With today’s rise in technology, you have access to tools that can make just about anything in your life easier. So why not take advantage of the benefits that practice management integration has to offer to make paperwork at your eyecare practice easier.
Adopting, replacing or upgrading to a practice management system may seem scary to some, but it is absolutely worth it. Gone are the days of lost patient files or calling your labs to fix errors! Efficiency is vital to your practice and a PMS can make your day-to-day paperwork process convenient and organized.
What are the benefits of a practice management system?
Practice Management systems save you time and money in a long run. Key benefits include:
- Practice Management ordering integrations: Most practice management systems have the capability to integrate with online ordering services like VisionWeb. This will help save time by using the information in your system to create and submit orders directly to your suppliers. You also have access to up-to-date order statuses online, which means less time calling to chase down lab orders and being put on hold.
- Reduced duplicate data entry and potential entry errors: Since these systems are able to integrate with online ordering services, the patient’s order only needs to be submitted once. The data that was entered into the practice management system will be used again to complete the online order automatically. Not only does that save your practice time by not having to type in information again, but it also reduces the errors made in the practice. You can be assured that your order is accurate every time you send them out to your suppliers.
- Centralized system: If you have not upgraded your practice with a PMS, chances are that you have paperwork stacked in different piles labeled “Orders,” “Billing,” “Appointments,” etc. While that system might have worked for you in the past, it not only takes up a lot of space physically, but important documents might be lost in the shuffle or misplaced in the wrong pile. A practice management system consolidates processes into one centralized location and you can practically run your entire practice from your desk (without all that paper clutter).
What should I expect when I switch?
- Lots of patience: Change can be hard, especially those that affect the entire practice. Mistakes are bound to happen in the early stages but you need to give your staff and yourself time to adjust and get used to the change.
- A good implementation plan: The entire process will not be an overnight change. You will need adequate time and a detailed plan to make sure that everyone is on track with the progress. If you’ve been using paper, there will be a lot of information that will need to be manually entered into the system before you begin. You will need to foresee such activities and plan ahead by allotting an appropriate amount of time to work on these changes.
How do I get the most out of a practice management system?
- Explore all the features: Many practices fail to take advantage of purchased features, and ultimately miss out on opportunities to save time, save money, and improve patient care.
- Find other service integrations: Apart from integration with ordering services, electronic claim filing practice management system integrations can also be made. That’s even more time saved with the same system.
- Train all your staff: Thorough training during the initial stages will get your money’s worth out of your PMS investment. When staff members are not adequately trained, they will be reluctant to use new features, more prone to mistakes and less efficient in general.
As you can see, there are many benefits to investing in a practice management system. With these tips, time and effort you will start to see exciting changes and improvements in your practice!
