Software and technology innovations can easily lure you into a usage “rut.” Your dental practice management software can fall into one…especially when it fails to improve your patient’s treatment experience.
Doing the same functions over and over again can give the impression that there’s a limit to your platform’s functionality. But it could have less to do with limitations and more to do with how you’re connecting with your patients through it – assuming it’s equipped for patient-first functionality.
What is the overall purpose of dental practice management software?
Your patient experience has a variety of layers. From the moment they call or submit their request via your website’s contact form – your software platform kicks into action.
Gathering information and scheduling
The ability to listen and gather a patient’s info in one place and track their experience is core to your software’s capability. Listening is enhanced when your software doesn’t get in the way.
Phone and email conversations with patients and their post-appointment/treatment reviews are a goldmine of information. But only if you have an accessible place to log that information.
Also, an easy, seamless scheduling process gives the impression that each patient is valued. It’s also essential to your team’s workflows that available schedule blocks are easy to discern at a glance during patient conversations.
The ability to quickly schedule a patient saves them and you time. Plus it enhances your ability to prepare for their appointment without unnecessary delays.
Tracking financials, patient accounts, and billing
Your dental practice financials often have built-in complexities. Reconciling accounts, tracking production and related financials, and billing for services each have their unique challenges.
Your practice management software should reduce each complex task into an easy workflow. This will help avoid annoying errors – increasing patient satisfaction and improving team efficiency.
Submitting and monitoring insurance claims
Electronic claims delivery is a benchmark process. Having this capability can reduce reimbursement delays and present your patient with more accurate out of pocket payment statements.
Maintaining accurate and efficient patient charts
A practice management platform with charting capabilities is vital to your patient treatment protocols. Accurate charting instills trust in your expertise and what you communicate to each patient related to their treatment.
Thinking less about the charting procedure and more about your patient’s treatment experience will create lasting relationships with them around their dental care.
How your patient’s experience is improved through your choice of dental practice management software
It’s common to think that only you and your team get the most mileage from your chosen practice management platform. While true to an extent, it’s good to consider the benefits each patient receives as a result of your choice.
Think practically about how your PM platform “faces” your patient’s experience.
- Provide your patients relevant information about their insurance eligibility and coverage details.
- Clarify your patient’s account balance questions and give them payment solutions.
- Communicate upcoming appointment details and reminders with built-in text and email features.
- Review and present appointment scheduling options that fit their schedule and your available production workflow.
