Inefficiency can be hard to spot sometimes, especially when you don't know what you're looking for. However, inefficiencies can be detrimental to an eyecare practice's bottom line if it's not keeping up with industry standards in efficiency. Staying connected with the most up-to-date optical software and processes used in the eyecare industry today is key. So the next question is, where do we start?
One easy place to start is in your ordering and claim processing services. Are you still ordering over the phone? Maybe you order online, but are you using multiple sites? Do you file insurance claims one-by-one and have long turn-around times on your reimbursements? Would you like your insurance acceptance rate to increase? These are all signs that your practice may currently be failing in efficiency and could improve from the use of an optometric practice management software. Get together the key people in your office and go through the following flow-charts to ensure you are not failing the Efficiency Test:
Test Your Practice's Efficiency
Ordering Efficiency Test
Claim Filing Flow Chart
If you didn't end up in that green "efficiency" box, then there is still room for improvement! Take the opportunity to assess your current processes and see where the gaps lie. Here are a few questions that you can ask your staff to get the conversation going:
1. What do you spend most of your individual time on during the workday?
2. What do you feel is your most efficient process and why?
3. What daily process(es) do you think is is the biggest waste of time and resources?
4. What processes frustrate you and your colleagues in the office?
5. Does your practice use an optometric practice management software?
Once you get the dialogue going, you will know where to start in your quest for more efficiency. And you will ace the efficiency test in no time!
