Must-Have Technology for Your Practice

Technology affects almost every aspect of our lives. Just look around you and you'll see how wired we have become. But as much as our personal lives have changed, the business world has revolutionized almost beyond recognition in the past few decades. Advances in communication and information technology have changed the face and pace of what it takes to be successful in practice today.

Practice Management Software

In today's fast-paced and complicated health care world, successful chiropractic practices count on their practice management software to help them provide excellent service to their patients while remaining profitable. Your practice team must be ready to take on new technology, evolving laws and regulations, and to work together to provide the best patient care possible. None of this is easy, of course. And that's why it's vital to implement a software solution that was developed with the best interests of your practice in mind.

Select a system that will ensure that your entire practice's workflow is streamlined with full integration of patient and provider scheduling, clinical charting and billing. Make sure that the system has an easy-to-use interface that allows users to schedule patient appointments, send messages, set reminders and assign tasks to others. Look for a system where individual users can work from a personalized home page containing their most frequently used tasks and functions. Each user should be able to have a unique login and password.

The security of your data is vital. Your information, data, and customized settings should be on secured private servers with full data redundancy and backup, whether they are in your office, monitored by a third party, on reside on the "cloud." Be sure that you choose a software vendor that will provide personalized training. A consultant who is an expert in your field should be readily available to guide you through every step of set-up and implementation. And if you need help, training, or support several years from now, they should be there for you then as well.

Electronic Medical Record Integration

The integration of electronic medical records into your practice can have tremendous benefits. Electronic charting can improve overall patient care, ensure more accurate billing, reduce handwriting errors, and decrease your overall costs. It also increases your visibility to your patients as being a leader in technology. If you are currently using paper medical records, there are many reasons to consider switching to an Electronic Medical Record or EMR system. However, many chiropractors are unaware of what an electronic medical record system is.

An EMR system can create, store and provide access to crucial patient information. This typically consists of all the information related to your patients' visits. It keeps track of all patient appointments. Additionally, it includes data related to current and past medical history, laboratory results, medicines prescribed and doctor's notes.

Paper medical records can require a large amount of space for storage. Switching to an EMR system can free up significance floor space. Unlike traditional paper records, electronic medical records are easily accessible. It takes only a few seconds to access the records of a patient and thereby, save a lot of time. An EMR system also increases the coordination between your entire staff. Using an electronic medical record, multiple users can access the same information at the same time. For instance, you as well as your billing department can access the reports of the same patient at the same time. Paper medical reports are always at a risk of being misplaced. On the contrary, EMRs are always safe and sound in your system.

Computer Hardware and Peripherals

EMR adoption may require a significant change in technology for many chiropractic practices. Your current systems may need to be upgraded or replaced and you may require additional computers, printers, and scanners to meet the requirements of your chosen EMR. Your computer equipment and network must work in concert with your EMR system.

Many practices have already come to terms with the basics of shopping for hardware and can determine which options are best for them based on cost and processing power. However, physicians and their office managers can still get caught off guard when they face unexpected scenarios. This can include having to choose among multiple text and data input options. Patients must be provided with an easy means to enter data directly into your practice's electronic system. You and your practice team members must also have the ability to interact with patients while simultaneously accessing and entering information with computers.

[pb]In the end, hardware must meet the needs of three parties: clinicians, administrators, and patients. It is helpful to allow patients to use touch-screen technology to input their personal data. You can provide either stationary desktop computers in your reception room or give patients mobile devices such as tablet PCs to collect their data. Because many practices lack the space in their reception room to offer all patients access to desktop PCs, the mobile option is a popular choice. For your practice's clinical and administrative staff, a combination of desktop, laptop, and tablet options may be required, based on the mobility needs of the individuals inputting data. The most important consideration? Make sure you purchase your equipment from a trusted vendor.

Audio/Video Solutions

Audio and video technology has come a long way in helping chiropractors become more productive in educating their patients and communicating their services to perspective new patients. For the benefit of their patients, many practices are incorporating audio and video solutions into their practice. From patient education kiosks to distributed audio and video throughout the office, these devices can deliver targeted information and valuable education to your patients.

The use of multimedia and interactive video communication is certainly impacting how chiropractors communicate with their patients. This has been due to an improvement both in internet speeds and better encoding/compression of audio and video. Many practices are helping their patients learn by delivering video messages via LCD monitors mounted in strategic locations throughout the practice. These audio and video systems provide benefits to both patients and providers. Patients better understand their conditions and recommended treatment and are more compliant. Providers save time, increase efficiency, market their practice, and improve patient satisfaction and outcomes.

Communication Solutions

Reliable, scalable and effective communications solutions are critical to any successful practice.

Recently, some practices have been considering Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) for their telephone system. With VoIP, calls are routed through your computer, allowing them to be conducted without long distance charges no matter where in the world you are calling. VoIP can be an excellent tool for communication and a great way of reducing phone costs. But it's not right for every practice, so you'll want to look carefully at whether it's something that you want to invest in now. Things you'll want to consider include the amount currently being spent on calls, the cost of setting up and maintaining a VoIP system, and the potential drawbacks of using VoIP.

Before determining that VoIP is right for your practice, you should take into consideration two major VoIP drawbacks. First, there are problems with maintaining an Internet-based system that don't occur with a standard landline. Inevitably, you'll have software difficulties and Internet outages that will prevent VoIP calls. The bigger issue is that VoIP increases your network demands. Your broadband connection needs to have enough bandwidth to maintain call quality. If this is a concern, you should look into Ethernet and frame relay networks to improve quality of your service.

Your Technological Toolbox

Using technology effectively is like using any tool correctly. You don't use a sledgehammer to drive a small nail and your practice may not need the latest software or computers. It's a balancing act. Don't lag behind, using old or outdated technology that hampers productivity. On the other hand, don't become so enamored with technology that you waste money on the latest and greatest toy when you don't need it. The goal is to make technology advances work for you, not against you. Making the right choices when it comes to technology will simplify your practice and your life rather than complicate it.