ websites. These forums give you the opportunity to connect with others who are using the same system.
EHR implementation is challenging, but following these best practices will help your practice avoid costly mistakes and make the transition smooth. Employing a strategic training approach will help you begin using the system effectively more quickly, which will allow you to focus on your top priority: quality patient care.
Amanda Guerrero originally contributed this piece to Software Advice. Amanda is a writer and blogger specializing in EHR, patient portal technology and Meaningful Use. From her years working as a file clerk at a doctor’s office to her time as an implementation manager at an EHR company, Amanda has witnessed the evolution of the healthcare industry’s charting system firsthand. View the original post here: Five Best Practices for Training Staff on Using a New EHR
Successfully implemented an EHR in your practice? Then it's time to get started on Meaningful Use! Download our eBook to find out why!
What exactly is meaningful use and how does it relate to your practice?
It may surprise you
that these two things have more in common than you think. Just a deeper look into how meaningful use can save your eyecare practice thousands from the incentive program! Below is a special guest post from our friends at VitalHealth Software giving you all the details of adopting meaningful use at your practice!
According to the latest market research reports, close to 90% of general family medicine physicians have adopted an EHR, or are in the process of doing so. The rapid increase in adoption – up from perhaps 25% no more then four years ago – can mostly be attributed to the promise of meaningful use incentives, and the looming reduction in Medicare reimbursements for those that opt out of the program.
The adoption rate amongst ODs is starting to ramp up as well. Perhaps you haven’t taken the plunge yet, and are taking a wait-and-see approach, hoping that things will become easier as early adopters work out the kinks. But the window of opportunity is not open much longer. ODs that want to benefit from incentive payments will have to start participating no later than 2014. So perhaps we can help alleviate some of the concerns you may have, based on what we have heard in the field.
1. An EHR Will Slow Me Down
This concern is by far the most often voiced concern by medical professionals. And for some solutions, this may be true. Many EHR solutions available today are based on older technologies, and perhaps designed for large practices with dedicated personnel to input data. These solutions offer a myriad of features and functions with complicated screens and workflows that require a lot of experience and simply don’t fit well with more agile practices. So take a little time to research your options. Look for an EHR that can support your workflow, with screen designs optimized for quick and easy data entry. Avoid solutions that tie you down to using a mouse and keyboard only. Once you give it a try, you will find that many consultation types benefit from the ability to directly face your patient, using an unobtrusive tablet device to document the visit.
2. Attestation Seems Complicated
True, it DOES seem complicated. But fortunately, an EHR that has been certified for Meaningful Use should do most of the work for you. When researching your options, look for solutions that can generate the exact reports you will need to submit in an easy to interpret format. All you’ll have to do is simply enter the data generated by that report into an online submission form. And starting 2014, the Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) will have to be submitted electronically directly from the EHR. No effort required on your part other than initiating that process.
3. Is It Really ‘Meaningful’?
That is a fair question. Does a certified EHR really help improve quality of care? According to ONC, 88% of practices report that EHR adoption produces clinical benefits for them, while 75% of practices report that adoption has led to better overall patient care. These benefits can be attributed to several reasons. The four reasons most often mentioned by our customers are: instant access to patient medical history from anywhere, reminders for preventive care as well as acute care alerts through clinical decision support, improved care coordination through electronic exchange of medical data, and the ability to stimulate patient engagement through patient portal access. Of course some practitioners claim to do all these things without an EHR, but having a meaningful use certified EHR just makes the process easier.
4. Can EHR Software Benefit My Practice As A Business?
This is NOT a requirement that ONC uses to qualify meaningful use. But we have yet to meet a practice owner to whom this is not a concern. We have already established that the right EHR should not slow you down in documenting a medical exam. But it should also help you streamline the process of coding your visit for billing purposes, prescribing medication, generating reports, and transferring the appropriate data to your eyecare practice management software for ordering products. So make sure you don’t overlook these concerns when choosing your EHR.
