Jersey Foot & Ankle Institute Gains Efficiency and Saves Time with ModMed® Podiatry

Find out how one podiatry practice successfully switched to all-in-one podiatry software to streamline operations and save time 

Staying on the forefront of technology is important to Ankur Dharia, DPM, podiatrist and owner of Jersey Foot & Ankle Institute, in Hillsborough, New Jersey. At first, Dr. Dharia was satisfied with the EHR system he relied on for almost five years, until he started to notice it remained stagnant while the expectations of his practice and patients evolved.

Functionality was falling behind, charting consumed a lot of his time, and he was spending less face-to-face time with patients. Dr. Dharia worried that switching to a new system would be daunting, and he felt stuck with the status quo. 

When he started searching for new options, he knew he wanted all-in-one podiatry-specific software, which helped narrow down the choices. Ultimately, he chose ModMed^® Podiatry because it offered the highest number of essential features on his wish list for EHR and practice management software. Dr. Dharia continues to reap the benefits of implementing EMA®, the award-winning* podiatry EHR system, as well as Practice Management (PM), Analytics and Patient Engagement tools. 

PHENOMENAL TRAINING AND SUPPORT

Compared to other vendors, the ModMed training really stood out and is the best I’ve experienced. It prepared me not only to use EMA and the PM software but also to maximize their use for my practice specifically. 

Having specialists dedicated to different elements of the training process was very helpful. The trainers were patient with me as I learned the new system, and I never felt rushed. I had a dedicated project manager, clinical training manager and financial training manager. ModMed took care of everything. I appreciate that the new system was almost “turnkey.” I was ready when it was time for go-live.

More importantly, it’s not like once training was done, they just washed their hands of me. I still send them questions here and there and they are very quick to respond. The support from ModMed has been great.

CHARTING: A NEW COURSE

For me, cumbersome and time-consuming charting was the biggest motivator for change. I didn’t want to take more than a few minutes to create a chart note. Although creating notes seemed quick on software demos, I was a bit skeptical. I always take demos with a grain of salt. I was happy to discover that charting with EMA was truly as fast and easy as the demo.

I set up Protocols and by just clicking, I can quickly apply a protocol to an exam and it auto-populates the note. Then, I can make any little changes for each patient if needed. It’s very simple and easy to do.

I like to think I can see more patients, but that wasn’t my goal in the first place. My goal with switching software systems was really to gain some time back for myself and also give more time to my patients. Now, I can spend more time with them and my family. 

TECH THAT SAVES TIME

Making a positive impression of my practice is important. EMA and PM help save time during each visit and have really improved efficiency overall. Everything is just simpler from verifying insurance to checking patients in/out and collecting payments. 

ModMed Kiosk has also been very helpful in streamlining check-in. When patients arrive, we hand them an iPad to sign in. I believe this is easier for patients than sitting in the waiting room for 20 minutes filling out paperwork. It’s easy and user-friendly and helps us earn a good first impression. 

ModMed Kiosk also helps my staff avoid manually entering data from paper forms, which helps reduce typos and mistakes as a result. By using an all-in-one system, the efficiency at check-in follows our patients throughout their visit.

MAKE THE SWITCH

I realize some colleagues might be uncertain about switching to a new system. I was in that exact position for years. I wanted to switch, but felt I didn’t have enough time to research other vendors. Then, one day I realized that I was losing time — losing time with my patients and losing time with my family. I was in the office charting until 8 PM every night, so I just decided to go for it.

Looking back, I shouldn’t have waited, because implementing ModMed Podiatry wasn’t a hard thing to do. If you’re considering a change, my suggestion is not to wait. 

*2022 Black Book 

Note: The statements and conclusions contained herein reflect the opinions of Dr. Ankur Dharia and not those of ModMed. ModMed makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy of any such information.