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How Yarra Trail Medical Slashed No-Shows & Streamlined Payments

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Missed patient appointments are a big problem for GP practices. They waste valuable time that could have been used to see other patients, which means longer wait times for everyone. Each missed appointment slot adds to the pressure on already overstretched GPs, making it harder for people who really need help to be seen. Staff also end up spending extra time chasing up no-shows and rearranging appointments. For practices already dealing with high demand and tight budgets, missed appointments just make things harder. Simple solutions like pre-payments and deposits might be the solution that your practice can’t afford not to have.

Yarra Trail Medical is using an online patient payment solutions to make it easier to get paid, reduce missed appointments, and save patients’ time. Erin Manderson, Practice Director at Yarra Trail Medical, shared how the options to take deposits and charge pre-payment have saved the practice money. “We’re using Healthengine to take pre-payment for certain procedures, particularly the more expensive procedures where we need to buy consumables. It’s great because now we don’t lose out if a patient does not attend.”

“With Healthengine Payments, we know that the patient’s card is being checked for funds when they make their booking online, so for cancellations outside our cancellation policy, we can take payment without having to call the patient and chase up invoices.”

Keeping track of every transaction is a huge task. Managing payments incoming from patients and fund distribution for payroll tax can be very confusing, especially when individual practitioners are on different payroll arrangements. “As a growing clinic with lots of doctors – all with different bank accounts – staying on top of who we’re paying is hard. But Healthengine payments makes it easy.” Erin commented. “We’ve had a lot of new doctors start and they’re all set up with Healthengine payments already, it was quick and simple, and they can take control of their own account if they want to.”

“I can happily say that Healthengine is the easiest part of my reconciliation by far – by far! They come through in a batch on Tuesdays and the payments are always in the right doctors’ accounts. In contrast, reconciling the EFTPOS’ receipts with the physical receipts each day is a massive pain.”

Using the EFTPOS machine to take payments can be slow and painful. Erin pointed out, “There’s nothing worse than patients having to stand there at the end of their consult waiting to pay.”

Now, the practice asks its patients, “Can I take the payment through Healthengine?” And they say, “Yes!” They’re happy to get out of the waiting room faster and get on with their day.

GPs, dental clinics, allied health professionals, and specialists can now use online tools to collect deposits and payments, process refunds, reconcile accounts, and follow up on outstanding balances via secure SMS payment links and a conversion-optimised patient payment gateway.

Plug-and-play with: pre-pay, post-pay, deposits, skip payment for medicare eligible appointments, payment request SMS sent with secure payment links, and much more. To learn more about Healthengine Payments, click here.

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Digitisation in the Specialists’ World

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There’s no doubt about it: electronic medical record (EMR) systems have, and continue to, fundamentally transform patient data management by digitising traditional paper records and documenting comprehensive patient histories, diagnoses, and treatments within one cohesive system. Several essential features significantly enhance patient care, like maintaining comprehensive patient records, which are easily accessible and provide thorough documentation to support improved healthcare delivery. Or let’s consider e-prescribing, which revolutionised the prescribing process, minimising the likelihood of errors and thereby enhancing medication safety and efficiency.

EMRs also facilitate secure data sharing, promoting continuity of care by enabling seamless exchange of patient information among healthcare providers. Moreover, clinical decision support tools embedded within EMRs aid clinicians in making informed treatment decisions by proposing data-driven treatment paths, further augmenting the quality of patient care.

Considering this, there are still a surprising number of Specialists out there using a good ol’ pen and notepad, remaining blissfully unaware of the time efficiencies to be gained. BCG’s Digital Health in Australia and New Zealand: What’s next? describes the current state and outlook for the digital health landscape, surmising that “continuing to digitise our health system could significantly improve experiences and outcomes for patients and health care workers.” Soon, could pen and paper be a thing of the past? Specialist medical software, like Bp VIP.net, caters specifically to the requirements of healthcare professionals working in fields such as ophthalmology, cardiology, dermatology, and gastroenterology. Bp VIP.net goes well and truly beyond the basic functionality of general practice software, offering tailored features that address the specialised workflows, diagnostic tools, and reporting needs of different medical disciplines.