5. How Does EHR Implementation Benefit My Patients?
This question is somewhat related to meaningful use. Studies show that successful EHR implementation helps improve quality of care. And based on our experience, it also greatly increases patient satisfaction. Modern EHRs allow patients to directly access select data from their medical record, and interact electronically with their care providers. And MU certified EHRs enable the exchange of data between different care providers, avoiding the need for patients to provide medical history information multiple times, with all its inherent inconsistencies.
We recommend that providers initially focus on getting the correct workflow implemented for optimal use of an EHR within a practice. Once that is done, focus on improving the patient experience by providing direct patient portal access.
6. Are These ‘Cloud-Based’ EHRs Really Safe And Reliable?
We hear this question quite often. Many ODs have probably used a locally installed software product for years, and may be a bit skeptical about moving their private data to the cloud. We recently released an eBook on this subject. Long story short… for small and medium sized practices we recommend a cloud-based solution over locally installed software. Cloud-based technology solutions are reliable, more secure, easily scalable, and far easier to maintain than any local solution can ever be, with a predictable cost pattern. Cloud is the way to go.
The road to Meaningful Use is not necessarily easy. But it is actually not as hard as you think. With the right EHR, most of the work is done for you. There is still an opportunity to benefit from financial incentives, so the time to act is now!
Ready to get started on the Meaningful Use Incentive Program? Our eBook, A Beginner's Guide to Meaningful Use, will tell you everything you need to know to get started!
It’s that time again! The fourth edition of 10 for 10: Ten Questions for VisionWeb’s Tenacious 10 is back and ready for action! Here you’ll meet 10 of VisionWeb’s Directors, Chiefs, and overall amazing individuals. Don’t you want to learn about VisionWeb’s company culture, our experts’ observations and predictions of industry trends, new projects, and much more? Get ready, get set, and read on my friends!
Series 4: Chris Rice, Director of Sales
We can’t wait for you to meet the man in charge of building close relationships with optical suppliers, laboratories, and manufacturers; VisionWeb’s very own Director of Sales, Chris Rice! Chris is a stand-up guy and has an unmatchable personality! Everyone adores his charisma and humor. But, don’t let his comical side fool you, Chris has been working in sales since 1997 and is extremely adept. In fact, his former colleagues describe Chris as having “the ability to drill down to tasks and strategies that help achieve solid results” (Joel Goldstein, MFV Expositions), and regard him as “an asset to any company” (Jacqueline Micucci, Amazon). The positive comments about him go on and on. So come and meet Chris behind the scenes. Spoiler Alert: learn how to boost your sales with his expert recommendations and tips!
1. What exactly do you do here at VisionWeb?
My responsibilities at VisionWeb include overseeing our insurance team and leading efforts to grow the use of our services, like claim clearinghouse solutions, by working with our various partners. These partners include manufactures, laboratories, and associations. While my title says “Sales”, I actually act more as an ambassador to these groups helping them better understand the services that we offer. By better understanding what we do we generate opportunities that lead to greater efficiency for our partners, increased productivity for ECP’s, and more lens and frame ordering flowing through VisionWeb...Win/Win/Win!
2. Do you have any tips for eyecare practices trying to boost sales?
What I have seen as the key to success is to have each member of the staff understand and have ownership of their role. Successful practices understand the value of the optician in particular and the relationship that they have with patients. The optician has an interesting role since they not only need to address the patient’s vision, but also the function and fashion of the eyewear they select. To be able to go about managing eye care tasks effectively, the practice must make sure that their staff keeps up with the latest lens technology and frame styles through continuing education and trade publications.
3. In your opinion, what can opticians use as selling points?
Opticians need to take time to educate the patient about the various products available and new technology that may help them see and look better. The more knowledgeable the optician is, the more comfortable the patient will be investing in better eyewear. The key is not to push, but rather to clearly explain the benefits and the value of the investment to the patient.
