Preconfigured Chiropractic Software Had Ohio Practice Operational From Day One

 

THE PRACTICE In 2005, Dr. Nathan Sikora and Dr. Michael James opened the Center for Holistic Medicine in Canton, Ohio. Their patient profile patient reveals a mix of about 70 percent group insurance patients, about 10 percent Medicare and about 20 percent cash patients.   THE CHALLENGE After unsuccessful efforts with some paperless solutions, they were looking to streamline office operations and paper-based processes wherever possible.   THE SOLUTION The software streamlines clinical notes, documentation and reporting in a paperless environment; ACOM's Go Live-Stay Live approach streamlined implementation with detailed preconfiguration of the software to the clinics needs and preferences.   THE RESULTS The software was installed at the clinic one day and was fully operational at the start of business the next. Dr. Sikora unconditionally recommends ACOM, their software and their Go Live-Stay Live program to any doctor.

 

Key differentiator eliminates implementation headaches, Doctors say

 

Chiropractic College classmates Dr. Nathan Sikora, and Dr. Michael James, share a patient-first philosophy that stresses longer than normal patient visits and emphasizes patient self-care. They recognize that without efficient office operations and proper compensation for their services, they cannot continue to provide the level of care that is at the heart of their practice philosophy.

 

The doctors recently installed ACOM Health chiropractic notes and documentation software – fully configured to their practice’s unique forms, procedures and policies. ACOM’s Go Live, Stay Live services ensured that there were no snafus, no delays: the system was operational and ready for use across the practice immediately. “It differentiates ACOM’s software from all others,” Dr. Sikora says.

 

The Doctors

Dr. Nathan Sikora D.C. distinguished himself academically, athletically and professionally. At Heidelberg University, he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine, then moved on to the New York Chiropractic College, receiving his D.C. degree Magna Cum Laude in 2005, he opened the Center for Holistic Medicine in Canton, Ohio with a classmate.  

Dr. Michael A. James entered the natural healthcare profession as a result of his interest in the health benefits that people can derive without the use of drugs or surgery. He graduated magna cum laude from The Ohio State University with a B.S. in microbiology in 1999 and received his doctorate degree summa cum laude from New York Chiropractic College in 2004.

The Practice

Besides the two doctors, the staff comprises a rehabilitation specialist, a massage therapist and an office administrator. The practice’s patient profile reveals a mix of about 70 percent group insurance patients, about 10 percent of it Medicare with a smattering of personal injury and workers compensation cases; and about 30 percent cash patients. Practice volume averages about 30 patients per day, with the visits normally comprising about 10 minutes each with the doctor, the massage therapist and possibly a rehabilitation specialist.

 

The fact that ACOM Health software comes preconfigured uniquely for our clinic and ready-to-use makes it stand out dramatically from its rivals in the market.

 

The Impact

Typically, chiropractors rarely derive no more than 20% of their software solution’s power because in a busy practice, doctors are reluctant to divert time from revenue-generating professional services to tweak their software. As a result, they lose 80% of their software’s potential.

 

With ACOM Health’s Go Live, Stay Live services the doctors receive a complete turnkey solution consisting of software configuration for their practice, installation, training and then ongoing support to ensure they take full advantage of their software’s sophisticated and rich features. ACOM does all the work so they don’t have to.

The doctors installed their preconfigured ACOM software one day and were using it “full bore” the next, Dr. Sikora says.

 

• The full power of the system was immediately available. ACOM professional service staff integrated the clinical and practice management modules, enabling the clinic to save time and effort in the diagnosis, treatment planning and clinical reporting processes. The database, customized to the practice, ports data automatically into the business side for patient management, billing and collection activities.  “Our intelligent fields were already set up,” Dr. Sikora says. “All we had to do is start using them.”

 

• No professional time was lost in implementation. With an earlier system, Dr. Sikora spent untold hours of precious personal and professional time over many weeks trying to implement the software incrementally, feature by feature. Even so, the practice was never able to exploit the technology’s full potential. Conversely, ACOM’s professional services contacted the doctor to gather the necessary data and use it to configure the software to the specific needs of the practice. “With the ACOM solution, we’re getting the full value of our investment.” Dr. Sikora says.

 

• Practice processes and procedures were preserved. Like many practitioners, Drs. Sikora and James have evolved specific exam protocols and treatment modalities that are unique to their practice and preferences. Following their descriptions, the ACOM professional services team incorporated these custom features in the software. “We do a variety of tests that are not commonly done and we now have a template for detailing the results,” Dr. Sikora says. “We also have massage, nutrition, acupuncture treatments that require specific information to be recorded and ACOM provided the templates and intelligence that we needed.”

 

• Operation is straightforward. The software is virtually intuitive to use, proceeding logically through the established clinical, billing and patient management sequence. Because the Go Live Stay Live process doesn’t deviate from the practice’s establishing procedures, the staff did not have to learn new processes. “The software is so intuitive that completing one step usually leads to the next,” Dr. Sikora says.

 

• Quality notes and documentation support proof of medical necessity. ACOM sets up the notes and report fields in the implementation process in strict conformance to CPT codes and the Medicare notes and reporting protocols, eliminating the possibility of guesswork. Now notes are supported by precise data fields; reports are generated quickly in formats preferred by third party payers; and their precision and CPT-compliance virtually assures that claims are rarely contested.

 

Any doctor will benefit, but for new graduates, I say “buy it,” no matter where you have to get the money, otherwise you’ll always be playing catch-up. With this plan, everything is already there and you don’t have to figure out how to do it later

 

“We are confident that everything has been done right and that we are getting maximum performance from the system,” Dr. Sikora says. “Had I chosen to implement the software myself, I would have either overlooked or opted not to apply many valuable features either because I didn’t want to spend the time or would not have known they were there.  We have greater confidence in the claims that we submit and we feel that if we are denied or audited we can easily validate the medical necessity of our treatments.”

 

Dr. Sikora recommends ACOM software without reservations for any doctor or clinic. “For new graduates, I say ‘buy it,’ no matter where you have to get the money, otherwise you’ll always be playing catch-up. ACOM’s Go Live-Stay Live approach is a true differentiator with identifiable value: everything is on board, ready–to-use. You don’t have to figure out how to get information into the system or how to get it to work.”

 

 

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