I have been through several implementations of medical billing software changes. Some from the practice side and others from the software support side.
After the software selection process is made, a transition plan should be made to ensure the least impact on your business’ efficiency and cash flow.
Here are 3 recommendations that have served me well previously.
Adequate Training
The constant demands on billing staff to complete their daily work cannot be completely set aside, but it is important staff have the proper amount of time to dedicate to medical billing software training. The lack of or incomplete training will cause staff to become quickly frustrated. Beyond frustration, it also sets a scene for errors, bad workflow processes, etc. many having serious cash flow consequences.
In order for staff to be successful at utilizing the software, a set amount of time needs to be committed to learning 
and practicing all the necessary functions. Not everyone will need to know the ins and outs of every function, but it is a great idea, based on practice size, to have one or two super-users. This provides an in-house go to person for staff when questions arise and they can also serve as the liaison to the software vendor for issues that cannot be resolved in-house.
At Shavara, we have an action plan for each new Iridium Suite customer that comes on line:
Training is performed via online meetings and is scheduled in 2 hour blocks, every other business day. The appointments are set and each employee is made aware of which lessons they will need to attend.
Training is task focused based on attendees’ job responsibilities. Each lesson is followed with exercises that attendees must complete in order to practice the tasks and solidify the lesson.
As mentioned above, the super-user is trained in all aspects of the software and even during training can serve as a resource to other staff that may have questions with exercises, etc.
Thorough Implementation
Even the simplest of software programs has many bells and whistles. You can write a simple text document or use the specialized functions to create a customized document complete with color text and pictures. You might not ever need those options. When it comes to medical billing software however, utilizing all features and functionalities ensures you are getting your monies worth out of the product.
At Shavara, our goal is to simplify the complex business of medical billing:
During training, office workflow is a major topic of discussion. This allows us to highlight features that can improve upon and streamline current processes.
Several features are customizable based upon a practice’s needs. These include superbill configuration for quick charge capture, billing profiles for multiple tax IDs/NPIs, claim scrubber rules, multiple charge schedules, and reporting automation.
We highly value input from customers. Many of our current features have been the result of their suggestions.
Exemplary Customer Service and Support
We all realize how dependent we are on technology. It is important to have a responsive Customer Service and Support staff that can work to resolve your issues quickly and efficiently. The smallest snafu can cause work to come to a screeching halt.
I have seen it be especially nerve wracking on staff that first “go live” week. Even with adequate training and thorough implementation, knowing everything is ‘real” now, can make some people freeze up.
At Shavara we don’t just take your money and run, we are in it with you. Our success is based on your success:
The first live week, your assigned customer service representative schedules one to two hours each day to be live online with staff. We go through your day to day tasks with you, answering questions that come up and providing reassurance.
You will also receive a complimentary 90 day unlimited access to support. Any questions, concerns and issues are handled free of charge.
We also offer Support Contracts that provide reduced rates after the complimentary period is over.