4. What qualities should managers look for when hiring a salesperson?
I think integrity is number one. Your sales people are the face of your company to the customer. What they say and how they act is a direct reflection on the company and the product or service you are selling. I also like to have people who are comfortable working as part of a team. While salespeople may have a perception of being very territorial, I believe that if your sales team can support one another and help out even if there is no personal gain, everyone will be more successful. It also doesn’t hurt to be charming and funny too!
5. Obviously with the digitization of the marketplace, many purchases are happening online. How are salespeople adapting to this shift?
The role of the sales person is less of an order taker and more of a trainer/educator/business partner now. To me this makes the sales process much more interesting. I love the opportunity to spend more time with customers discussing their real business issues and what solutions may help them. I may not always have the solution they need, but may know someone who does. I love it when customers reach out to me even when they aren’t looking for frame ordering solutions or opticians practice management software integrations, but want my advice on what they should do. My goal is to be seen as a valued business resource rather than just a salesperson.
6. Do you think salespeople can utilize social media to facilitate sales?
Yes! Social media is a great way to keep in touch and expand your network of resources. One piece of social media advice I have is that this platform is a great way to share information and even connect a current customer with a prospect to share their experience. There is no better sales tool than a happy customer!
7. Do you have any tricks for closing a big sale?
I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you... actually I don’t have any tricks. I was taught to treat each sale the same way. Big or small every customer is important and should get the same level of service from me. Besides, a small customer now may be a big customer tomorrow and they will remember how you treated them!
8. What suggestions do you have when pitching to a hesitant customer?
The best thing to do is be patient and really find out why they are so hesitant. The best tool in this situation is to get them in touch with a current customer. Getting feedback from a peer has much more impact than anything I can say. In addition, I can do what I say I’m going to do... this goes back to building trust.
9. What do you predict to be the biggest trend relating to sales in the upcoming years?
I think you’ll see customers becoming more open to value versus just buying on price. The recent economy has put price pressure on every segment of the supply chain in order to keep prices low and more often than not quality suffers or support resources are cut providing a poor post-sale experience. I think customers will be willing to pay a bit more for products and services to allow sellers to better support them.
10. What do you like most about working at VisionWeb?
Where do I begin... I LOVE the VisionWeb team and the passion they have for the business and thinking of new ways to support the eyecare industry. We have a great mix of people who each bring something different to the table. The diverse backgrounds of our team members create an environment that is very dynamic and creative.
Chris really is an awesome guy with unparalleled work ethic and persistence. Our Director of Sales is as good as they come!
Don’t miss out on the next installment of 10 for 10, where we will interview Scott Kollar, Director of Operations!
Subscribe to the VisionWeb Blog for alerts on the next 10 for 10!
We come to you today not to talk about fun codenames to give your patients or how to be the best frame-matchmaker in town, but to discuss a more serious topic: your bottom line. If you’re paying too much for payment services, then that cost directly affects your profits. We know that seeking out ways to maximize net income may not be your number one priority because your time is spent providing great services, preserving employee satisfaction, and maintaining customer relationships. And if we’re all really being honest, researching and comparing payment services is about as exciting as watching paint dry.
But, as CEO of AES Dennis Bakke once said, “Profits are to a corporation much like breathing is to life. Breathing is not the goal of life, but without breath life ends. Similarly, without turning a profit, a corporation, too, will cease to exist.”
Of course we want your practice to “continue breathing” (and really take “deep breaths”), so we did all the boring research and came across a payment service that we believe can be utilized to improve managing eye care practices, NXGEN Payment Services.
What Does NXGEN Do?
NXGEN is a Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accredited Business and has had over 10 years of experience in providing complete payment processing services, including:
- Credit and Debit Card Processing
ACH/EFT and Check Processing- Smartphone, Mobile, and Wireless Processing
- Internet Processing
- Merchant Cash Advance
- And More!
