Paducah Dermatology Reaps the Time Saving and Financial Rewards of Switching to ModMed® Dermatology
Case Study
Practice Goals
- Automate manual tasks and processes
- Speed up claims and payments
- Optimize operations through better analytics
Key Benefits Experienced
- Increased efficiency due to automation
- Saved time with tailored Protocols
- Improved patient engagement with digital tools
- Received payments faster
Find out how one dermatology practice saved time and streamlined operations by switching software systems.
“I’m so grateful we switched to the ModMed Dermatology software suite. Our practice is more efficient, our providers save time and our payment turnaround times are faster.”
‒ DEBORAH BRANDON, PRACTICE ADMINISTRATOR
Paducah Dermatology, a five-provider three-location practice in Western Kentucky, had an acute problem. The EHR software they used for over 20 years suddenly lost its certification. The practice needed another solution to help them qualify for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), and fast.
Practice Administrator Deborah Brandon had already started researching new software options, crunched the numbers and awaited the day she could switch to a more efficient and cost-effective EHR and practice management system.
As part of her due diligence, Deborah surveyed growing and successful dermatology practices to learn which vendors were helping them thrive. That’s how she ended up taking a closer look at ModMed® Dermatology and implementing EMA®, the award-winning* dermatology EHR system, Practice Management, Analytics, ModMed Pay and Patient Engagement tools.
A NECESSARY UPGRADE
When our previous EHR vendor lost its certification, the pandemic hit one week later and the country shut down. We realized the problem would not get resolved, so our head physician, Dr. Halden Ford, gave me the green light to search for a new system.
Little did he know that I had already been searching for over a year. I’m part of ADAM, the Association of Dermatology Administrators and Managers, and when I surveyed practices at one of the meetings, I found that most were using ModMed Dermatology.
For a long time, when I brought up the idea of converting to a new system, Dr. Ford wouldn’t even consider it. Now that we have EMA and Practice Management, he is so thankful. To hear his positive sentiments since switching was a major deal and relief.
QUICKER PAYMENT TURNAROUND TIMES
As a practice administrator with accounting experience, money is near and dear to my heart. Compared to our old system, EMA costs us less money per month, so before we even got out of the gate, we were saving money.
One of the biggest gains since implementing ModMed’s PM system is the seamless interface with the clearing house. With our previous software, we had to manually transmit claims, which meant frequent errors and delays. Now, our claims leave every three hours, which correlates to money coming in much faster than before. Our claims are also cleaner because of the customizable claim scrubbing prior to payer submission.
With the Quoting Tool, we can enter the codes and insurance information to check the patient’s remaining deductible. This gives them a ballpark idea of how much the services will cost. Patients want financial disclosure, so they really like this feature. Since we use ModMed Pay, they also have multiple ways they can pay. This is added convenience for them, and quicker payment turnaround times for us.
SAVING TIME THROUGH AUTOMATION
We see a wide range of patients. By having Protocols set up in EMA for various conditions we treat, our providers can auto-populate a note with a few simple clicks. In our experience, Protocols help reduce errors and speed up documentation. One of our Mohs surgeons used another EHR system prior to joining our practice. With EMA, he is seeing more patients per day and going home sooner than he did with the other system.
We use the Pathology module for our in-house lab, which allows us to more easily track the entire pathology process. Our old biopsy tracking system was manual and inefficient. EMA has streamlined this functionality and the results are automatically available within the patient’s chart.
Another time-saving feature is the automated Patient Reminders, which has resulted in fewer missed appointments from no-show patients. Another plus is our ability to reach all patients scheduled on a particular day if necessary. For example, in the winter if we have inclement weather and need to close the office, in about two minutes I can contact all of the scheduled patients versus having to call each one. The automated message notifies patients that we are canceling their appointment and gives them instructions on how to reschedule.
One of our Mohs surgeons used another EHR system prior to joining our practice. With EMA, he is seeing more patients per day and going home sooner than he did with the other system.
FLEXIBLE DERMATOLOGY ANALYTICS
The Analytics platform helps us keep a pulse on the office operations. I run various reports on a daily, weekly and monthly basis tailored to specific metrics that are important to our practice. For example, Dr. Ford wants to know the charges, payments and adjustments outstanding by provider.
We also track our Mohs surgeries—how many flaps, grafts and complex closures we do, how many stages each patient goes to, and how many new and follow-up patients we see.
I’m so grateful for the ModMed Dermatology software suite. Our practice is more efficient, our providers save time and our payment turnaround times are faster.
*2022 Black Book
Note: The statements and conclusions contained herein reflect the opinions of Deborah Brandon and not those of ModMed. ModMed makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy of any such information.
