Episode 768: Maximize Your Software

 Tiff and Dana return with efficiency hacks for going paperless in your practice. They touch on softwares to utilize, how to set expectations from the beginning, where you can go paperless right now, and more.

Transcript:

Tiffanie (00:01.955)

Dana, I'm so excited to be here with you. Oh my gosh. Okay, we have not recorded. We busted out a ton of recordings at once and then took a little break when I was on a little travel hiatus. And you were on a travel hiatus. You've been in offices, which for you guys who may not know, Dana is a traveling slash virtual consultant in our company. So what that means is she travels some.

but she does a ton of virtual stuff in our company and it's awesome because we have so many virtual clients who just like soak up so much time with Dana. But last month and in the recent weeks, we've been traveling at the same time and it always makes me so giddy inside because I'm like, oh my gosh, Dana's on the road too and you had some travel stuff, but I'm excited to be here with you today. I wanted to pick your brain on some things and really hear about your travel, of course, because you don't do it all the time.

But how are you today, Dina? How's life? How's the world for you?

Dana (00:59.202)

doing good. I'm excited to be here. I know it's been a little bit I was filling out my end of month stuff, you know, and I was like, Oh, man, I get my time with tip.

Tiffanie (01:05.443)

Yeah.

Tiffanie (01:10.923)

Oh, thank you. I do love these. Tell me first because I love hearing about, you know, you know, and the world probably knows that I love in-person visits. Those are like my jam. That's where I really shine. That's where I really thrive. I love connecting with people. So how were your visits? You've had a few in the last month or so, and you've got some more coming up, but how were your visits for you?

Dana (01:38.39)

really good. I'm like you. I'm a people person. I'm that connection person. And so I love being able to connect virtually. And I do feel like there is still that ability to do it. But it's not like being in person.

Tiffanie (01:42.7)

Yeah.

Tiffanie (01:50.763)

I agree. I totally agree. And you do well. This is I think a reason why you are a traveling slash virtual consultant because you do really well connecting with people even virtually. So like this where we're video to video, you connect with people really easily there and really well. So kudos to you for that. Have you seen any recent trends that you you're like, you know what, all my offices in office or

on virtual calls are really struggling with these pieces.

Dana (02:22.99)

I think the biggest thing right now is just finding those like efficiency hacks. I feel like a lot of my offices I've been with now for a while and like, we've gotten really good systems in place and we've gotten really good protocols and it's just like, Hey, how can we just 1% better, 1% faster, 1% easier? So we really kind of digging into that lately.

Tiffanie (02:27.502)

Yeah.

Tiffanie (02:39.858)

I love that.

I love that, I love that, that's so smart. Because we do have so many clients that are with us like for years and it's amazing to watch them grow, to be with them through that growth, to help them grow and like you're growing up with them. But you get to those points where you're like, okay, we have systems, now how do we make those systems more efficient? How do we level up what we've already done so that we can continue to grow and continue to be here for our patients? Like that's my biggest piece with my.

clients who have been here for a long time, it's like the things that you were doing two years ago when we started maybe aren't working anymore. And I think one of those things is something we're talking about today where it's like, the things we were doing two years ago with our charts may not be enough for what today's world looks like. And I wanted to talk about paperless charts today. And I think when we mentioned this topic, you actually spurred my brain, because I was like, oh my gosh, I didn't even think about that. For me, I'm thinking paperless charts. I'm like, yeah, for sure. When you purchase a practice, there's still practices out there.

that have paper charts, which blows my mind, but they're there, I've seen them, I've walked into those offices recently. So I know they're there, but you're even like, well, okay, but what about the efficiency hack of just paper, like streamlining all of the paper in the practice, so are we still doing paperwork when they walk through the door, are we still doing consents? I was in an office last week that's still doing a paper-signed consent, and I'm like, wait a second, we have Modento, what are we doing? So I think smashing those worlds and.

And I think, Dana, what are you seeing when you're in practices now for the paperless pieces? What are the biggest efficiency hacks that you're noticing that people in our practices are really able to implement with that?

Dana (04:21.322)

Yeah, sure. And it's funny because in person is when you really get to see that, right? Like I can ask about it in virtual. The second I walk in and I see all this paper laying around everywhere, I'm like, what are we doing? Why? So I think the biggest one that I still see is paper like medical history or patient paperwork.

