How software can help clinics overcome their challenges

By: Ola Azzouqa

Nowadays, clinics’ patients will not only look at the doctor’s expertise to judge the doctor, they will also look at the staff, general office esthetic, and technology used. From the moment patients take the appointment, they start forming a general idea about a practice. All of the clinic procedures, whether done manually or automatically, can have a significant impact on the patients' thoughts and perceptions. And since we only have one chance to make a first impression, the whole practice must convey quality. This is why it is necessary to have up-to-date technology that automates all of the procedures done at a practice.

According to Doctor Mohammad Manna, who has been in the industry for more than 20 years, having a digitalized system in his centre improved the way he runs his business. “Having a system that handles appointments, patients’ files, and billings saves time and effort which allows us to focus more on patient care and wellness and eventually increase their satisfaction.”

Going digital for clinics automates time-consuming tasks so that both the medical and front office teams can focus on face-to-face interactions with patients. From scheduling appointments, following up on patients, referrals, medical reports, lab orders, to accounting & billing. This is why practice management systems are essential to the medical field. They help solve a lot of the daily challenges medical providers face, whether they are working in a private practice or a medical centre.

It is for this reason why we should take the time to look at some of the main challenges that practices may face and how advanced systems may help to overcome them.

Large number of appointments

Successful health providers usually have a large number of patients daily. This may cause several problems with scheduling their appointments, such as not saving them, scheduling two appointments at the same time, and patients forgetting their appointments. Setting appointments manually can be a very time-consuming task. It takes time to look for an available appointment, especially during busy days.

When using a system that handles appointments, practitioners can make sure they will not face such problems. They can automatically and instantly schedule appointments with accuracy, book, track, and update appointments, and send details to patients via SMS or e-mails. Practitioners can also send reminders ahead of the appointment to patients and ask them to confirm them. This way, one can make sure reservations are made for patients who can actually show up.

Piles of files

Owning a successful practice includes having a file for each patient with their personal information, medical history, allergies, treatment plan, and current procedures. This leads to having a huge number of files that take space. Also, these files can be lost or damaged if not stored correctly, which may jeopardize patient care.

Advanced systems are the solution to all filing-related problems. It provides a centralized registry for all the patient’s health-related information. Medical providers can document all patients’ information, previous visits, medical history, notes, and treatment plans. When all of the patients’ files and medical information are saved digitally, it ensures that they cannot be lost and will save a lot of space. This is done through a fully electronic format, which makes finding a certain file or certain data easy and fast.

Fragmented health records

In some cases, doctors might refer one of their patients to a fellow physician. In such a case, they need to make sure that the patient’s case, along with his/her medical record, is transferred properly to the other doctor. One of the most common problems with a patients’ records is that the data is not legible which can lead to errors. The doctor may not be able to read the patient's record or the file may be missing important data.

Electronic health records can be the solution. They are used to store patient data in digital format. Some systems even provide templates for these health records with certain medical terminology, so it is understandable for other doctors. These templates can be customized for different medical specialists making it much easier to create records; this can be especially useful for clinics focused on a particular specialty.

Complicated billing processes

Patients visit doctors to get consultations, and in some cases, to be treated in the clinic, such as with dermatologists and dentists. They may perform different procedures on different visits where each procedure costs a certain amount. Because of this, managing the financials and billings can be a big hassle.

By using a clinics management software, one can track the complete treatment of the patients. Medical staff can also set up flexible rate plans, manage bills, collect payments, and issue printed or electronic bills. The system makes the payment process easy, secure, and accessible as it provides an automated set of tools to manage, track, and process payment activities. This way, nobody no longer needs to worry about the hassle of billing processes.

Conclusion

The main purpose of a clinical system is to reduce the burden of doctors and the administration team. The system improves and facilitates all the processes done in clinics and practices including scheduling appointments, managing files, electronic medical records, charting, and data reporting. Using a clinics management system can bring benefits to doctors and all workers in the clinic and increase patients’ satisfaction.

ESKADENIA Software provides clinical management systems that can be tailored according to your needs. Click this link to find out about ESKADENIA’s powerful and flexible clinical management systems.