Software Solutions/EHR

How My EHR Saves Time & Spurs Growth

Sponsored Content

By Aaron Sako, OD

Oct. 28, 2020

My 20 years of experience in the industry has inspired me to set big goals for my three-location practice in Orange County, Calif. With a mission to improve quality of life by providing the finest in vision care for people of all ages, I rely on robust software that can help me become the premier authority in eyecare and eyewear in our community. Every step of my workflow has been transformed and improved by the efficiency and capabilities of Uprise, our EHR and Practice Management System.

Uprise is intuitively designed for the entire patient journey to go smoothly from start to finish. Because the system is cloud-based with built-in patient education, frame data management and patient communication tools, we are more organized, efficient and can grow more quickly. On top of that, the online training portal helps save time in onboarding new hires, which can be a big hurdle for many practices. We now collect money faster, enter jobs quicker and more efficiently, and it keeps the day moving smoother than other systems I’ve used in the past.

Before the Appointment
Being able to send pre-appointment questionnaires, and having the patient data automatically uploaded into the EHR, is key to reducing data entry and shortening exam times. Patients can update their information quickly in the comfort of their own home, which minimizes clerical errors that come from transferring information written on paper charts, or duplicate data entry tasks for my staff. We also reduce our patients’ in-office waiting time by administering paperwork electronically. This provides our doctors with the most updated medical/eyecare history, current patient medications and chief complaints for new and established patients.

Through gaining a better understanding of patients’ lifestyles, we can tailor our recommendations to them. We automatically upload new forms into the patient’s file, which reduces staff time spent inputting data and manually scanning signed documents. Finally, patients can use the patient portal to securely message the office and locate their prescriptions remotely, which is a helping hand for the FTC final contact lens ruling.

During the Exam
The system’s functionalities were designed to make communication easy for the entire staff when patients are in the practice. For example, it’s easy to navigate making changes to patient demographics on the spot during check-in. Another integral tool when managing multiple doctors and patient visits simultaneously is the appointment status drop-down feature, which allows us to track the patient throughout their visit. We can check and track how long patients have been in each station, the length of time spent with their provider, and which rooms are occupied and available. During this pandemic, it has played an important role in making sure our patients are safe.

During the exam, our ODs frequently use the copy forward option for common codes and to view summaries of each category like trends, charts and history of Rx. Just before the patient leaves, we can send over patient education and prescriptions easily through the patient portal, so the patient always has access to them.

Optical & Checkout
Linking Uprise with CLX and VisionWeb’s ordering system allows us to process orders quickly and minimizes double entry and order errors. Under one login, we can track statuses, add vendors, create special discounts and upload frames into our database. We enjoy customizing the system to our specific dispensary needs, which can differ greatly from practice to practice.

The claim-tracking feature within Uprise is helpful for seeing the full history of claims; who submitted, who entered and who placed them. Checking out the patient is a smooth process because the doctor fees and optical charges can be merged into one organized invoice.

During COVID-19
Uprise only requires a computer and internet connection and all updates occur automatically the next time we login, which is a big reason why we could continue to serve patients effectively. When our practice was closed, we answered telephone calls using Weave, logged into Uprise from home, consulted with patients virtually, updated appointment times and sold patients contact lenses and glasses remotely. The best part was that our leadership team was able to handle all three offices from a single location by simply changing office location in the Uprise Software. Another benefit of utilizing cloud-based software is that we no longer need to maintain a server in the office, which can be costly over the years.

Overall, I’m looking forward to exponentially growing our patient base and acquiring new practices over the next 10 years with the help of Uprise.

Aaron Sako, OD, is the owner of La Paz Optometric Center in Laguna Hills, Calif. To contact him: aaron.sako@percalliance.com 

 

To Top
Subscribe Today for Free...
And join more than 35,000 optometric colleagues who have made Review of Optometric Business their daily business advisor.