Going Chartless

[bnissen]

We are still using paper charts - thinking of converting in the near future.  We are already digital with x-rays, E-claims, email, and all that PracticeWorks does for us in the software (scheduling, ledger entries, etc) So the biggest thing is training, adding digital health updates, adding templates for chart notes, training, adding workstations, etc.  Can you give me any idea of how painful the process is?  Thank you!

[bnissen]

Thank you.  I know thinking about it is probably way worse than just doing it. 

[dporter1]

We have been chartless for about a year.  The process was fairly easy.  We scanned patient documents into attachments and added a new form in the charting module for health hx updates when a patient is scheduled.  The most time consuming thing was the scanning.  But it went way better then I had anticipated.

[jeanspears]

I agree completely - the scanning process was the "worst" part 

[jeanspears]

Barb -

We went to digital imaging in July 2011 and then started using the charting module January 2012.  We still had patients fill out paper health histories and still retained the paper charts for reference.  We wanted to start scanning the health histories into the computer but I had an older doctor that wasn't ready to completely ready to make the jump.  He retired in July 2014 and the other doctor's son joined us and he was probably the main driving force behind making the total change to paperless. So began scanning health histories in January 2015.  We also created a medical history form that pops up when the chart is opened and the doctor, hygienist, assistant or myself can view, modify and save it.  It also retains the old copy so you can always look back and reference it.  We would still pull the paper chart for each patient but we found that over time we were never looking at it. Going through this whole experience was quite an undertaking but since doing it - everyone in the office loves it!  So the best advice I can give - go big or go home.  I wish we would have made the plunge into it all at once.  I think it would have actually been much easier. Good luck!!!

Jean

[jenteeth]

I would love to know how you created a medical history form that pops up!

[dporter1]

In Charting Module go to forms and click on Define New. We named ours Health Hx. Click on Add Question. This will be a list of the questions that you want to review with the patient. For example Any changes in health, Medications, New Allergies, PCP Dr. Each time the patient is in for an appt. the hygienists just click on forms and it brings up the old form and they can update any new info. We also created a head and neck review. They check for anything new and also note lesions or ulcers that are not healing as well as our oral cancer screening results. I hope that this all makes sense if you need anything more please let me know.

Thanks,

Deanna, Office Manager

Johnson Dental Care

[jeanspears]

This is exactly how we did our medical history update form.  We did create the form to be
Updatable - Keep History".  We did this so that we could always go back and reference an "old" form in case there was any questions about past treatment and the what the patient reported at the time for medical history.  We also scanned in any forms or medication lists that the patients provided to us.  They are in charting under "Attachments".  That way when the doctor or hygienist is in the patient's chart they have easy access to view them.