Chiropractic Office Workflow In 2025 - Scheduling, Clinical Service, Notes, And Billing Software

Pattie Stechschulte's vision of a chiropractic office in 2025 ("A Glance into the Future," Today's Chiropractic, May, 2003) includes simplified check-in, complete patient checkup using non-invasive techniques, self-configurating adjustment table that sets itself up for next patient, a touch-screen computer system in each room loaded with intelligent software for SOAP notes, consultation modules to tap into more experienced doctor's knowledge, and a patient-friendly portal for online patient education and appointment scheduling.

While non-invasive checkups and self-configurating adjustment tables still belong to the future, the information technology aspects of Pattie's vision has already become a reality for chiropractors armed with advanced Vericle-like solutions.

First, their patients check themselves in by swiping a key tag in a scanner located in the front office. The key tag contains basic information about the patient (encrypted for HIPAA compliance) as well as practice logo and phone number for a handy patient reminder. The system immediately finds patient's SOAP notes and informs the front office person about outstanding patient balance or waiting messages.

Next, as the patient proceeds to the adjustment room, her SOAP notes are already displayed on a touchscreen computer system, the doctors have installed in each room. The system is loaded with intelligent software for care plans, SOAP notes, and retail sales products. Touchscreen technology helps doctors avoid costly mistakes of handwritten notes. Because the note generation process is standardized, notes are complete and compliant under the insurance audit scrutiny. Unlike computer mouse and drop-down menus of traditional systems or the prohibitive numbers of screens in a typical PDA, touchscreen technology requires minimal eye-hand coordination; the doctor can enter information and still maintain eye contact with the patient.

Finally, as the patient leaves the office, the system automatically generates an insurance payment claim, presents it for doctor's review, and immediately forwards it to the insurance company. With front-to-back office integration, advanced Vericle-like solutions deliver the claims to their destination in real time, as soon as the patient leaves the office.

Yuval Lirov, PhD, author of "Practicing Profitability - Network Effect for Revenue Cycle Control in Healthcare Clinic and Chiropractic Office: Scheduling, SOAP Notes, Care Plans, Coding, Billing, Collections, and Audit Risk" (Affinity Billing) and "Mission Critical Systems Management" (Prentice Hall), inventor of patents in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Security, and CEO of Vericle.net - Distributed Billing and Practice Management Technologies. Yuval invites you to register to the next webinar on audit risk at BillingPrecision.com.