Thanksgiving is a time when we celebrate our families, friends and the many things we are grateful for in our lives. Although it may not occur to them while they enjoy their turkey, pumpkin pie and time with their loved ones, your patients are likely thankful for the many ways that your practice management and engagement tools make their lives easier. In the spirit of the holiday season, here are a few examples of some practice management features that your patients are thankful for!

The 2,398-page final rule for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) was released in October. In the wake of this new ruling, a survey conducted by Medscape found that nearly 30 percent of physicians had never heard of MACRA as recently as mid-September. This seems like a large number of physicians who are still in the dark, considering that the law could positively or negatively affect their Medicare reimbursements by as much as nine percent.

When specialty providers observe that “My patients often don’t do what I tell them,” they are usually describing an issue of engagement. Patients obviously want to be healthy, or they wouldn’t make appointments in the first place. But when appointments are difficult to secure or aren’t kept—and when a kept appointment is the only time the patient connects with the specialty practice—there is an opportunity to increase patient engagement by leveraging technologies for patient access.

When consumers make virtually any purchase, the final choice is most often driven by price. They’ll also want quality, suitability for purpose, etc., but once those criteria are satisfied, price can determine where the purchase is made. This has not traditionally been the case with health care.

Plastic surgery physicians understand the importance of embracing technology — in the treatments and procedures they perform, and also in running their practices. Using outdated technologies can reduce their productivity, increase costs and worse yet, negatively impact the patient experience, which is the foundation of any successful plastic surgery practice.

Nextech believes in giving back to the medical communities that have partnered with them over the years. That’s why Nextech is donating a $30,450 package of its solutions and services, including a two-year subscription to Nextech’s Ophthamology-specific EMR software, IntelleChartPRO. Nextech’s donation is provided to support the educational, quality-of-care and service programs of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).

The rise in drug overdose deaths since the turn of the century has captured the attention of government agencies and lawmakers alike. The greater availability of opioids has been accompanied by increases in their abuse and unintended death. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the number of overdose deaths from prescription pain relievers has more than quadrupled since 1999.

Looking for a way to jumpstart performance? You’ll find it at EDGE 2017. Nextech’s Annual User Conference gives you the edge to take your specialty practice to the next level. At EDGE, you’ll get hands-on training from our product experts, discover new ideas and exchange best practices with other users and healthcare vendors from around the country and across specialties. You’ll also have the chance to meet one-on-one with account managers as well as take advantage of great networking opportunities.