SpectraSoft User Review: Natomas Physical Therapy
By Dean Bessas, PT, Director of Natomas Physical Therapy
A company’s first year in business can be challenging. In addition to attracting and retaining clients, owners must reach numerous goals to be profitable. We were no different when we opened our practice a little more than a year ago.
Despite some mistakes along the way, we avoided major pitfalls and we’re growing quickly to meet our goals. One of our best decisions was installing an integrated scheduling and documentation system from SpectraSoft the day we opened.
Some therapists may wonder why a small, start-up practice needs such a system. But I don’t know how our overworked 3-person practice could survive without it. We investigated several software systems and chose SpectraSoft because it was the best value for the money.
In most cases, the report is faxed to the referring physician as the patient leaves our office. This responsiveness has helped us build a loyal referral network, which is a big reason for our fast growth.
With an integrated software system, we never lose patients due to scheduling errors. AppointmentsPRO allows us to pull a report and instantly see who we need to call for follow-up. The system has more than 100 reports that cover all aspects of our practice, including no-shows, cancellations, outcomes and resource usage. These reports make practice management easy. Referral reports enable us to see if we’re meeting goals and help us determine trends. For example, knowing which zip codes our referrals are coming from helps us prepare and tailor marketing efforts, which is important for a new practice.
Our goal is to act as an extension of referring physicians, so we strive to respond to physicians immediately after we see their patients. Based on past experience, we knew that transcription takes too long and is costly. Our practice treats a range of patients and conditions--from young athletes recovering from sports injuries to older patients adjusting to joint replacements.
SpectraSoft’s DocuPRO documentation system contains more than 150 body-specific templates with branching logic to cover virtually any treatment scenario. As a result, we can document cases thoroughly in minutes and save time with patient charts. DocuPRO allows us to work with tablet PCs and a wireless network. We can take the tablet with us during treatment, open the appropriate template and click through the case as we work with a patient.
When we're finished, DocuPRO instantly prints a summary report. In most cases, the report is faxed to the referring physician as the patient leaves our office. This responsiveness has helped us build a loyal referral network, which is a big reason for our fast growth.
The integrated scheduling-documentation system makes it easy for us to provide seamless patient care.
DocuPRO’s built-in CPT billing codes are one of the system’s most powerful features. After we see a patient, our office manager prints a billing report with a list of CPT codes that are generated directly from the documented activity. We don't have to fiddle with billing slips, and when the practice submits insurance claims we know the billing matches the documentation.
The integrated scheduling-documentation system makes it easy for us to provide seamless patient care. If we need to see a partner's patient, we can scan the case history and get updates in seconds. In addition, our practice is nearly paperless. We scan all paper documents and X-rays, then AppointmentsPRO lets us store the files in the patient's electronic case file, where we can access them instantly. By reducing the need for paper files, we can use our floor space more efficiently. This is an important cost savings for any growing practice.
We’re also pleased with the software’s ease of use. Our office manager was a novice computer user when she joined the practice, but now she moves through the system like a pro. The software works intuitively. For instance, if you're stuck, just left-click and you'll usually find the feature you need. AppointmentsPRO and DocuPRO are used by large organizations with 50 or more locations, so we don't worry about outgrowing the system.
In addition, SpectraSoft has been creating physical therapy software for nearly 15 years, so we're confident we can call the company if a problem arises. SpectraSoft software is an investment that will grow with our practice. And we know that future versions will keep us on the cutting edge of rehab practice technology.
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