Get Schooled in Ophthalmology IT

Back-to-school season is a time of high energy for ophthalmology practices, with increased visits from kids and teens. As patients enter into a new school year, now is a great time for ophthalmology practices to boost their own knowledge. One place to start: tech innovations that increase efficiency and drive revenue.

Where should practice leaders focus their studies? We’ve broken it down to 3 key areas all ophthalmology practice pupils should know.

Reading.

Communicating with patients via a patient portal after their visit can streamline results-sharing. Patient portals can also be leveraged by staff to send simple reminders about care plan instructions—important for busy parents juggling multiple appointments for their children, themselves, and (in some cases) their aging parents.

Portals are also a great place for patients to review information on procedures discussed during their visit. The best patient portals will prompt staff to conduct patient follow-ups when patients investigate care options following their visit.

Writing.

New adaptive template technology speeds patient charting with templates that are not only ophthalmology-specific, but specific to each patient. It’s a tool that enables practices to spend less time charting and more time with patients—without missing the important details.

Leading practices are also educating staff on ways to strengthen cybersecurity. Leveraging use of secure data storage platforms, such as cloud data centers protected by physical security measures, adds another layer of protection. These platforms empower ophthalmologists to review their notes anytime and anywhere, allowing them to stay smartly current on their patients.

Arithmetic.

Billing can be challenging without the right tools. In fact, 77 percent of providers say it takes more than a month to collect any payment. Advanced analytic solutions empower your practice to uncover its biggest revenue cycle challenges through claims data review. This approach helps ophthalmology practices stop claim denials before they have a chance to even start. These new billing tools also increase price transparency—setting the stage for one-on-one education with patients that is centered around managing their costs of care.

A simple refresher course of practice building blocks can go a long way, and it’s never a bad time to study new and innovative ways to improve your practice's efficiency and success.

Want to learn more? Check out Nextech’s suite of high-tech solutions and services for ophthalmology practices, or contact our team to schedule a customized tutorial.