Just as a quick overview, this company provides great rates and helps their clientele lower overall processing costs by improving operations. NXGEN can even help integrate your payment processing software with your existing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system or other accounting systems. If you aren’t convinced that integration is a necessary move, just remember how much more efficient you were when you integrated your opticians practice management software with VisionWeb!
What are the Benefits of NXGEN?
Security
Let’s talk about data breaches: they’re costly, scary, and a pain in the neck. A single breach could even cost you your company. NXGEN helps reduce this risk by making sure every merchant stays Payment Card Industry Council (PCI) Compliant. Did you know that businesses that cannot prove their PCI compliance could be subject to hefty fines ranging from thousands to millions of dollars? Now that’s scary! What’s even better is once you are PCI Compliant, NXGEN will warranty each data breach for up to $100,000 in reimbursed fines and costs! How’s that for a little peace of mind?
Transparency
No shady or complicated reporting here! Just as ordering ophthalmic products online through VisionWeb is more convenient and efficient, so is online reporting. NXGEN offers an easy-to-understand online reporting system that’s available 24/7. Know your true costs and enjoy “big business advantages” no matter what size your practice is.
Customer Service
VisionWeb’s Director of Customer Relations, Juanita Burke, stressed in her 10 for 10: Keeping Customers Happy at Your Eye Care Practice, how crucial customer service is to any business: she would be happy to learn that NXGEN feels the same way. NXGEN states that “merchants come for the NXGEN clout and stay for the service.” Available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, this company is committed to ensuring its customers are satisfied.
Accepting
Yes, NXGEN accepts all payment types when it comes to credit and debit card processing (even Canadian PIN networks). Instead of dealing with many confusing statements, you receive one integrated statement. And, there are no funding delays: deposits are available within 24-48 hours.
We know discussing payment services isn’t the most exciting topic, but we want your eyecare practice to be in tip-top shape! And starting with an awesome payment service, like NXGEN, can help you cut costs and improve profits. If you’re interested in learning about this payment service for optical suppliers and eye care practices, visit NXGEN.com.
Want to learn about NXGEN and their services?
So you have a Facebook Page for your practice, and maybe even a Twitter account, but now you're stuck. You've started to gain a few followers, but you're having a hard time keeping them interested and active on your page. You've hit a social media roadblock. So now what do you do?
Top 10 Social Media Ideas To Engage Your Followers
1. Visual Content
Remember that saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words?" In this case, it's true! Visual content on social media has proved to be more interactive than just text, and will almost always get your followers interacting with you. According to Zabisco, 40% of people will respond better to visual information than plain text.
2. Show That You're Human
While autoposting some of your social media content is an efficient way to manage some of your social media strategy, it's important to remember to show your followers your human side too! There are plenty of ways to accomplish this such as, commenting on posts and tweets and posting real-time photos!
3. Link to Content
One of the biggest things your followers are hoping to get out of you on social media is information. So give it to them! If you don't have a ton of your own content to give, that's ok! Link to information from outside sources, it's a great way to show that you aren't always focused on yourself, and that you're willing to share information that your patients want to see. Plus, it might help you build relationships with other professionals in the industry!
4. Look at the Negatives 
Some of our most popular content has been from blog posts that have a negative twist to the title. Such as, 3 People Who Destroy Eyecare Practice Efficiency and 5 Things Patients Hate About Getting New Glasses. Think of a trendy topic. Maybe you can find information, or create your own article, that shows a different side to the story. Negative posts definitely get people talking!
5. Use Humor
Just because you're an eyecare practice doesn't mean you can't have a little fun with your patients. People like doing business with people they trust and can relate too, so don't shy away from fun! Some of the ways we have a little fun with our followers is by posting funny animal photos on Fridays, or by re-creating popular memes.
6. Have More Than One Social Media Contributor
Don't have just one person at your practice manage all of your social media. What's interesting to one person might not be interesting to another. Having a couple of different office personalities posting to your social media pages will help appeal to a broader audience. But remember to have some guidelines so that your postings stay on brand with your practice!