Dr Deric De Wit from Barossa Eye Clinic made the change from paper-based to Bp VIP.net and considered the system user-friendly. Dr De Wit talks fondly about Bp VIP.net, stating, “It had such depth and excellent programming behind it – almost everything I could have thought of was already in place along with many other well-thought-out strategies for safe and efficient medical practice. The pricing was good, and the team behind it was nimble and transparent. An unmeasured but very realistic saving is the fact that we have not missed a diagnosis, and we have such excellent recalls and follow-ups… I have no doubt that my clinical note taking is much enhanced by the checklists I use in Bp VIP.net.”

If you’re interested in swapping your stationery order for time efficiencies, enhanced medication safety, and better clinical decision support, please call our Bp VIP.net team on 1300 40 1111 or email training@bpsoftware.net.

Authored by:

Suzi Eley Blog Author Image

Suzi Eley
Training and Deployment Team Leader at Best Practice Software

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Is Outdated Payments Tech Slowing Your Practice Down? Here’s the Fix

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Picture a typical busy Monday morning at your practice. Patients are arriving, you’re juggling appointments, and the administrative tasks seem endless. One major source of stress? The time it takes to process payments and claims.
This is a familiar scenario for many healthcare providers in Australia. Outdated payment systems can create bottlenecks, leading to frustration for both patients and staff, and taking valuable time away from what really matters: providing high-quality patient care.

However, there is a solution.

With a modern payment solution, you can transform your practice into a more efficient, patient-focused, and profitable business.

Imagine a practice where patients can pay their bills quickly and easily, allowing your staff to dedicate more time to patient interactions, which can improve overall morale and productivity. A streamlined payments and claims workflow can significantly reduce errors and speed up claim submissions, ultimately supporting your practice’s growth.

For example, the Tyro Pro Key is a next-generation EFTPOS device designed to improve healthcare payment processes. It’s built with a focus on accessibility and user-friendliness, combining a tactile keypad with a touchscreen to accommodate all patients comfortably. This flexibility can minimise confusion and anxiety for patients while helping staff process payments more efficiently, reducing wait times.

This inclusivity is essential in healthcare settings, where diverse patient populations may have varying levels of tech-savviness. By incorporating a device like the Pro Key, which caters to different preferences and abilities, you not only reduce confusion and anxiety for patients but also foster a welcoming environment that prioritises their needs.

The user-friendly design of the Tyro Pro Key doesn’t just help patients; it also significantly enhances the efficiency and productivity of practice staff. With both a tactile keypad and a touchscreen, staff can choose the most convenient method for processing payments, depending on the situation. For instance, a busy front desk can quickly enter transaction details using the keypad while allowing other tasks to be completed using the touchscreen interface when necessary.

“When speaking with our providers, it became clear that practice staff wanted the option of using a physical keypad in addition to a touchscreen. Knowing this, we’ve designed a device that offers both methods, giving staff more flexibility,” says Pete Williams, CTO at Tyro Health.

Staff can easily switch between methods to accommodate patients’ preferences, which minimises wait times and enhances the overall patient experience. Not only that, but less time spent on payment processing means more time available for staff to engage with patients, answer questions, and provide personalised care—key elements that contribute to higher patient satisfaction.

Beyond its user-friendly design, Tyro Pro Key will seamlessly integrate with existing practice management systems (PMS). This integration can streamline payment workflows by reducing the time spent entering and submitting insurance claims, processing gap payments, and handling end-of-day reporting.

Looking ahead, Tyro Pro Key is set to introduce features that further enhance convenience and accessibility, like standalone Private Health and Overseas Visitor claiming (no ethernet cable needed anymore), sign-on-glass, multi-merchant, digital health insurance cards, and options to minimise payment processing costs, such as Dynamic Surcharging1 and Tap & Save2 least-cost routing.

These innovations will help alleviate the stress often associated with payments and claims, allowing you to focus more on patient care. By choosing a modern payment solution, you’re not just improving efficiency; you’re also enhancing the patient experience and supporting your practice’s growth in a meaningful way.

