What Are the Emerging Workflow and Automation Best Practices for Your Dental Business?

No doubt, innovation has an exponential impact on technology.

Equally so, innovative technology is transforming dental practice workflow and automation best practices.

Leaders across dental practices, group practice organizations, and dental service organizations are undoubtedly drawn to implementing best practice strategies. And frankly, it’s more than merely implementing the latest software development. 

It’s actually a new mindset about how you approach the operational challenges of patient care. Embrace the advancements or stay on the questioning fringes – the choice is yours.

The synergy between practice management and clinical operations

Innovative best practices align with the challenges of managing a solo private practice or a complex dental organization. The outcome (for either sector) helps providers deliver outstanding patient care that separates them from the competition.

You perhaps hear a lot about “next-generation” technology. It could include software or a variety of automation focused techniques. 

Either way, your practice or organizational care standards will be significantly affected by joining the revolution occurring around workflow and automation.

What are the workflow and automation best practices driving innovation and success for your dental practice or DSO?

Integration of EHRs (Electronic Health Records)

Healthcare, in general, has been transformed for at least a decade by EHR technology. And the transformation has begun to migrate to some dental software platforms.

For the record, this is about more than electronic “charting.” Your dental practice or dental organization could be operating under the illusion that you’re embracing an EHR system. But in reality, you’re simply utilizing paperless charting.

”A true EHR system should capture individual data fields via customizable clinical templates in a structured database so they can be used for all kinds of patient care–related features.” (source)

The comprehensive oral-systemic health connection stands to benefit from adopting a robust EHR system. That connection has evolved to include more diseases and conditions than the fundamental gum disease-heart disease relationship.

Here’s the beginning of what you can expect from integrating EHR system best practices in your dental practice or organization:

• Access real-time, research-driven data on how you could handle a specific patient issue. Information overload can be eliminated and further refined to assist your team(s) with intelligent decisions for patient care.
• Analytics structured around a patient’s comprehensive care data. Access to information enables dental practice, group practice, or dental support organization to plan and improve care based on previous protocols.
• Data can potentially be shared between specialists, healthcare providers, hospitals, and dental providers. Fingertip access to patient health info (and vice versa) can promote improved care collaboration.

Customization around workflow management

The ability to customize and follow “intelligent rules-based” workflow functions can benefit dentistry as it has the medical field. A dashboard platform would be capable of providing improved clinical results regardless of provider experience.

DSOs, in particular, could streamline their training systems. For example, this enables providers to tailor software platforms to their workflow rather than having to adapt to the platform.

In essence, the more customizable (thus “intelligent”), the better your practice or organization’s workflows. And especially in the clinical area.

Picture imaging technology/hardware, integrated with the practice management software platform. The somewhat seamless solution would unify clinical processes during a patient’s visit without increased training on the part of providers. 

Best practices could include:

• Case-based support that matches skills, resources, and procedural recommendations based on available imaging. 
• Customizable clinical workflows guided by intelligent information regardless of provider experience.
• Patient engagement driven by automated worklists. So-called “intelligent rules” could be set to remind specific patient groups and prompt related, specific front-office follow-up tasks.
• Treatment data could be mined to automate patient contact around needed treatment/procedures. This produces more efficient patient communication for achieving better care standards.

The integration of 3D imaging and practice management systems

Single platform management of 3D imaging requires increased efficiency. As real-time cloud imaging has evolved, credit is due to 3D optimization. 

In fact, the cloud is now showcasing the advancements in 3D imaging. And the ability to view it.

For example,…

”Apteryx developed a 3D viewer to support that. Instead of burning CDs or sending unsecured 3D images through email for distribution and/or radiographic review, which can be problematic because of the large sizes of 3D files, you log into a secure portal and receive the images quickly in a secure environment.” (source)

Image mobility translates to enhanced patient care that envisions these best practices, among others:

• Provider, specialists, and radiologists can collaborate and review images. Time and skills might prohibit some instances of treatment planning. The collaboration could assist with assuring an accurate procedural path.
• “Intelligent” imaging systems can spot areas where treatment should be focused on. 
• Images can be analyzed for potential issues. DSOs could collaborate across locations around problems or challenges and reach an effective patient solution.

Overall, collaboration around imaging using 3D cloud-based technology can be more efficient and precise. Practices are able to manage their treatment protocols in a more timely and patient-centric way.

And speaking of collaboration as a best-practice…

Virtual collaboration and care is improved via dedicated teledentistry platforms

Independent dental clinics, group practices, and DSOs are increasing their use of teledentistry. COVID-19 has somewhat forced dentistry’s “hand” regarding the use of the perceived safer and secure virtual patient visit.

Cloud-based teledentistry platforms are capable of providing secure synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (stored/deliverable) patient communication portals. Consultations can be one-on-one, with groups, specialists, or other medical professionals. 

Teledentistry platforms can also provide a secure, easily accessible patient portal. Required forms, updating patient information, and financial transactions can be efficiently completed with patient-facing technology.

Generally, a patient can have full access to your expertise, diagnostic recommendations, and treatment planning protocols via a virtual teledentistry appointment. Your ability to collaborate with them about their current dental condition or desired treatment can happen in real-time or via a stored data source relevant to their need(s).

Data analysis, access, and usage remains core to best practices utilized by independent and corporate dental organizations

Your ability to access, store and use data is an evergreen best practice. Data analytics can energize your organization’s success. 

Check out the following resources to gain insight into how you can use them effectively:

4 Keys to DSO Success Using a Dental KPI Dashboard

How to Choose a Dental Dashboard For Your Growing Organization

An all-in-one dental KPI dashboard for DSO, group practice, and solo private practice success

Managing your metrics, data, and essential KPIs requires an amount of time and energy. Streamline the process with an all-in-one solution that includes the essential capabilities expected from a dental dashboard.

The Jarvis Analytics platform helps assure that you’re tracking the important metrics and staying on-track with your goals as your dental practice and/or DSO grows and expands. 

Jarvis…

• Integrates seamlessly with your chosen practice management software/platform
• Presents the metrics you want and need in an easy-to-view dental dashboard that reduces data complexity for growing dental practices, dental groups, and DSOs

Experience Jarvis in action. Request a demo today!

Or…

Contact us for more information about data tracking that leads to profitability.