Key Features to Look for in a Practice Management Software
There are many kinds of practice management systems with varied features. Almost all of them have certain core features and you will have to choose which software best suits your requirements.Practices, whether large or small, would like to be free of tasks that suck their time and energy. Physicians would prefer investing their energy in delivering the finest patient care. Now technology has come to the aid of healthcare organizations and Practice Management Software (PMS) is one such tool.
There are many kinds of practice management systems with varied features. Almost all of them have certain core features and you will have to choose which software best suits your requirements. Whatever your unique needs, certain critical features must be available in the software you choose.
Patient Scheduling
PMS allows a practice to schedule patient appointments in the most user-friendly way. If patients want to schedule their appointments, they can do so through an online patient portal. Patients can view the availability of physicians and schedule their physicians.
Patients will get automated notifications via text or email about their appointment. They will also get appointment reminders, thus reducing no-shows and revenue loss. Front-office staff can use scheduling modules to scan for time slots, organize custom information and track individual patients.
PMS allows practices to ensure a physician’s time is being adequately utilized and that no physician is double-booked. In the same manner, rooms and equipment can be scheduled ahead of time when a patient is scheduled.
The PMS offers pre-visit patient intake forms that patients can fill out electronically before they visit the office. This not only saves time for the patient and staff it also saves paper.
Eligibility checks
A manual insurance eligibility check is a time-consuming task. The PMS should be able to do that quickly for each patient. It should be able to check a patient’s insurance details for deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance. Any information regarding changes in coverage must be recorded in the system. In case of treatments that require pre-approval by payors, the Practice Management Software should give quick access to the insurance companies.
Patient database
The PM system must be able to capture all demographic and insurance information of the patient. It then becomes easy to access this information via a master patient database. The software can also keep track of the medicines being taken by the patient and the allergies that a patient may have. The PMS has the entire medical health record of a patient.
Communication
An essential feature of a PMS is communication which is vital to both patients and providers. On the patient side, there are tools like direct messaging, phone appointments and automated reminders when preventive care appointments are due. For physicians, the ePrescribing features of medical practice management software allow physicians to digitally input prescriptions so that pharmacists have no trouble reading them. Besides, there are the extra benefits of fax and internal messaging.
Payments
Payments should be made easy for patients and allowed at any point of the encounter. PMS offers a range of payment options, including cash, credit, check, debit and direct withdrawal. By processing payments directly, payments are fast and easy. Patients and providers benefit.
Compliance
One of the most crucial Practice Management Software requirements is security compliance. A PMS comes with complete databases that allow you to look up diagnosis codes. Further, specific features, such as ICD coding, billing and checking claims are all performed automatically. PMS also comes with security features that ensure your patient data is safe according to HIPAA standards.
Integration
Although having a large bouquet of features available in your PMS is a big plus, the flexibility provided by a secure, open API is a great asset. A platform that can accommodate third-party applications will allow you to add more features catering to your practice’s specific needs.
Installing a PMS improves the quality of office workflow as well as the quality of patient care. These systems also help a practice to adhere to the norms and regulations of the industry. So studying the needs of the practice and then choosing your PMS is critical.
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Partnering with a trustworthy billing company will be a wise choice to ensure error-free billing and a smooth revenue cycle. In the two decades they have been in the healthcare industry, Bristol Healthcare Services has assisted thousands of physicians in expanding their practice. Our certified and trained billing professionals will design customized solutions for you. And ensure quick and maximum reimbursement.
We will help you move to the next level!