To stay updated on the Tyro Pro Key launch and to learn more about how this device can transform your practice, visit tyrohealth.com/prokey and register your interest.

About Tyro Health

Tyro Health simplifies claims and payments for healthcare providers by offering innovative digital solutions through Tyro Health Online, and our point-of-sale EFTPOS devices. Designed for the health industry, our EFTPOS solutions seamlessly integrate with Best Practice, ensuring efficient operations for your business. Whether you’re an individual practitioner or a multi-location health business, our solutions are designed around the way you work. Find out more at tyrohealth.com

Tyro Health Pty Ltd (Tyro Health) is a wholly owned but not guaranteed subsidiary of Tyro Payments Limited ACN 103 575 042 AFSL 471951.

Disclaimers:

Advertised features will be released progressively and may not be available immediately upon launch.

1. Dynamic Surcharging is available for Mastercard, Visa, eftpos, UnionPay, American Express, JCB, and Diners Club transactions. The Dynamic Surcharging feature is not available for eCommerce transactions or to customers on No Cost EFTPOS pricing. By default, we do not include your EFTPOS machine rental costs into the calculation of your cost of acceptance, however you may choose to apply these costs into your calculation of your cost of acceptance via the Tyro Portal subject to the surcharging rules as set by the RBA and enforced by ACCC and, in relation to American Express transactions, the American Express Merchant Operating Guide (found at www.americanexpress.com.au/merchantopguide).

2. Tyro does not guarantee any cost savings by opting in for Tap & Save. Savings on eligible transactions processed through the cheapest network vary for each business depending on their card mix, transaction volume and amount, industry, and pricing plan. Eligible transactions are contactless debit card transactions less than $1,000. Tap & Save is not available on Special Offer pricing or Card Not-Present Transactions. For details refer to Tyro.com or call 1300 00 TYRO (8976).

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New MBS Item for Diagnosis of Heart Failure

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The introduction of bulk-billed b-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) for use in the screening of heart failure by general practitioners is a welcome addition to the Medicare Benefit schedule from November 2024.

Heart failure is a significant clinical problem on a worldwide basis and the early diagnosis can help patients and doctors manage the condition more effectively.  Giving access to GPs for BNP testing is an evidence based and key step in the care pathway. In 2013 an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality sponsored comparative effectiveness review demonstrated that there is a high quality of evidence to support the use of BNP or NT-proBNP as a rule-out test in chronic and acute heart failure both in the emergency room and in the community.

The role of BNP/NT-proBNP in the diagnosis of heart failure

The National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, guidelines published in 2018 for the prevention, detection and management of Heart Failure made a Strong Recommendation for the use of BNP or NT-proBNP for diagnosis when the diagnosis is uncertain. This guideline recommended a rule-out for heart failure with NT-proBNP of less 300 ng/L. This recommendation is based on primary papers rather than the published systematic review evidence. A more recent guideline published by the European Society of Cardiology has a few different cut-points that are relevant to ruling out the diagnosis of heart failure. In chronic heart failure a NT-proBNP of < 125 ng/L or BNP < 35 ng/L can rule out chronic heart failure in all ages. This is based on people with symptoms suggestive of heart failure or symptoms that could include heart failure as a possible differential diagnosis. Above these levels it is recommended that echocardiography is performed.  For people who present with symptoms suggestive of acute heart failure the cut-point for NT-proBNP is < 300 ng/L or BNP < 100 ng/L.

The cut-points presented are based on a rule-out of heart failure either chronic or acute. Due to the number of other common conditions (e.g. advanced age, renal dysfunction, COPD, anaemia etc.) that can cause an increase in BNP/NT-proBNP the rule-in data is less robust but is still an effective biomarker, particularly as the results get into the higher ranges (> 900 ng/L for NT-proBNP). In the systematic reviews conducted for the 2014 report the GRADE rating was high (4 hashed circles)  for rule-out and moderate (three hashed, one open  ) for rule-in. Thus, the Medicare benefit talks about using BNP/NT-proBNP as a screening test to help identify who would benefit from echocardiogram, as echocardiogram remains the diagnostic test of choice.

