Practice Management Systems 1 Steven D. Atwood, M.D., FACP [email protected] [email protected]

Practice Management Systems11

Steven D. Atwood, M.D., FACPSteven D. Atwood, M.D., FACP

[email protected]@pol.net

www.adultmedicine.com/presentations/practice-management-systemswww.adultmedicine.com/presentations/practice-management-systems

Leveraging Practice Management Systems

for a More Efficient Practice


Key Points for TodayKey Points for Today

1.1. What you need to know, not nice to knowWhat you need to know, not nice to know

2.2. What might separate the winners from the losersWhat might separate the winners from the losers

3.3. Specific examples of how your PMSSpecific examples of how your PMS can actually help you do your job or help can actually help you do your job or help

1. save time

2. improve efficiency

3. increase patient satisfaction 4. improve your bottom line your bottom line


Key Sections for the PhysicianKey Sections for the Physician

1.1. Scheduling / registrationScheduling / registration

2.2. Billing / accountingBilling / accounting

3.3. Serving the patientServing the patient

4.4. Which programWhich program

5.5. Where to get suggestions and specsWhere to get suggestions and specs


Let’s Get To It Let’s Get To It

Scheduling Everyone Must Be Able to ScheduleEveryone Must Be Able to Schedule

nurse when telling coag resultsnurse when telling coag results doc when telling patient to drop indoc when telling patient to drop in see schedule at every station and from homesee schedule at every station and from home

30 Second Rule– book appointment in seconds–30 Second Rule– book appointment in seconds– patient name, doc, reason, when, donepatient name, doc, reason, when, done trim names selection to those that are relevanttrim names selection to those that are relevant


See Schedule

Easy to Add or Change


Know key data beforethe time is reserved


How much time, which room

Robust detail

Bundled procedures


Are You Behind?When Can You Get Back to the Hospital? Are You Behind?When Can You Get Back to the Hospital?

ArriveRoomedExitNo Show

Helps to track when patients

Show the data by using symbol, color, highlights

9 Practice Management Systems

e.g. 9am and you are behind

You are seeing now

Arrived

X No Show

Seen and left


One Write, No DuplicationOne Write, No Duplication

Cut & Paste Drag & Drop Notes Everywhere e.g. individual claims, individual codes such as with prolonged detention


Cut and Paste or Drag and Drop to any spot that week or in future months


Notes, Notes, Notes Everywhere


Archive the Inactive DataArchive the Inactive Data

No scrolling through 30 people with similar names

Index patients by doctor or site then use the list associated with this site etc.


Archive or leave out the data you don’t need >>leave out patients not seen in 10 years >>just your site’s patients--not entire system


BillingBilling

Past we used numerous fee schedules generally a Medicare max allowed fee schedule and a fee schedule for the rest of your practice

Now generally all accounts assigned but everyone has a different payment schedule e.g. 1.6 x Medicare rate, no coverage for carve outs another is 0.8 x Medicare rates


BillingBilling

Paid vs. Expected - your computer should show you the expected payment as you enter payments


BillingBilling

Paid vs. expected--see as you enter


BillingBilling

charge vs. paid for each insurance company


QUERIESQUERIES

PMS is basically linked databasesthe setup is proprietaryyou are locked inwhen you buy it you might be married for life because you might not be able to get your data out if you switch to another program


QUERIESQUERIES Future Is Modular No All-in-One Program Separate Program or Module for Each Part e.g. EMR, Billing, Schedule, Ordering Now STANDARDS Provide the Connectivity Between Programs Not Locked In, so Programs Compete on Performance Best of Breed may be easier to determine

Export every field will help all this


QUERIESPMS Design Linked Databases QUERIESPMS Design Linked Databases


QUERIESQUERIES


Off the Shelf Software vs. All-in-One Package

Off the Shelf Software vs. All-in-One Package

Software doing majority of operations for a large corporation may have dozens of pull down menus and take 3 days of training before you can use

e.g. IDX or similar software for large health systems


Off The Shelf Software vs. All-In-One Package

Off The Shelf Software vs. All-In-One Package

Separate Programs or Discrete Modules helps 1.) Training 2.) Security 3.) Upgrades 4.) Can Reduce Down Time Quicken $79 -- all bills and bank activity QuickPay $50 or QuickBooks $179 -- payroll HotFax --can fax any file as if you were printing it


SECURITYSECURITY

User ID, Password Station ID Section Permission e.g. Hospitalize Senator, only treating staff have access to this patient’s tests e.g. charge and collection for the day not accessible by file room staff

Too many programsgive full access to everythingafter you log on

Print to FilePrint to File

Best thing since sliced bread can use a claim clearinghouse & NO INTERFACE NEEDED e.g. Print a HCFA type claim then you can Print to File so you can save the printout and all it’s formatting Your clearinghouse can use this file and the print layout to transfer this information to their database NO INTERFACE NEEDED-- NO MORE TYPING




Every letter and number is exactly where it would be on a claim

Thus a computer can import the data





Print To FilePrint To File

Select printer then click print to file option Go to DOS prompt (in Windows>Accessories) Enter the command PRINT and file name e.g.

