It's a new year! Here are 10 important practice management tips for 2021!

There is no denying that 2020 was a year like no other and healthcare providers have seen an unprecedented increase in patient care over this period. Those that have Practice Management Software (PMS) in place are able to cope with added demand far more efficiently and accurately than those using old manual systems. If you run a healthcare practice you like many others are probably hoping to get some sense of normality back and using our tips below, you can get the most from your practice management software in the year ahead.

Take your work with you

If 2020 taught us anything, it was to be more flexible. Patient care can be delivered in so many forms other than in practice. Having Practice Management Software means a healthcare provider can offer their services to multiple facilities and take their work with them out in the community. Not only that, you can use your PMS to provide Telehealth appointments in the clinic without the need for the patient to come into the centre. This not only promotes better health outcomes for your patients but it increases revenue too. If you haven't considered working remotely, 2021 is the perfect time to get started.

Take advantage of telehealth services

Following on from the above comment, Telehealth services have been a great way for providers to maintain clientele during the Covid-19 pandemic. Those without it would have seen a decrease in appointments. Going into this year demand for this feature is unlikely to slow so make sure you have it running correctly and ensure it is simple to use and easily accessible for your patients.

Go paperless

More and more businesses are going paperless and the health industry is no exception. Having everything online digitally rather than working using a paper trail can simplify the way you run your centre. If you haven't already converted to PMS now is the time. Administrative tasks are drastically reduced, security is upheld to the highest standard and it is better for the environment. Virtually all of your paperwork can be digital, appointments, client notes, billing and more. It improves productivity as no time is wasted looking for paper files it is simply stored on the system which is easy and quick to access.

Redirect laborious tasks

Often too much time is taken up completing tedious tasks that could otherwise be automated with PMS. It's a good idea to determine what you can and cannot offload to PMS to save you time and money. This can help boost productivity and allows you to direct your staff to more important areas of the business that you'd like to see more focus on.

Save time on letter writing

Writing letters is an everyday occurrence for your administrative staff and you as a healthcare provider, while an essential part of practice it is time-consuming. You can save time by uploading customised letter templates to your Practice Management Software. They maintain the professionalism of the facility and can be accessed quickly.

Streamline billing

Automating your billing can save time and reduce errors. You can integrate concessions details with health care providers such as Medicare and insurance companies. This means no looking up rebates and manual processing billing as it is done automatically. Your patients will get faster, more accurate reimbursements as a result.

Protect your confidential information

Confidentiality is paramount within the healthcare industry to protect your patient's privacy and the reputation of your practice. Using paperwork to document and run your business risks exposing vital information to accidental damage such as fire or water damage as well as thieves and unauthorised access. PMS is encrypted with stringent security measures and the practitioner can restrict access to client information so there is no risk of other staff gaining access when they are not supposed to.

Customise your business

PMS allows you to customise your dashboard, from here you can run everything from patients records, medical billing and clinical notes. Place your most-used icons here for easy access. Also, you can customise your reports, using the information gathered you can make adjustments or improvements accordingly.

Provide ongoing training

To ensure your team have a full understanding of practice management software and how it works, it's a good idea to provide adequate training and refresher courses as necessary. The better your staff know how to use the software the more efficient your practice will run.

Invest in education for your staff

With the time gained from automating time-consuming tasks, this time can be better used providing education to your staff to enhance overall operations. Knowledge is power and having a team behind you that is across all areas of the business will add to the success of your practice.

2021 is a new year and an opportunity for growth and prosperity so if you haven't already implemented the tips mentioned above we hope this has given you the confidence to do so. Practice Management Software can completely overhaul the way you do business when sued correctly. It can save you money, reduce errors and help to maintain your practice to the highest professional standard. Here at Nookal, we provide health care workers with state of the art Practice Management Software, if you have any questions, get in touch with our friendly team today or try us for free - we offer a no strings attached 30-day trial.