In the context of the new benefit, for use in the community, the exclusion of heart failure with NT-proBNP of < 125 ng/L or BNP < 35 ng/L can rule out heart failure in all ages. People with values above these levels will benefit from echocardiography to make the diagnosis.

The Medicare benefit does not distinguish between BNP/NT-proBNP as the evidence for use is equivalent for both. However, there is an important caveat for the choice of BNP in the community setting. NT-proBNP is more stable (days) than BNP (hours) in collected serum samples. BNP requires special handling by the laboratory to maintain stability, if it is not analysed in reasonably quick timeframe. This factor has been taken into consideration in the UK based NICE recommendations and the Canada based Ontario Health Technology assessment.  Thus, most GPs will become familiar with NT-proBNP where hospital-based Doctors may see both BNP and NT-proBNP results.

BNP/NT-proBNP items on the Medicare Benefits Schedule

BNP/NT-proBNP has been available with restricted criteria for certain conditions. These benefits remain in place.  Items 66585 refers to testing in patients with scleroderma and risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension, 66586 for people with diagnosed pulmonary artery hypertension to monitor disease progression, and 66830 refers to the use in people presenting with dyspnoea at hospital emergency departments. The new item, 66829, refers to the use in suspected heart failure in the community setting, to aid in the clinical decision for the necessity of an echocardiogram.

The new benefit is restricted to once per year and as an assistance in identifying people with possible heart failure. For all MBS items it is important to provide the appropriate clinical detail in the clinical note on the requestion, so that the billing item can be correctly identified.

BNP/NT-proBNP items NOT on the Medicare Benefits Schedule

There are other clinical areas where the use NT-proBNP or BNP can be helpful in establishing prognosis and supporting management of heart failure. These use cases are not covered by the MBS and in these instances, patients will need to pay for the test.

References:

Balion C, Don-Wauchope A, Hill S, Santaguida PL, Booth R, Brown JA, et al. Use of Natriuretic Peptide Measurement in the Management of Heart Failure. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2013.

Booth RA, Hill SA, Don-Wauchope A, Santaguida PL, Oremus M, McKelvie R, et al. Performance of BNP and NT-proBNP for diagnosis of heart failure in primary care patients: a systematic review. Heart failure reviews. 2014;19:439–51.

Hill SA, Booth RA, Santaguida PL, Don-Wauchope A, Brown JA, Oremus M, et al. Use of BNP and NT-proBNP for the diagnosis of heart failure in the emergency department: a systematic review of the evidence. Heart failure reviews. 2014;19:421–38.

Atherton JJ, Sindone A, Pasquale CGD, Driscoll A, MacDonald PS, et al. National Heart Foundation of Australia and Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand: Guidelines for the Prevention, Detection, and Management of Heart Failure in Australia 2018. Heart, Lung Circ. 2018;27:1123–208.

McDonagh TA, Metra M, Adamo M, Gardner RS, Baumbach A, et al. 2021 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure. Eur J Heart Fail. 2022;24:4–131.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng106

(Quality) OH. Use of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) and N-Terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) as Diagnostic Tests in Adults With Suspected Heart Failure: A Health Technology Assessment. Ont Heal Technol Assess Ser. 2021;21:1–125.

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Doctor or da Vinci? The Art of Anatomical Models

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Many doctors possess a creative touch, but few would claim to be Leonardo da Vinci when it comes to anatomical illustrations that enhance patient understanding during consultations. While it’s clear that quality visuals support better patient comprehension, sourcing consistent and accurate illustrations can be a challenge, especially with time constraints and limited resources.

Doctors’ practices often face roadblocks such as inconsistent educational materials, time limitations for explaining complex conditions, and the need for patients to grasp intricate medical concepts quickly. These challenges can hinder effective communication, leaving patients confused or unsure about their diagnosis and treatment options.