Then strike enter and your file prints thus you can save anything you want to print


Print to File printer must be connected by LPT-1Print to File printer must be connected by LPT-1


Physician in Back OfficePhysician in Back Office

Need a full registration sheet or face sheet insurance type may dictate where to go for tests insurance type may dictate which hospital to use insurance type may only cover certain meds

may need DOB may need SSN may need phone numbers for patient may need phone numbers for insurance company


must be able to tag individual data

progress notes claims to send schedule spots to reserve rooms or equipment to reserve

then as a batch you can

printfaxreservereformat

Same as hold down Control then left click to

select desired data in Windows


FAX FAX

If you can print it you should also be able to fax it


Send to fax machine rather than printer


prescriptions goal is to order the right med quickly

formulary which med, which dose

vs. Voice Mail at Pharmacy

OrdersOrders

FAX a Script--how do you sign if digital signature not OK


FormsForms

Scan the form Insert the file on a page as a background Overlay text boxes where the data goes Bookmark each box (control+F9) Jump box to box / bookmark to bookmark (F11)


Any word processor & hopefully your PMS can prepare and store any form

Start box 1

F11 to jumpto next field

bookmarks



Email at every work station


What’s Out There What’s Out There

How Many Different Programs List of Vendors Cost Features

Selecting Your Practice Management System


PMS VendorsPMS Vendors

1. Medical Manager

2. Millbrook

3. IDX

4. NextGen

5. CompuMedic

There are over 110 programs perhaps ½ have ASP (web based) option

1. Lytec

2. Medware

3. Medisoft

4. E-MD

5. FoxMed

e.g. Larger Systems Smaller Offices


PMS VendorsPMS Vendors

List on Internet atwww.HIPAA.org/ pmsdirectory

www.HealthCareInformatics.com/ issues/2002/10_02/spotlight.pdf

about 110 listed

www.aafp.org/ PreBuilt/fpnet_techguide.pdf

9 rated


PMS Purchase or Lease PricesPMS Purchase or Lease Prices

Varies by options—wide range

• Buy and own, then elective updates

• Yearly lease and required yearly updates

• Monthly lease per provider or per station


PMS Purchase or Lease PricesPMS Purchase or Lease Prices

$ 200 Medisoft $ 600-2000 MedWare, Lytec $ 7,000 NextGen & per provider $15,000+ IDX, Medical Manager

Varies widely and changes - many options - must contact vendor

perhaps

Where to Go for InformationWhere to Go for Information

1. www.acponline.org/PMC/practice.htm

2. www.ComputingForClinicians.com by ACP Fellow

3. www.aafp.org/practicemgt.xml user comments

4. www.ctsguides.com/medical.asp buy reviews

5.5. www.HealthComputing.com/KLASwww.HealthComputing.com/KLAS buy reviews

6. www.MGMA.com members only

7. www.KnowledgeStorm.com needs free registration

8. www.CivicResearchInstitute.com/mi5.html


SUMMARYon Leveraging Your Practice Management System

to Save You Time, Improve Efficiency, and Improve Your Practice



1. Everyone Working with Patients can Schedule and Has Access to Registration Data

Just seconds to reserve an appointment Need to know the health plan and contact numbers Registration data effects your medications and tests Old unused data to archives MS Office type features—cut/paste, drag/drop, tag






2. Can really use the ability to easily

export or query almost every field in the PMS List of who is on a medication with a new alert List and # of patients on a HMO

3. Need ability to track expected payments for each

insurance company as the payment comes in






4. Need ability to easily find, complete, and fax

paper – e.g. Referral form–who, what, where, when, why

5. Inexpensive programs like Quicken can easily manage key functions– Maybe everything in one program is not a good idea

6. Every work station needs office e-mail


Questions Questions


Steven D. Atwood, M.D., FACPSteven D. Atwood, M.D., FACP

[email protected]@pol.net

www.adultmedicine.com/presentations/practice-management-systemswww.adultmedicine.com/presentations/practice-management-systems

Leveraging Practice Management Systems

for a More Efficient Practice

Documents

Practice Management Systems 1 Steven D. Atwood, M.D., FACP [email protected] [email protected]