Tiffanie (04:25.379)

For sure.

Tiffanie (04:31.267)

Yeah, and sticky notes all over the computer. Yeah.

Dana (04:43.618)

So that's a big one that I still see a lot of practices. It's like, well, yeah, their charts are now in their software system and their notes are in their software system and they're not hand filling out those charts, but there's still ways that they can definitely be more efficient and utilize the technology that they're also paying for already.

Tiffanie (05:00.859)

For sure, for sure. And I think there's the two spectrums, right? Because they do have, like I said, I have those practices that just purchased an older practice, they just inherited it, right? They purchased it, they inherited all these patients, they inherited all these paper charts. And so there's the scanning of that, which is on one level of thinking paperless practice. And then on the other level is walking in and seeing all of those paper treatment plans and the paper consent forms and

all these follow-up notes, all these follow-up things all over the place and really just streamlining that into your practice software. So you guys, there are add-on softwares that help a ton with that, but a lot of the softwares out there, the dental softwares themselves are doing these things. So, you know, Dentrix has the module, I think Eagle Soft even has the module, Open Dental can do it. Like I think they all can do it at some capacity, but then you've got your added on layered applications and programs like Modento or,

Gosh, what else is there? There's Modento and Flex, and there's all kinds of different programs that you can use that are also doing other things for you. So when Dana says you're already paying for them, most of you are paying in outside companies. You're outsourced. You have outsourced your emails and your text confirmations and your newsletters and your patient, like congratulations. You guys have mostly outsourced those pieces.

to a different software. So you've got an add-on software that pulls the information from your dental software and it sends these things to all of your patients. Those same programs, typically, this day and age, will do a lot of that paperless stuff for you. So those health history forms, they can fill those out online. And something, Dana, that you said earlier was to have that up on your website, right? So to have that and just direct the patients to your website or put it in a welcome email or let them know, I even have...

a couple offices that are struggling to get that paperwork back. So I do hear from practices, right? They're like, Yeah, it's all there. But like patients never do it. So we sit and do it with them by hand. So then my question, my follow up question, and my push to them is, are the patients not doing it? Are we not being diligent in reminding them and making sure that it gets done? Because I can hold hand I can handhold you all day long and say, you're not willing to make changes in your practice. But when I push on you and I say, well, we've got to get this done this way.

Tiffanie (07:17.023)

when the changes happen. So Dana, what kind of follow-up do you feel like goes along with that and what kind of reminders have you seen go out to make sure that the health histories get done? Because that's something I hear constant.

Dana (07:32.266)

Yeah, sure. And I think the biggest thing is set the expectation from the beginning, right? So if you're taking that new patient call and you know your forms are all online, direct them to it and then give them a timeframe in when you want them back, right? And not just, hey, as soon as possible or when you get a chance, right? Give them an actual time. Hey, in the next three days, I need you to get these in so I can be prepared for your visit and have everything ready, right? So really set expectations from the beginning. And then I say, whenever you're doing your...

like verifying your insurance or your appointment audit, right, or your confirmations, pick one of those things. And then that's when you look to see, hey, does that patient, do I have everything that I need for that visit? Did that patient get that back to me? And then if not, then I'm reaching out to the patient and it's just a reminder of, hey, we really do need that before your visit.

Tiffanie (08:07.043)

Yeah.

Tiffanie (08:15.163)

I love that. I love that. Good. Okay, awesome. And I do have, I have an office too that last week was like, they're just not getting it back. And I said, great, text them the link. I'm the person you guys, I'm putting this out there to the world. I am the person that I make everything for because I'm the person that will not do the thing that I said I was going to do. If you don't have me do it right then and there, or you don't give me that deadline that Dina was talking about. If you're just like, Hey, I need paperwork. I'm like, fantastic. And then as soon as we hang up, it's

it's literally deleted from my brain. Like it's not that I intentionally don't do it. It's that I will never remember to do it unless you send it to me and then remind me or congratulate me for getting it done so that next time I do it, I don't even know how to handle me, but I am your patient that like I'm the patient avatar. So I create systems for my practices all the time based around what my experience would be because I know I'm that person.