Online interactive anatomy provides a powerful solution to these challenges by offering an interactive 3D anatomical model that transforms patient education. Instead of relying on static, one-dimensional images, doctors can now present the human body in a way that is immersive and dynamic. Patients can explore detailed anatomy through interactive features, including zooming in, rotating, and even dissecting parts of the model to see how various organs, muscles, and bones function together.

For example, in a practice dealing with orthopaedic injuries, a doctor can show a 3D model of a knee joint to a patient suffering from a ligament tear. By rotating the model and isolating specific components, the doctor can explain the injury and proposed surgery with far greater clarity than a traditional diagram could provide. This interactivity not only enriches patient engagement but also helps them feel more confident in the treatment process, leading to better compliance and outcomes.

Real-world benefits like these extend beyond individual consultations. In busy practices where time is of the essence, 3D anatomy streamlines the explanation process, reducing the time doctors need to spend on repetitive explanations. This efficiency frees up valuable time, enabling doctors to see more patients without sacrificing the quality of care.

Moreover, practices can use the models to build a stronger rapport with patients, offering a more personalised and informed experience. The ability to share annotated models directly with patients ensures they leave the consultation with a clear understanding of their condition, leading to higher satisfaction and trust.

In collaboration with 3D Anatomica, and with the support of Australian Doctor Group, Best Practice is making 3DGlassman available to Australian doctors, providing an ever-expanding library of male and female anatomical models. By making these tools freely available, practices are empowered to enhance communication and patient understanding effortlessly. This not only elevates the standard of care but also helps build long-term patient relationships based on trust and clarity.

In today’s fast-paced medical environment, where patient education is critical, 3DGlassman provides an innovative solution that seamlessly integrates into daily operations, elevating the quality of healthcare communication.

Available in your Best Practice toolbar, the 3DA button allows you to conveniently register for free using the access code: BEST24. 

This opportunity is for a limited time only.

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Document Management In Your Practice

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As a healthcare professional, you understand the importance of managing paperwork and patient documents. You would know how challenging this ongoing task can be. It’s an essential daily responsibility that can quickly consume your valuable time — time that could be spent in patient care. It can be tedious, but it’s a necessary part of the job.

Documentation is an essential component of effective healthcare communication. Given the complexity of healthcare and the fluidity of clinical teams, patient documents are one of the most important information sources available to practitioners. Good documentation improves patient outcomes by enabling information exchange and continuity of care by all healthcare team members.

When practice staff upload medical documents, there is always the risk of human error. The document upload process is repetitive and regularly interrupted by patients, phone calls, or colleagues. Admin staff often find this task boring and repetitive making it more likely for them to lose attention. The chances of making a silly little mistake are high – incorrect patient search, selecting the wrong document to be uploaded, and hitting the delete button while uploading are examples of where it can go wrong. This can result in uploading the wrong document into the wrong patient file, which can have serious medico-legal ramifications for doctors and medical practices.

All too often, when files are lost or misplaced, practice staff will spend hours looking for the correct document. This can result in calls to other providers requesting these documents be resent. This time-consuming process happens at the practice’s expense, resulting in patient appointments needing rescheduling and a bad reputation for the practice’s document-handling process. Lost files can also be a safety and quality risk, particularly at transitions of care where there is a higher risk of information being miscommunicated or lost.

GP practices deal with highly sensitive information daily. Little mistakes in documentation upload can lead to significant adverse outcomes in the future. Document management solutions are more than just vaults for securely storing healthcare information. They are dynamic tools that allow for safe and effective collaboration as documents evolve.

The medical document upload tool, OCR (Optical Character Recognition), can upload any file landing in the doctor’s investigation inbox, elevating the burden on staff to sort and upload manually. It is a widespread technology that recognises text inside images, including scanned documents, PDFs and photos. OCR technology converts virtually any image containing written text (typed, handwritten, or printed) into machine-readable text data. The OCR tool can perform an exact match of the patient’s name, date of birth, address, and other identifying details, then sort the documents into their appropriate files as they are received. Saving your practice time and resources that would otherwise be used to manage unsearchable data.

Click here to learn more about how the OCR tool can work for your practice, or arrange a free demo.