7. Speak the Language of Your Audience
You're an eyecare practice, so a lot of the knowledge and information you have can sound pretty technical to your everyday patients. And if you're posting all kinda of technical or medical terminology on social media, there is a good chance your followers are going to get bored. Remember who you're talking to and speak to them!
8. Be Interactive
One of the easiest ways to create interaction on your own page is to be interactive with others! Get familiar with your followers. There will probably be a good handful that are the most interactive with you - treat them well!
9. Ask Questions
This is one of the easiest ways to get feedback through your social media - ask for it! At the beginning of the year we published a survey asking our followers to determine what kind of content they wanted to see on our blog (social media tips and advice was one of the most popular topics)!
10. How-To's
As we said before, most people are following you on social media in order to get information from you. How-to's are a great way to build credibility with your audience and there are a variety of ways to present this kind of information. Remember tip #1? Try uploading a how-to video to incorporate more visual content!
So now that you have all these great social media ideas fresh in your mind, put them to use! Want more social media for optometrists tips and advice? Check us out on Twitter!
It’s a beautiful sunny day – the perfect day for patients to get their eyes checked. You pull up your calendar only to find that there are only a few scattered appointments planned today. In fact, it appears that there’s hardly any appointments scheduled for the next couple weeks. You thought you’d been doing everything right, but even a few of your most loyal customers haven't come in for their annual eye exams. So, why has your practice been losing customers?
Don't Be Guilty of These 6 Optical Dispensing Mistakes!
Your Online Presence Isn’t Up to Par
You have a small local eye care practice, where the majority of your patients come from the surrounding neighborhood, so you don’t need to worry about being found online, right? Wrong. An online presence is a must. Even if your practice is relatively small compared to other practices in the community, it is still important to have a presence online. Now more than ever consumers are turning to the internet to find and compare their offerings on sites like Yelp. Not being online could be a big reason why new patients aren't finding you.
What could be worse than having no online presence? A negative online reputation. In a world of growing digital word of mouth, it is extremely important to make sure that any negative reviews (even if they happen once in a blue moon) are handled correctly. Managing your online reputation is essential in this day and age. You don’t want customers to form opinions about your eye care practice without giving you a chance to shine.
So, you’re online, but are you making the most out of your presence? When customers search for optometrists near them, going the extra mile to boost the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your website can help ensure that your site is displayed before your competitors. Keep in mind that updating your site with current information and maintaining it could be the difference between booking an appointment and losing a customer to your competitor’s site.
From your website, customers can gain insight about your business without ever having set foot in your practice. So when customers step foot in the real deal make sure that your office atmosphere and personality matches your online presence. For instance, a clean and professional layout gives the perception of a tidy and qualified practice. So, show people what you’re all about, online and in the office!
You Aren’t Open at Convenient Times
Between work and dropping the kids off at soccer practice, patients barely have time to sit down, not to mention finding time to go to the optometrist. The best eyecare practices know that their patients lead busy lives and have hours to accommodate those who are always on-the-go. By staying open late at least one night per week and being open on Saturdays, patients are able to fit that optometrist visit into their busy schedule. What’s even more convenient is that spectacle lens or contact lens ordering can be submitted any time or day using VisionWeb’s easy online ordering service.
You Aren’t Engaging in Meaningful Marketing Practices
If your marketing is stuck in the Stone Age, then it is time to bring it to the 21st century. Our Director of Marketing, Heather Smith, has the insider tips for marketing your eyecare practice.
“I think that businesses, especially those in healthcare, get nervous that showing their personality or having fun in their marketing will come across as unprofessional. So, they shy away from things like social media (like Twitter, Facebook , LinkedIn, Youtube, Google+, or Blogs) because they don’t think patients will take them seriously if they are too accessible or if they show that they are “real” people. Patients and consumers are so much smarter than that! They want to feel engaged, and the best marketing makes them feel that way.”