So I had them start just texting the link and then on the phone even, hey, did you get that link? I just sent it over to you. Did you receive that link? Were you able to open it? So now they know how, they've got it, they've confirmed it, they know how to do it. I'm like, fantastic, I can't wait to have that back by Friday, will that date still work for you? And so we're confirming it and I think, Dana, you said confirm it and I think one of those pieces, right, is having them like say it back to you. Like, yeah, absolutely. So we're asking for it but we're saying.

does that work for you? Can you make that happen? Now we've got commitment on it. So going paperless can be, I feel like it can be like a daunting task because there's so unknown, so many unknowns in the world and anything that we don't, that we feel like is too big to comprehend anything that we feel like is too large and too many pieces and too many unknowns, we actually innately will like steer clear of it. We'll say, well, I'll figure this out. I'll figure it out.

table it to the I'll figure it out table. But then we're over here doing this busy work of things that aren't adding up to a big result. This paperless piece right here adds up to a big result because you're gonna get time back. You're gonna save paper, we're gonna save trees, right? You're gonna save money, okay? It's a little bit, but your overhead will go down because you're not buying as much paper. And these programs can do all of these things and your systems can do all of these things. So.

Tiffanie (10:32.611)

pieces that I think you could work on going paperless right now. Like maybe make yourself a note that by the end of first quarter next year like I'm gonna be paperless on these aspects and you can do your treatment plans. A lot of them will deliver the treatment plan to an iPad. You review it on an iPad, they sign it and then guess what it emails you and the patient a copy of that signed treatment plan encrypted of course. So you can do a treatment plan, you can do your health histories obviously.

Another one that I think people forget about, you do your health histories, but you don't do your health history updates. So are you making your patients redo the whole health history, which is typically like three to six pages, right? Or are we once a year updating our health history and is that in there? So if you are paperless, you're like, Tiff, I already do this, Dina, what are you talking about? I already have my health histories in there. Well, do we have our updates? Do we have our HIPAA forms able to be updated? Are financial policies able to be updated? And then consent forms. That one seems to be like a daunting thing where practices are like.

it's in there, we just don't use it. I'm like, come on, just use it, just get it done. And then Dana, for a practice that is charted, like I'm a new doctor, I just bought a practice, it seems like California, I have so many doctors out there that's like, California loves these freaking paper charts. So like they buy a practice and they've got just these giant file cabinets. And I have actually an oral surgery practice that I cannot get off paper charts in.

Georgia and I hope they're listening. They know exactly what I'm talking about. I love you guys to death. But these paper charts, they've got all of these files everywhere. Like how do you suggest they take care of those? Because that can be daunting, especially for a new owner. And especially because our new owners are entrepreneurial and they're like save the trees and they hate seeing the paper. So what do you suggest for that?

Dana (12:14.348)

Yeah.

Dana (12:17.55)

I think start with new patients moving forward. Any new patients that's coming to the practice, let's make sure we start with them and we don't start a paper chart, right? We started in our software system. And then I think it's adding those patients into the system that are on paper charts. And I think just figure out how many you think you can do each day, right? Set a goal for team members and just roll through them and get them in. And then just, you know, storage, right? Because you have to hold onto those.

for X amount of time depending on where you are. And so then just figuring out storage for those paper charts. It'll be amazing once you don't have all those shelves of those paper charts, how much space you create.

Tiffanie (12:51.451)

So much Yeah, I agree talk about efficiency, right? I am hated running into those things I feel like I always ran into those dang things because I cut corners, you know I like to try to be as fast as I possibly can so it's fine. It's fine. Yeah, I love that So one thing that I see practices do they'll purchase those offices and they're like, oh my gosh There's just paper charts everywhere and they're like grab a pile scan a pile and I'm

Okay, but what if eight of those 10 patients you just picked up never come into this practice again? We don't want that obviously, right? But like, who even knows when the last time they were here was? So who's to say that they're coming back? So number one, like Dana said, start with your new patients. I think that's brilliant. Do not make them a paper chart. And for your team that's used to the paper charts, like this is how we transition over. And then as your patients come through your practice, scan those patients. And then at the end of the year,

because now they've had at least two recalls, we would hope, right? So now at the end of the year, number one, you've got an awesome reactivation list sitting up there on those file cabinets of patients who never came in this year. And then number two, you know you probably don't need to scan these anymore. We can put these on the side, we can pull them if they come in, but these are the patients that didn't come in and we got through all of the patients who did. So let's put these in maybe the closet in the back or whatever.

where we can get them out of the way and get the front office some more space back. So I would say going paperless, you guys, is huge. I think everybody knows that. I don't need to rant on about that, but it is something that does need to be talked about, which you may have felt before this podcast was a little crazy. And I hope listening to this, you can see why it needs to be talked about. And I think if you're in a practice, there's something that you're not, something that you're not paperless yet with.