 

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RACGP Three Key Principles for the Secondary Use of General Practice Data by Third Parties

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General practitioners and general practice staff need to be adept at discerning to whom, when and how to provide their data for secondary use. To help GPs and general practice staff navigate this territory, the RACGP has developed courses centred around three key principles for the secondary use of general practice data by third parties.

In consultation with software vendors, like Best Practice, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has recently developed resources centred around three key principles for the secondary use of general practice data by third parties. These principles are designed to ensure that patient privacy is protected and that any secondary use of the data is appropriate and ethical.

Patient privacy must be protected. This first key principle means that any use of general practice data must comply with the relevant privacy laws and regulations and that patients must give informed consent before their data can be used. In addition, any third party using the data must have appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure of the data.

The second key principle is that the use of general practice data must be appropriate and ethical. Meaning that the data should only be used for purposes that are consistent with the primary purpose of the data collection, which is to support patient care. Any secondary use of the data must also be transparent, and patients must be made aware of how their data is being used. Finally, the third key principle is that general practice data should only be used for research or other secondary purposes where there is a clear public benefit. This means that any use of the data must be able to demonstrate a clear and tangible benefit to the public, such as improving patient outcomes or advancing medical research.

These principles are important because they help to ensure that patient privacy is protected and that any secondary use of general practice data is conducted appropriately and ethically. By following these principles, third parties can help build trust with patients and the wider community and ensure that the use of general practice data is seen as a positive development that benefits everyone. It is worth noting that these principles are not binding legal requirements but rather a set of guidelines that the RACGP have developed to promote best practice using general practice data. As such, they are intended to be flexible enough to accommodate different contexts and situations while providing clear guidance on handling general practice data responsibly and ethically.

In practice, this means that third parties who wish to use general practice data for research or other purposes must first obtain patients’ consent and ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to protect the data from unauthorised access or disclosure. They must also ensure that any use of the data is consistent with the primary purpose of the data collection and that there is a clear public benefit to the proposed use. These principles form an essential framework for ensuring that patient privacy is protected and that any secondary use of the data is conducted in a way that is appropriate and ethical. By following these principles, third parties can help build trust with patients and the wider community and ensure that using general practice data is a positive development that benefits everyone.

For more information and to download the RACGP’s resources, please click here.

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Real Time Prescription Monitoring Update

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The rollout of Real Time Prescription Monitoring (RTPM) across Australia is one step closer to completion, with the Western Australian Department of Health recently announcing they are next for implementation. Due for release on the 28th of March.

RTPM provides information to doctors (prescribers) and pharmacists (dispensers) about a patient’s history and use of controlled medicines when they are considering prescribing or dispensing these medicines. The Commonwealth, state and territory agencies are working together to implement the RTPM system. However, each state or territory remains responsible for the management of controlled medicines in its jurisdiction.

The misuse of controlled medicines is a growing concern within Australia, with levels of overdose and accidental deaths rising. RTPM allows healthcare professionals to identify patients who may be at risk of harm due to their medication use. By monitoring prescription data in real time, healthcare professionals can quickly identify patients receiving high doses of opioids or other controlled substances. This information can then be used to develop an appropriate treatment plan for the patient, which may include referral to addiction treatment or the provision of alternative pain management options. RTPM also allows healthcare professionals to detect instances of doctor shopping, where patients attempt to obtain multiple prescriptions for controlled substances from different healthcare providers.

The implementation of RTPM in Australia has been successful in reducing prescription drug misuse and abuse. In Victoria, for example, the introduction of RTPM led to a 30% decrease in the number of patients receiving high doses of opioids. Overall, RTPM is a valuable tool for healthcare professionals in Australia that helps prevent prescription drug abuse, reduce doctor shopping, and improve public health outcomes. Technology developments can help reduce the misuse of medicines listed as controlled substances while ensuring that patients who genuinely need these medicines are able to access them.

RTPM is easy to set up in Bp Premier, but before you can enable RTPM in your user preferences, your practice must be using eRx or MediSecure as your electronic prescription service. For more information on RTPM, please visit our Knowledge Base (F1 and search for ‘rtpm’) or your Department of Health Website.