Of course, the tried and true methods of marketing are a solid start, but consumers today are looking for a little more. Social media allows you to show your practice’s personality and converse with your patients in a less formal setting. Making meaningful interactions on the type of social media that fits with your practice will connect you and your patients on a whole new level.
Your Prices are Too High
Don’t you hate it when you find the perfect pair of shoes and realize that they’re way out of your price range? So, what do you do? You start looking for something that won’t cost an arm and a leg. But, once you realize that everything in the store is just too darn expensive, you leave empty-handed.
I know you’re probably thinking, “I don’t sell shoes. Why are you telling me this?” Well this idea can relate to your practice too. Just as a $700 pair of shoes is expensive to all of us non-billionaires, a $30 pair of shoes to a college student is the difference between buying groceries and eating Ramen noodles for a month. What’s cheap to one person may not be cheap for another, and offering a wide selection of frames and contacts that reflects this will help ensure that your patients’ needs are met.
Your Staff Isn't Passionate
No matter how many cool gadgets you have or advances in technology, your patients are still and always will be your most important resource. So, you should be doing everything in your power to make their experience as enjoyable as possible. How can you do this? With passionate customer service, of course! Listening to your patients can give great insight to problems you may not have even known existed. And, don’t forget that word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools. According to MarketingProfs, 75% of customers will tell friends and family about a bad experience compared to only 42% recommending a product or service based on a positive experience. And, if the gossiper in your office must say something about a customer, try using these code-names to describe your stereotypical patients. Make patients your number one priority, and success will follow!
High employee turnover can be another sign of bad customer service. It's important to maintain quality employees that are passionate about what they do. With high turnover comes a long training process with new employees that will ultimately result in a mistake or two along the way. On top of that, customers like to do business with people they are familiar with, so if your employees aren't sticking around it may be harder for your customers to build a trusting relationship with your practice.
Your Customers Aren’t Getting Their Orders Back Soon Enough
If you’re still placing orders using a fax machine or phone, then you know how much of a hassle it can be to check the status of a patient’s order. Calling the lab and then calling the patient back is complicated and more time consuming than anyone wants to put up with. With VisionWeb’s online lab ordering service, you could’ve easily checked that patient’s order online 24/7. And online orders placed through VisionWeb result in orders coming back 1-2 days sooner than other methods! What could be better than automatic error-checking, Frames Data Assist, trace file uploading, and more from VisionWeb’s online ordering service? And we know your customers will be excited to get their new frames in on time!
Even if you think you’re doing everything right, your patients may think otherwise. By identifying the source of the problem, you can make a few simple improvements. So, grab your handy dandy calendar because new and old customers are sure to come running to your practice!
Here are your choices:
Behind door number one is an average looking house: the foundation is cracked, paint is chipped, and overall, everything is a little out dated.
Behind door number two is a well-decorated, solid and sturdy home with a fresh coat of paint. The foundation is well-laid, the shingles are in impeccable condition, and there isn't a crack in sight.
So, which door did you pick? We hope that you chose door number two because this structure is solid, will last, and can efficiently serve its purpose of being a home. Just as houses must be well-constructed to be effective, your eye care practice should follow the same logic. If you want to build a top-notch practice, you have to start with the basics.
Get the Blueprints of a Well-Built Eye Care Practice
By downloading this FREE eBook, you'll get the resources you need to build upon 5 key areas of your business that will help you:
- Manage an Impeccable Staff
- Optimize Product Sales
- Embrace Technology
- Utilize Social Media
- Eliminate Inefficiencies
Don't let cracks, holes, and worn down features hold your practice back. Constructing that well-built structure behind door number two is only a read away.
Grab your hammer and start building your way to success with Blueprints for a Well-Built Eyecare Practice!
You don't want to miss this eBook!
