12 Practice Management Tribune United Kingdom Edition March 15-21, 2010 The paper-free practice When it comes to replacing the systems in your practice with their digital counterparts, it’s best to focus on one at a time. Lorne Lavine shows how it’s done in six manageable steps ing to become completely paperless. While I don’t agree that any practice can be truly paperless, eliminating the need for a physical paper chart is something that any practice can achieve. The goal of this article is to discuss the sequence necessary to accomplish this goal. The challenge for most practice is to develop the best plan on how to evaluate their current and future purchases to ensure that all the systems will integrate properly together. While many dentists are visually oriented and thus tend to focus on the criteria that they can actually see and touch, some of the most important decisions are related to more abstract standards. I have therefore developed a six-point checklist that I feel is mandatory for any dentist who is adding new technologies to their practice, and I recommend that each step be completed in order: Practice management software. It all starts with the administrative software that is running the practice. To develop a chartless practice, this software must be capable of some very basic functions. For practice that want to eliminate the paper, you’ll need to consider every paper component of the dental chart and try to find a digital alternative. For example, entering charting, treatment plans, handling insurance estimation and processing with e-claims, ongoing patient retention and recall activation, scheduling, and about dozens of other functions that are used on a daily basis. Many older programs do not have these features and if a practice wants to move forward, they will have to look at more modern practice software. It’s also important to understand that as much as we would all prefer that our practice management software programs can M ost dental practices have come to realise how quickly technol- ogy has become part of everyday life in the practice. Dentistry has undergone a paradigm shift over the past 20 years where systems that were once analogue (paper, film) and now being re- placed by digital counterparts. Nowhere is this more evident than with practices that are try- SOE NATIONAL USER DAYS 1 The Emirates Stadium - London Thursday March 25th 2010 The Lowry - Manchester Thursday June 24th 2010 Day includes • New product launches - see them here first • Training - including managing regulatory change, attracting and retaining patients and marketing your practice • Industry leading speakers - Chris Barrow and Ashley Latter PLUS support cyber café and 7 hours CPD! Bring the team Prices are £99 per person or £250 for three* Book today - spaces are limited Call 0845 m w.soeidental.co w 5 5767 or visit w 34 *Excluding VAT Today’s PMS options include many facets of clinical chartin