Want to learn more about RTPM? Watch our explainer video for the rundown!

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What Will the Healthcare Industry Look Like in 2023?

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We had the privilege of interviewing Anita Hobson-Powell, CEO of ESSA (Exercise & Sports Science Australia). ESSA is an organization with a mission to enhance performance, health and well-being through the science of exercise and sport – and it advocates for tertiary-trained exercise and sports science practitioners. ESSA has over 10,000 members across the professional spectrum, ranging from exercise scientists to exercise physiologists and sports scientists to high-performance managers.

With over 15 years of experience, Anita has made a significant impact in her field and has established herself as a leader and influencer in the industry. In this article, we talk about the current industry trends – including technology, data security, and mental well-being. You will also learn about why understanding the patient and delivering quality care is now more important than ever.

Get ready to be inspired and learn from one of the top players in the game.

What are the Current Trends in the Healthcare Industry? 

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The healthcare industry is constantly evolving, and several trends have emerged in recent years that are shaping the future of healthcare delivery. We asked Anita to give us her insights into the four hot topics that that everyone should be thinking about:

  1. “Technology plays a bigger role in the healthcare industry every year. The pandemic significantly impacted the healthcare industry and accelerated the adoption of Telehealth services. Technology has been on the increase. The comfort level of both the patient and the practitioner is increasing.” For Anita, any software that saves time is worthwhile. “Of course, learning a new skill takes time at first, but if it’s an important skill, learn it. With technology, we open up healthcare to more people, and that’s an important step forward.”

  2. The next important topic relates to digital health. “This won’t surprise you, as it is the partner of using technology: data security”, Anita explains. She continues by listing a few questions that should be considered: Where is your data stored? Who has access to it? Is it encrypted? Who in the business need to have access to certain information?” As cyber-attacks are becoming more common, it is vital to protect the patient data. Keeping and managing patient data properly can help the healthcare industry improve quality of care, reduce costs, and grow patient engagement.

  3. Outcomes. “We are seeing outcomes being a bigger focus, and again it links back to technology. If you are providing the service, what data can you show that the person got better or is performing better? You need to justify your service to show that you are doing the right things.” Following outcomes is not only beneficial for the patient, but the practitioner can understand more easily what is working and what is not.

  4. The mental health of the practitioners. Many understand that mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being that affects how we think, feel, and behave in our daily lives. Good mental health enables people to cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their communities. In contrast, poor mental health can lead to a range of issues, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, among others. “Mental health is being talked about a whole lot more. Are practitioners suffering from compassion fatigue? Are they under financial stress or perhaps under lockdown-related stress? Across the clinical, well-being, and sporting space these things are being talked about, and people are also now asking for help. The fact that this is happening is wonderful to see,” says Anita.
“Practitioner wellbeing is of growing interest in our industry and an important focus for ESSA in 2023.”

An Industry Driven by Patients

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According to LinkedIn Jobs in the Rise in Australia recently released that exercise physiologist was the second highest rising profession in Australia. As the profession is getting more competitive, ESSA will stay busy providing the right tools for professionals to succeed. Anita highlights how the result of this study came to them as a positive discovery, but she is not surprised. “During Covid and lockdown, people started to look after their health more and this resulted in more need for professionals to help people. I am also certain our work affects this growth.”

As we continued the conversation about what was happening in the healthcare industry at the moment, Anita pointed out two key factors that are also current trends, which are related to one another. “One that will affect everyone is funds for accessing services. As the support from the government is dropping a little, people will have to pay for the services more than usual. This will naturally affect consumer behavior and now more than ever consumers are driving the expectations of services.”

“If patient’s are not happy with the service, no matter whether it’s in the clinical, exercise, wellness, or sporting space, they will go to another provider. It’s about understanding the patient and delivering quality care.”