Today's guest post comes from Stacey Mayer, an active reader and commentor on VisionWeb's blog. She is an eyecare blogger as well as an optician at Visioniare Eyecare who was recently part of a conversion to a new eyecare EMR roll-out. She is here to talk about her experience and provide tips to practices who are experiencing or planning to go through a conversion.
Tips for surviving conversion to an electronic medical records (EMR) software system in your eyecare practice
Your practice has chosen a new EMR package, and will soon be converting the whole office. That's great! Everyone has experienced the frustration of looking in multiple places for a patient's folder, so your staff should be looking forward to the arrival of the new system. Right? Well, maybe.
Successful Conversion Begins Early
A smooth conversion is going to depend on how you've prepared and enabled your staff. The conversion process will take a substantial amount of time, and copying existing records for easy access in the future, is only a part of the process. Chances are, there are some employees who are more computer savvy than others, while some of the staff are less confident. Here's your chance for everyone to develop into all-stars.
Encourage Your Staff's Sense of Security
Ask your team to choose a leader, (one or more,) to become an early advocate of the software, ensuring a trusted source remains the, "one with the answers," as usual. Think; your employees take pride in doing their jobs well, and switching to new software will make everyone feel like, "newbies." It's more unsettling than just changing the furniture, and that's hard enough. Substantially changing everyone's jobs is going to require added time, effort, and patience.
Preview the New Work Flow
Today's EMR software vendors have excellent teaching tools to help everyone learn to use the new software, before the program is on their workstation.
- Approach your new EMR in segments. Instead of seeing the conversion as an elephant stomping into the office, let everyone know you'll be taking just one bite of learning at a time.
- Dedicate some time for learning. Plan for team time together without any patients, if possible, even if it's just a few days.
- Encourage questions early. It should go without saying, that every staff member should be allowed to ask questions of the trainer, or fellow team members, anytime. Questions are your friend.
- Let everyone understand how the work flow will change for each member of the team. As they see how it works for their coworkers, their own confidence will grow. Support their curiosity.
- Meet together often. After the last patient of the day is gone, take the time to encourage where needed, and adjust expectations along the way. Take time to praise and encourage each team member for their progress and patience; this is when the attitude for success is nurtured.
- Review and reward each milestone of the process. Discuss what they've learned after each learning module is accomplished; give small gift cards for great remarks, or helpful insights along the way. Ask for comparisons and observations of the new abilities of the software, versus what they've used in the past. Keep your team going!
Today's eye care professionals share more eye health information and dispense more vision care services. Integrated EMR systems will help us better serve our patients, and our communities, more effectively.
What advice do you have to offer our readers about converting to an EMR software?
The VisionWeb Blog would like to welcome guest bloggers, like Stacey, to contribute to our blog! If you would like to share your experience at your eyecare practice, we want to hear from you. We are open to a range of topics, from utilizing eyecare practice management software to fun ideas at your eyecare practice. Feel free to comment below and we'll reach out to you.
For more tips and tools, subscribe to the VisionWeb blog.
Today, many of us can’t leave the house without making sure we have our smartphones in our pockets. Our lives are moving faster than ever before, and we are always on the go. At VisionWeb, we know how important mobility is these days. So, jump on the convenience-at-your-fingertips bandwagon with our new free mobile app!
The VisionWeb App has You Covered
The VisionWeb App gives you the best of both worlds. You can maintain that fast-paced lifestyle while keeping up to date with all of your product orders. Whether you are taking a trip or have just stepped out of the office, you can stay connected. The VisionWeb App connects and syncs your smartphone directly with VisionWeb.com so you can:
- Review your office’s pending orders
- Monitor the status of orders in process at the lab
- Access archived orders
- Navigate your orders easily with convenient search and filter options
You will have the ability to stay connected to your orders at all times. If you are out of the office and receive a question about an order or want to review an order from your staff before it goes to processing, all the information you need is at your fingertips. All it takes is a phone with service and a VisionWeb account.
