Technology As A Time-Saver And Revenue-Generator

Eye care professionals are often on the lookout for the next big technology that can add to their practice, but they may be overlooking an element that can have a tremendous impact not only in raising revenue but also in lowering stress and saving time, says Justine O’Dell, OD, FAAO.

Dr. O’Dell, who practices full time in an integrated onsite health clinic in Greer, South Carolina, also consults with Uprise EHR because she says she really enjoys analyzing how electronic health record (EHR) systems can bring value to practices. “As doctors, a large part of our day is spent charting. The system we are using for documentation is the first place we should look to improve efficiencies in workflow,” she says.

“An EHR solution is the lifeblood of an office,” she says. A good system can boost efficiency and improve the patient experience, while a wrinkle in the system can slow down tasks like charting and order products. “It’s human nature to adapt to inefficiencies in a system,” Dr. O’Dell says. “It may only take a minute for me to type my standard treatment plan for a condition, but those minutes add up.”

Smart Claims Submissions

In Uprise EHR, treatment plans are customizable, so the doctor can enter his or her own preferred language and level of details. There are also customized exam templates for different types of exams, such as binocular vision exams, dry eye exams, or other niche services. “Having exam templates premade linked with special testing I typically perform is such a time saver,” she says.

One of her favorite features in Uprise is its treatment code mapping, which populates the ICD-10 code and treatment plan based on the severity of the condition. “It has saved me time on what used to be the most time-consuming part of an exam for me. The software comes loaded with more than 8,000 treatment code maps created and ready to go,” she says.

“Once a refraction is performed, the system automatically generates a refraction code based on the prescription,” she says. She also likes that the system is preloaded with letters that can be sent to referring physicians.

Bundling Uprise with VisionWeb’s Revenue Cycle Management Services for claims submissions results in faster reimbursements and offers a valuable training tool. “If we are making consistent coding errors, the revenue cycle management team is very hands-on in teaching staff what mistakes are being made so staff can learn what to look for as well,” she says. This does not happen often, however, as the software has built-in code verification, which minimizes audit risk by verifying an ICD-10 and CPT match with what is reimbursable in that doctor’s ZIP code.

This screen shows the treatment code mapping function.

Integration and Efficiencies

Uprise integrates with other time-saving equipment, such as automated phoropters and autorefraction systems, so data is transferred seamlessly and without error. It also offers embedded tools such as patient recalls and ePrescribing that are effective time-savers. By having the VisionWeb ordering platform integrated with Uprise, it allows ease of ordering and real-time status updates on orders. With its frame catalog, Uprise allows office staff to simplify frame inventory and pricing she says.

Now, doctors can access dashboard performance analytics through EDGEPro to track and improve key performance metrics in real-time.

Wowing the Patient

Patients are wowed by their interactions with the office through the Uprise system, too, she says. “It automatically emails a customizable health questionnaire to the patient three days before an appointment. By having those completed, patients have a shorter wait time and quicker workup time, and the office looks high-tech, she says. “Patients love it.”

In the “sticky notes” section, she’ll add reminders from her personal conversations with patients, so that the next time, she can be reminded about major events in their lives. “I also spend a lot of time on patient education,” she says. “I would make handouts for patients to take home about their eye conditions. Now with patient education from Rendia built into the software, I can play a video clip of dry eye, for example, while the patient is in the chair, or I can send it to the patient portal where the patient can view it later.”

Just as effective software should, the system brings simplicity and efficiency to an office, she says.