Looking ahead to 2011
It's that time of year again—time for reminiscing about the past and looking ahead to the future. There is no doubt that 2010 was a year of uncertainty for many businesses, and dental offices were no exception. Although dental practices likely will face many familiar administrative challenges in 2011, technology is just as likely to start playing an increasingly important role in addressing them. Our top trend predictions for 2011
Trend #1: Data access improvement.
With the new year, many employers will change the dental plans they offer to their employees. Dental practices, therefore, will continue to need to know which insurance company a patient has, as well as the benefits available to each patient.
Without knowing this kind of crucial data up-front, practices for years have been forced to follow up on the back end with patients to verify information, and then resubmit claims—all of which delays payments. With the maturation of technology, however, a growing number of providers, insurance companies, and even patients are realizing the value of being able to retrieve eligibility, benefit, and pre-determination information quickly and easily.
Trend #2: Managed care expansion.
While certainly not new to healthcare as a whole, the concept of managed dental care is one that may gain traction in the coming year. As employers try to trim costs in the lingering tough economy, more and more are purchasing a managed dental benefit instead of a traditional fee-for-service plan.
Trend #3: Patient education enhancement.
In 2011, as in past years, many patients will remain unsure of the dental benefits to which they are entitled. Sometimes this is caused by employers switching to new plans. Often, patients lack even an insurance card to help explain their benefits because many plans have chosen to trim costs by not printing them. So the burden of educating patients about their benefits will continue to fall on dental offices. Increasing amounts of information are available on insurance company websites, but finding it requires time-consuming manual searches. 2011 may be the year that many offices turn to automated eligibility and benefit automation to make coverage information more readily available.
Trend #4: "Meaningful use" advancement.
One of the largest drivers of current legislative efforts to reform healthcare is Medicare, a payer with few ties to the dental industry. As a result, many dental offices have paid only marginal attention to initiatives aimed at promoting the "meaningful use" of health information technology. Increasingly, though, the emphasis on "meaningful use" of the electronic health record (EHR) will begin to spill over to the electronic dental record.
Even if not mandated, economic forces are expected to pave the way for electronic dental records. Especially in a down economy, practices have begun looking toward technology to optimize both financial and clinical processes. From the reduction in manual labor and paper costs to the increase in claims submission and payment turnaround, there are many efficiencies gained from going paperless. In addition, digital X-rays, EDI, and other electronic technologies are continuing to make a paperless environment necessary.
Trend #5: Real-time transaction support.
While they have not come on board quickly, insurance companies are nevertheless expected to increasingly support real-time transactions. Because adjudication systems are such large investments, it is not surprising that insurance companies must plan in advance for the transition. But more and more are doing so.
The information needed to help dental practices operate efficiently and effectively is available. The challenge is figuring out how to access it easily. In the coming year, we can expect to see the industry uniting to address that challenge through technological advances.
What's New at MDE
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Information Center
The American Association of Dental Office Managers is now offering a Virtual Study Club–a monthly, one hour webinar with a renowned and accomplished "mover and shaker" in the industry. These lectures are open to all AADOM members with opportunities for earning six continuing education credits as well as professional development as a dental office manager. Take a look at the current schedule:
- March 8: "The Art of Hiring with Teresa Duncan
- April 12: "Tough Conversations with your Employees" with Fran Pangakis
- May 10: "Documentation Pitfalls" with Teresa Duncan
- June 14: "Strengthening the Hygiene Department" with Rachel Wall, RDH
- July 12: "Accounting and Budget Concerns" with Susan Gunn
- August 9: "Communication Skills for Dealing with Difficult Patients" with Teresa Duncan
Class size is limited, so register early! Learn more here.
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Wednesday, 02 / 09 / 2011