Uncovering 2023

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If we had to summarise our conversation with Anita and what the coming year has in store, excitement would describe it fairly well. The use of technology is growing. More practitioners and patients are adopting digital health. Naturally, data security is a rising topic and more people are keen on outcomes and learning through the data. Now more than ever the patients are driving the expectations of the services and therefore the quality of care is increasing. To come back full circle, mental health is in the middle of it all. Practitioners and other healthcare professionals are more aware of their own mental health and seek help for it. When adding it all up, it sounds like we are going to have an exciting year ahead. Bring it on 2023, we are ready to continue elevating the world’s well-being! 

Did You Know?

Physitrack is your complete digital health tool that consists of exercise prescription, patient onboarding, Telehealth, and messaging and outcome measures. It’s easy to use for practitioners and patients. All in one app.

All data sent to and from Physitrack is encrypted in-transit and encrypted at rest. Keeping patients and practitioners secure is of paramount importance to Physitrack.

Physitrack offers clinical groups powerful and easy-to-use tools that uniquely enable the automated collection, aggregation, and analysis of key data from patients in a clinical ecosystem. Outcome analysis at its best.

Authored by:
Anna Rantala
Marketing Specialist at Physitrack

Article and images attributed to Physitrack. Click here to view the blog.

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Transitioning to a New Software Platform

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It’s no secret that transitioning to a new software platform can be time-consuming and stressful, but if done correctly, it is a rewarding and valuable process for doctors and management staff.

The importance of database technology in healthcare cannot be overstated—it’s crucial for doctors, providers, and management teams to access health data quickly and securely. In what seems to be an ever-changing landscape with new rules and regulations being introduced every year, ensuring your practice uses a software platform that meets your individual needs is paramount.

There are many reasons why a practice might decide to change software vendors. Missing crucial functionality, expensive subscription costs, or maybe your practice has decided to change its business model, and your software is no longer a suitable solution. While the idea of change may be daunting, sufficient research, preparation, and perspiration will ensure your transition is seamless and has minimal impact on your business.

Some fantastic IT tools are now available to convert databases from one platform to another. Trial conversions should always be done to ensure the data quality is maintained and that you don’t run into any unexpected issues once your practice goes live with the new software. Typically, at least six weeks of preparation should be allocated for database migration to minimise risk and prevent any last-minute stress.

Some staff may be hesitant about adopting new technologies but employing the proper change management techniques is undoubtedly the best approach. Reiterating the benefits of the new software platforms should help ease concerns, even if staff may see little incentive to change initially. The right amount of training and support from your new software vendor can increase confidence and get hesitant staff onboard with the change.

Most software vendors offer excellent training services and resources to help equip staff with the tools they need to learn a new system. There are four learning styles; everyone has a preferred method: visual, auditory, reading & writing, and kinesthetic. A problem with remotely delivered training can be that it generally only covers the first three styles of learning – seeing, hearing, and reading & writing. While these styles may work for some, many will feel more confident in their understanding when they can practice what they have learnt as they are learning.

The kinesthetic learning style encourages students to be active in their education and find new ways of solving problems rather than being passive, simply observing and listening to demonstrations. Training staff in real-time and putting them in the driving seat will enhance their skills, knowledge and intuition, allowing them to become familiar with the workflows of a new system quickly.

On day one of using the new software in your practice, staff need to feel supported and know that someone is on the sideline available for help whenever it is required. Best Practice Software has listened to the feedback from practices who have previously migrated from other solutions and developed a new training offering to fill this training gap with Bp Go-Live Support.

This new day-one support service involves a dedicated training specialist and a support specialist being available to practices in real-time so that any issues can be quickly and easily resolved. Allowing staff to receive the help they need as soon as they need, reducing anxiety on their first day of operation using the new software solution. Along with learn-as-you-go training, the training or support specialist can also remotely log in to your network to deal with any complex issues that may arise immediately.

Being able to troubleshoot any issues for a practice on their first day of change is imperative in making sure they start on the right foot. For more information, contact Best Practice Software.

Authored by:

Lucy Saul 
Marketing & Communications Specialist 
at Best Practice Software

Matthew Smith
Training & Deployment Specialist
at Best Practice Software

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Bp Learning Video Library | Bp Learning Training Options | Bp Newsroom Blog
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