Dawn Fortner, Practice Manager
Knoxville, TN
Dermatology
Southeastern Dermatology Consultants, PC, a single doctor dermatology practice in Knoxville, Tennessee found that with eClinicalWorks their office became more efficient, their claims were processed faster, and they were able to significantly cut costs.
Southeastern Dermatology Consultants sought an integrated electronic medical records and practice management system that was flexible, easy to use, and cost effective. Dr. (first name?) Doppelt, a recent dermatology residency graduate, bought the Southeastern Dermatology practice and decided that EMR systems were the wave of the future and this was the perfect opportunity to get one. In October, 2004, the practice found the solution they were looking for and successfully began their journey with eClinicalWorks.
One of the main reasons Southeastern Dermatology Consultants chose eClinicalWorks was because they were impressed with the flexibility of the EMR. The practice has been able to easily tailor the application for their dermatology specialty. They customized the EMR so that it is now quick and easy for them to chart a patient encounter and spend more time with their patients. In addition, the practice is able to see more patients per day because their charting is done when the physician leaves the exam room. An added bonus is that the documentation is much more complete.
Cost and return-on-investment (ROI) were also deciding factors for this single provider practice. After checking out several other EMR applications, the practice felt that the cost of eClinicalWorks was “significantly less than any other system out there, and the pricing seemed upfront and fair.” They have seen significant gains in the processing of claims too. Dawn Fortner, Practice Manager, says, “Everyday before I leave the office, all claims are posted, audited and electronically sent out. Filing claims is simple and it’s now done every day. With our last system, Medical Manager, we filed once a week because of the cumbersome nature of the software. Therefore, we have much less insurance outstanding in the older categories. We can work the claims more quickly bringing in money more quickly. Your dollar is worth much more when you bring it in sooner rather than later. Or, if there is a claim rejected, we can fix the problem with the push of a button and resubmit a corrected claim much earlier in the process – again making A/R in better shape.” The practice also reduced expenses by eliminating the need for a file clerk. They all feel they practice more efficiently with a leaner staff. Dawn adds, “the immediate ROI is not having to shell out $1200.00 per year on paper charts! If you factor that in, then you are immediately cutting your monthly payment to eClinicalWorks by 25%. If you factor that in with the $1600.00 per month we were spending on transcription, you’re actually saving money!”
Southeastern Dermatology Consultants found that once they started using eClinicalWorks, they had a significant learning curve, but quickly overcame hurdles and learned to navigate they system. Dawn admitted that because she used Medical Manager for 9 years, she felt outside of her comfort zone when she first started using eClinicalWorks. They felt the staff at eClinicalWorks listened to them and accommodated their wants and needs and have helped get them up to speed as quickly as possible. Their lives have become easier since installing eClinicalWorks too! Dawn says, “We don’t spend as much time in the office anymore and spend more time at home! On the flip side, I get absolutely NO exercise anymore!! When I had to go on a “chart hunt”, I had to get up and move. Now, however, I rarely have to leave my office since everything I need is right at my fingertips.”
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