One common question I get when working with offices that have the desire to become as paperless as possible is “What about my route sheets? What do we use now?” These are important questions. Believe it or not, we are creatures of habit. It is very difficult to let go and trust that the software will provide the same information we have on the route sheet. For instance, I want to know when a patient’s next appointment is. Okay, have you ever looked at the Patient Summary window? This will provide more information than just an upcoming appointment, like when they last paid on their account. Also, when insurance last paid on the account, and what claims are still outstanding.
There are several examples of what you desperately need to see on your route sheet, but it is all accessible within the software – for example, insurance breakdown and information pertaining to frequencies, which is easily accessible from the Chart window. How about posting charges on the route sheet so the front office knows what we did for the day? This is simply done by making sure your clinical team “posts to walkout” all services performed today and removes any service from the appointment that was not performed.
Once you begin to incorporate the necessary steps to access the information you are habitually used to looking at on the route sheet and redirect your eyes to the computer, you will be one step closer to being paperless. Make sure you visit our FAQ page at www.pattfaq.com for any additional help you may need, or simply call the Patterson Technology Center at 800.475.5036.