1. Business Operating Systems
Chapter 62
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2. Chapter 62
Lesson 62.1
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3. Learning Objectives Pronounce, define, and spell the Key Terms.
Discuss the role of the office manager/business assistant in the dental office.
Identify types of practice records and files.
Identify how to use these filing systems: alphabetic, numeric, cross-reference, chronologic, and subject.
Describe the function of computerized practice-management systems and manual bookkeeping systems.
Describe the process of scheduling appointments for maximum productivity.
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4. Introduction Efficient and effective business systems can:
Increase productivity
Decrease stress
Increase patient confidence
What component is necessary to ensure the achievement of organizational goals, satisfied employees working in teams, and financial success? (Effective management.)
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5. Role of the Business Assistant
Greeting patients
Answering the telephone
Scheduling appointments
Managing patient records
Managing the accounting system
Managing recall and inventory-control systems
Overseeing practice marketing activities
Managing the payroll
Presenting and making financial arrangements
What plays a crucial role in a successful dental practice under normal economic conditions? (Patient retention.)
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6. Operating Procedure Manual
Communicate the policies and procedures for staff to follow:
Office communications
Staff policies
Employment policies
Types of office records
Infection-control policy
Clinical procedures
Professional organizations
Why is the operating procedure manual important? (It contains the policies and procedures of the practice that the dentist wants the staff to follow.)
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7. HIPAA Privacy Compliance List
Specific areas that must be included in the procedure manual:
Know the law. Become familiar with HIPAA regulations. Know the requirements of your state privacy laws.
Adopt or develop the required forms to put into action the privacy policies and procedures.
Train the dental staff on the privacy policies and procedures and designate a privacy officer and a contact person to receive complaints. Make sure to document the training.
Notify patients of the new policies by posting and distributing a Notice of Privacy Practice, and obtain written permission by the patient’s Acknowledgment of Receipt of Notice of Privacy Practice.
Make sure policies and procedures are fully implemented and up to date. If changes need to be made, make sure the modifications are documented.
Why is it important to incorporate HIPAA provisions in a useful procedures manual?
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8. Personnel Manual Job description for each employee
Provisional employment
Maternity leave
Disciplinary measures
Sexual harassment
Termination
Pay period
Working hours
Employee benefits (paid holidays, vacation, sick time)
A good personnel manual is an essential business tool that benefits everyone in the company.
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9. Patient Recordkeeping
Patient dental records
Patient registration, medical and dental history form, examination findings, diagnosis and treatment plans, a record of all treatment provided, and radiographs
Patient financial records
Patient statement or ledger including all of the individual patients’ financial accounts
Why should records be kept indefinitely? (They are vital for supporting diagnostic and treatment decisions and preventing payment problems in cases where dental benefit plans apply.)
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10. Fig Patient ledger. (Courtesy of Colwell, a division of Patterson Companies, Inc, )
What information is included on the patient ledger? (All the financial information, date, name, description of service, charges, payments, and balance.)
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11. Fig. 62-3 Computerized patient account screen
Fig Computerized patient account screen. (Courtesy of Eaglesoft, a division of Patterson Dental, Inc.)
The business assistant can access the patient account screen and review or enter information on all aspects of financial charges, payments, and insurance transactions.
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12. Business Recordkeeping
Accounts-receivable records
Practice expenses awaiting payment
Expense records
Payroll records
Business correspondence
Canceled checks and bank statements
Record of income and expenses
Financial statements
How are business records kept? (They are filed in accordance with a subject system: for instance, “laboratory expenses.”)
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13. Filing
Filing is the act of classifying and arranging records to be preserved safely and retrieved quickly when needed.
Keep the filing system simple.
Label folders clearly.
Leave adequate working space in each file.
Label shelves or drawers.
Use out guides.
Presort.
What is a file guide?
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14. Basic Filing Systems Alphabetical filing
This is the easiest and most commonly used system.
Items are filed in straight alphabetical (A-B-C) order in accordance with the basic rules of indexing.
(Cont’d)
Under what part of the patient name is a record filed?
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15. Basic Filing Systems Numeric filing
(Cont’d)
Numeric filing
A number is assigned for each chart or document.
In straight numerical filing, all items are filed in strict order.
This system is commonly used in large group practices.
It is necessary to maintain a cross-reference file.
Why is it necessary to cross-reference a numeric list?
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16. Basic Filing Systems Color-Coded Filing
(Cont’d)
Color-Coded Filing
Adhesive tabs that combine colors and letters are used to indicate the first two letters of the patient's last name.
What is the purpose of color-coded filing?
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17. Files on Hand Active files Inactive files
Files of patients who have been seen within the past 2 to 3 years are maintained in the areas of easiest accessibility.
Inactive files
Files of patients that are not in use are maintained in a less convenient area but are still accessible if needed.
Why are files split between active and inactive patients?
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18. Record Protection and Confidentiality
Computerized files
Back up all files each business day.
Keep two sets of backup files, one in the office and a second set outside of the office.
Paper files
Records are protected in fire-resistant file cabinets and are properly closed each business day.
Why is it necessary to maintain duplicate sets of files?
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19. Appointment Scheduling
With efficient scheduling:
Patients are seen on time.
The patient load is well balanced.
The dentist and staff are able to make good use of their time.
The stress level is decreased.
Production goals are reached.
Patients are happy.
Why is it important in a dental practice to schedule appointments efficiently and effectively?