There is something, there's sticky notes all over a desk, right, did you know that every computer has a sticky note option, like there's a little, there's literally an app that's called Sticky Notes or Notes if you're a Mac, like you can put those things on your computer, so you can even go paperless there, you can set reminders on them to pop up on your screen, like you can do so many things with the computer, you can send them to other people regardless. There's something in your...

Tiffanie (15:11.999)

in your world that can go paperless. So your action items from today is I want you to look at that and look at that hard. Do you have all of your consent forms on there? Do you have your health history and your update, your financial policy separate from your new patient paperwork so that you can update that with patients yearly? Your HIPAA forms separate so that you can update those yearly. Like, do you have all of those parts and pieces? Are you doing treatment plans that way? What in your world can you make paperless now and set a date?

And if you've got charts, set a date for when you're going to be done with those charts. Set a date for when you're going to use Dana's awesome tip there of every new patient, and then let's start scanning those. So figure out what you can make paperless, and then learn to utilize your system best. And you guys, if you have that third-party system that you're using, figure out how they're doing it because they have streamlined it the best, and I've seen the best success for that.

So figure out what you can make paper lists today, use your system correctly and learn more so that it doesn't feel so daunting and you guys just freaking do it. Just GSD, just do it. Dana, what action item do you think I missed? Yeah.

Dana (16:22.938)

Amen. No, I think that that's, look at what you currently have this maybe paperless top can you up your game, right? Because you can pretty much streamline anything now to be not paperless, even if it is your team, right? Like even if it's those pieces that you can update, I think figure that out. And then I let I'd like you just GSD set that date and do it.

Tiffanie (16:33.103)

For sure.

Tiffanie (16:43.315)

Just do it. I love it. Okay, Dana, have you seen a practice successfully do this? How many?

Dana (16:50.762)

Yes. Oh my gosh. I mean, in the last year, I've probably at least even just switching the billing portion, right? Those texts to pay or those pay links, I've probably at least had a dozen offices. And it's so funny that when they do it, I always, always hear, we should have done this sooner. Like this, yeah, every single time.

Tiffanie (16:58.98)

Yeah.

Tiffanie (17:03.215)

That's amazing.

Tiffanie (17:08.855)

Every time. Every time. Every time. I love it. And you guys, we work with practices all the time doing this. Like Dana just told you, she has at least 12 this year that have even just the billing portion and it streamlines everything. It makes it faster. And it's not just for you guys. I think the piece that we miss in this puzzle is that it's also for your patients. It's faster for your patients. They appreciate it. Especially the text to pay. I don't want to leave you with a bill that I'm the person that you send it to my mailbox one.

You're gonna be lucky if I check my mailbox two to three times a month. A month, you guys. Nothing comes to my mailbox that I want. So it's not gonna be seen. And then you're gonna be calling me upset because I've got a 90 day past due bill that I had no idea I had. I'm not patient, I'm telling you. Text me a link and I'm like, oh great, paid, done. Email me the receipt, done. So pick what it is, figure out what it is, use your systems correctly.

Reach out to us if you need help. And if you're that new practice that just purchased a billion paper charts and you're in over your head, or maybe you're a doctor who's considering. Buying charts from a dentist who's selling, right? He's not selling the practice, but he's selling his patients. He's selling the patient charts and you're like, how, what is this going to look like guys? We've got podcasts for that too. We've got dentists who have helped, um, who have done that before. Doctors who have.

been through that transition, that have done a few podcasts with us, and we can help you through all of those aspects. So whatever it is, reach out to us. Hello at TheDental18.com. We are always here to help you. And like we said, Dana, just GSD, just get it done. Okay? That stuff is easy to do if you make it easy. And remember, life is only hard if you want it to be. If you want it to be easy, choose easy and just get the stuff done. Thanks, guys.