What are some of the reasons an eyecare practice would purchase new practice management and EHR software? It could be that they have decided to modernize their paper practice, a desire to be more mobile, or to streamline their daily processes.
Ultimately the hope is that new software will help make your practice more efficient, allowing you to save time, see more patients each day, and increase your revenue. Today, we want to share with you 10 ways that the best software systems in the market will help save your eyecare practice time. Saving a couple of minutes on each patient can add up to a lot of time saved in the long run!
Save Your Practice Time with Practice Management and EHR Software
1. Refined Scheduler. Many practices are still using spreadsheets
to manage their schedule. Utilizing a 
scheduler that's built into your practice management system will make it easier to stay on top of appointments by allowing you to search and view appointments or patients through different filters. You should also get a summary of patient details along with insurance information so you don't have to bother switching programs or make extra clicks to see the information you need.
2. Claims Management. Having a claims management solution that's a part of your practice management and EHR software will help streamline claims throughout your office. In the exam room all the OD has to do is perform and document the exam and the EHR can auto-populate insurance codes according to the diagnosis chosen. When it comes time to post an invoice, data will pull from what was entered into the EHR during the exam. Your claims management solution should also give you the tools you need to error check, track, and manage your ERAs to get reimbursed quickly.
3. Little to No Paperwork. Paperwork for your patients can be time consuming on your schedule. And, more paper usually means more data entry for your staff. Use a system that allows your patients to fill out online forms, in lieu of paperwork, before they come in for their appointment.
4. Integrated Product Ordering. Integrated product ordering makes ordering convenient for your staff, and your patients enjoy a faster turnaround on their products (compared to orders that are phoned or faxed to the lab). Integrated ordering helps your staff maintain a steady workflow as they aren't having to pause to call in orders, or leave the system to order from individual sites.
5. ePrescribing. Compared to paper-based prescribing, ePrescribing is a safer and more efficient way to manage medications. Integrated ePrescribing automatically syncs data from the EHR, like medication allergies, so that you're notified if you try to prescribe that type of medication. You'll also get the benefits of managed care drug formulary support to help determine the best choice for your patients.
6. Patient Portal. The importance of getting patients more involved in their own healthcare is on the rise. A patient portal is a great tool that offers a convenient and secure way for patients to stay on top of their healthcare, and it opens up an extra line of communication between the patient and doctor. If patients have online access to more of their health information they'll likely be calling your practice less to ask questions.
7. Less IT Management. Cloud-based software will take the burden of IT management off your practice so you can spend less time worrying about software updates and security, or less money outsourcing it to an IT professional. We know IT expertise probably isn't your strongest subject, so managing servers and security of information can be a stressful task. Dump your IT worries off on your cloud-based software vendor as they take care of all your IT headaches.
8. Greater Accessibility. Not only do cloud-based systems help you avoid time spent on IT management, you'll also get greater accessibility to your system and data because you aren't tied down to specific devices. Tablets allow you to carry your software with you from room to room so you aren't logging in and out between rooms, along with making is easier to share your screen to educate patients and deliver information.
9. Easy Access to Reports. Reporting tools are critical for any business in order to easily identify issues like unusual billing patterns or errors. On top of that, you can get insight into appointment durations, demographics, and best-selling products. All of these things help your staff determine where to focus more of their time on money-making operations.
10. Automated Reminders. Automated reminder and recall tools keep your staff off the phones, and your patients updated on their latest appointment information through email or text messages. Customized messages help you bring back patients and keep your schedule full without wasting staff time on the phone.
If you're looking to save time with a new practice management and EHR software, check out Uprise and its embedded tools.