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20. The Appointment Book
Specific qualities of the computerized or manual system
With or without printed dates
Number of columns
Need of the practice
Per treatment area
Units of time
10, 15, or 30 minutes
These basic components are necessary in the system used: format, outlined days, and effective scheduling.
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21. Outlining the Appointment Book
Four basic elements to be Outlinedo
Office hours: opening, closing, lunch hour, and days off
Buffer time: emergency patients and short appointments such as denture adjustments or suture removal
Meetings: dental and staff meetings
Holidays
When should the book be outlined?
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22. Fig. 62-9 A typical daily format for scheduling.
What is one of the benefits of computer scheduling?
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23. Appointment-Book Entries
All entries must be:
Accurate
Legible
Complete
Written in pencil
Why is it important to make sure that appointment0book entries are accurate, legible, complete, and written in pencil?
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24. An Appointment Entry Must Include
The patient’s name
The patient’s business and home telephone numbers
An abbreviation of the treatment to be provided
The length of the appointment
Special notations (“new patient,” “requires premedication”)
What is the proper sequence of recording entries?
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25. Daily Scheduling Rules
Do not schedule too many difficult procedures close together.
Allow time for treatment-area cleanup.
Educate your patients about and reinforce treatment times.
Protect the appointment book from patients’ eyes; this is private information.
Why should the business assistant not schedule too many difficult procedures close together?
What is the best time of day for lengthy and difficult procedures? (Early morning.)
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26. Scheduling Special Situations
New patients
Schedule them as soon as possible after they call.
Oral-hygiene patients
Work out a list of average times required for certain types of hygiene visits.
Children
Younger children should be scheduled in the morning; school breaks are also a good time for appointments.
(Cont’d)
Some practices reserve a block of time each day for new patients.
In some cases, the dental hygienist performs 90% of the work.
Why should procedures with younger children be done in the morning?
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27. Scheduling Special Situations
(Cont’d)
Emergency patients
See them as quickly as possible, using buffer time.
Series of appointments
Must know:
Number of appointments
Number of units for each appointment
Laboratory time
Expanded-function dental assistant
A patient who is in pain and has been seen before in the practice is known by what name? (Patient of record.)
It is important to promptly schedule an appointment for a patient of record who calls with an apparent emergency so that the dentist is not open to charges of abandonment.
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28. Confirming Appointments
Confirm all appointments by telephone the day before the appointment.
Confirmation prevents many cancellations far enough in advance to allow the time to be used effectively.
What is the role of confirming appointments in a successful practice?
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29. Patient Circumstances
Late patients
Canceled appointments
Short-notice appointments
How should these circumstances be handled?
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30. Daily Schedule A copy of the schedule is posted in:
Each treatment area (away from patients’ view)
The sterilization center
The laboratory
The dentist’s private office
Why would copies of the schedule be posted in these areas?
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31. Chapter 62
Lesson 62.2
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32. Learning Objectives
Identify three types of preventive recall systems and state the benefits of each.
Discuss the management of inventory systems.
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33. Preventive Recall System
Regularly scheduled preventive care is important for a patient's dental health.
Discuss the relationship between preventive and corrective dental care.
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34. Types of Recall Systems
Continuing-appointment system
The patient is given a specific appointment time and date for the next recall visit.
Written recall notification
A recall card or postcard is mailed to schedule an appointment for continuing care.
Recall by telephone
A list of the names and telephone numbers is maintained for the month.
What are the advantages of these recall systems in dental practice? Why?
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35. Inventory Management An inventory system should be: Simple
Readily workable
Kept up to date
Discuss the role each requirement plays within a workable inventory system.
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36. Ordering Supplies What to know before ordering:
Full brand name of the product
Descriptive information
Purchase source
Necessary catalog numbers
Quantity purchase rates and reorder quantity
Have students review sample supply information from a catalog.
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37. Reorder Point The reorder point is determined by:
Rate of use of the product on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Lead time is the estimated time for delays in ordering, shipping or the possibility of backordering.
Discuss several difficulties in establishing a reorder point.
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38. Reorder Quantity Quantity is determined by:
Rate of use: How often is the product used?
Shelf life: When is the expiration date?
Storage problems: Do you have room?
Purchase rate: Is it a good buy?
Investment: Do you have the cash flow?
Provide some guidelines for obtaining precise information about the five factors listed here.
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39. Special Situations When Ordering
Backorders
Item is not available for delivery with order
Order exchange, return, or replacement
Due to a variety of factors
What is the best way to handle the situations listed?
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40. Dental Supply Budget
Consumable supplies are those that are “used up” as part of their function.
Disposables are items that are used once and then discarded.
Expendable items are materials of relatively low cost that are used up in a short time.
Nonexpendable items are smaller pieces of equipment or instruments that will eventually be replaced.
Major equipment includes larger pieces of equipment.
Review copies of the dental-supply budgets of several dental offices. Compare the differences on the basis of the size of the dental practice.
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41. Equipment Equipment records Date of purchase Name of supplier
Expiration date of manufacturer's warranty
Model and serial numbers
Why is it important to maintain equipment records for the dental practice?
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42. Warranty
A warranty is a written statement that outlines the manufacturer’s responsibility for replacing or repairing a piece of equipment over a limited time.
Discuss examples of warranties.
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43. Service on Equipment Service contract Service call
Emergency repairs and possibly some routine maintenance are provided
Service call
Have complete information about the problem available.
Name some specific areas of the dental practice that service contracts and calls must cover.
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