If you are already a VisionWeb user, then all you have to do is login with your current username and password and all your orders will appear on your phone. However, if you don’t have an account, there’s a simple solution. Visit www.visionweb.com and register for free! From there, all you have to do is download the app, login from your phone, and you are good to go.
The app is available for both Apple and Android devices. Apple users can download it through iTunes, while Android users can get it through Google Play, but not the Android Market, which can be seen in older phone models.
Never be in the dark about your orders no matter where you are! Download the VisionWeb App now!
Vision Expo East is a little over a week away and we’ve been busy preparing for the show! Packing for a tradeshow can be a hassle, but the one essential we know that you’ll be bringing is your smartphone and/ or iPad. To help you through Vision Expo East and New York City, we’ve compiled 10 ‘must have’ apps to maximize your time and fun at the tradeshow.
Tips for ECPs: 10 Must Have Apps for Vision Expo East
Productivity
Tradeshows can be overwhelming, with so many booths to visit and so little time! The worst part is losing precious time trying to find booths and getting lost in the crowd. With the Vision Expo app, you’ll be able to plan your schedule ahead of time, navigate the show floor with interactive maps, download course schedules, and even contact exhibitors for appointments.
Are you a serial to-do-list maker? If so, this app is for you. Asana gets team members on the same page by creating shared to-do lists, assigning tasks, and prioritizing items. You get to see changes in real time and all history and discussions are kept together, so you can see where things are and what’s happened.
You’re interested in a couple of big purchases at the tradeshow, so you grab a bunch of brochures and write important notes on it. But right when you are ready to review all your gathered information, you realize that you lost the brochure! Genius Scan scans documents of any kind into PDF files, so you can catalogue handwritten notes and refer to it later. But remember to scan them immediately!
Booth Activity
If you plan to sell products at your booth, don’t even think of lugging a cash register and printer for printing receipts. Square is an extremely convenient way to accept mobile payments. Attach a small card reader to your iPhone or iPad and customers can swipe their credit or debit cards to complete the transaction. The app will then text a receipt to the buyer’s phone. Transactions are safe and convenient!
Vine is the latest craze in social media! It lets you capture and share 6 second looping videos and sounds. Capture videos from the Expo about customers, the crowd, or funny sightings and then share them on Twitter. Give everyone a glimpse of what it’s like being there and that’s what VisionWeb plans to do. Look out for our Vine videos on Twitter!
What fun is a tradeshow without giveaways? A prize wheel is a great way to keep your customers engaged and draw people into the booth. But forget about the bulky spin wheel that’s expensive to ship and difficult to set up! iPrizeWheel will provide the same amount of fun and panels are customizable in minutes.
Networking and Socializing
When tapping on the screen of your smartphone gets too overrated, Bump allows two smartphone users to physically bump their phones together to transfer contact information, photos, and files to each other. It also allows users to bump photos from their phone to a computer. It is the eighth most popular app to be downloaded from the app store, so it is very likely that the new connection you just made at the tradeshow will have the app too.
Expect to exchange plenty of business cards with new connections and customers you make at the tradeshow. But before you keep it in your pocket, be sure to use Business Card reader. It reads the image and enters the data into appropriate fields of your smartphone’s address book. No more manual input of contact information and no more losing important contacts!
Leisure
We hope that it’s not just all work at Expo. You’re in New York City, one of the world’s most exciting and bustling cities! You deserve to explore and have a little bit of fun. NYC Way provides a list of places to eat, visit, and shop. With maps and transportation options, it also helps you navigate around the Big Apple.
As iconic as yellow taxis are to New York City, it can be hard to flag one down. CabSense NYC shows which street corners are best for catching a taxi cab based on the day of the week, time, and your current location. Reduce the wait time for a cab and get to the tradeshow on time!
Now that we've recommended our favorite apps, we want to hear from you! What tips for ECPs can you share for must-have traveling apps?
Come visit VisionWeb at Booth #MS7061 and follow our journey through Vision Expo East on Twitter! We hope to see you there!