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Software Referrals for Dental Practices

Posted September 11, 2020 by Beth

XLDent_SoftwareReferrals

 

No one knows referrals like dentists know referrals. Dentists make referrals based on the patient’s unique needs and based on the consulting or specialist dentist’s education, training, and experience. In dentistry, referrals are a critical part of choosing the right provider and receiving the best care. The same is true of referrals for the tools you use in your practice, including software like XLDent. We recently launched XLDent Referrals because we recognize how mutually beneficial it is to grow our company with dentists similar to our successful clients.

When finding new software for your practice, you will consider many different platforms, products, features, and capabilities. A referral from someone who uses the software that you are considering is a pivotal way to choose which investment you’ll make in your practice.

Choosing software is not just selecting a product based on features–it is also appointing a software company that will play a significant role in your practice’s success. Another clinician’s recommendation is invaluable when looking for the right fit. We have collected some of the biggest reasons we believe referrals are essential considerations when selecting the right software for your dental practice’s health. Among them are the many reasons that XLDent clients refer to us.
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Why Choose XLDent Cloud

Posted August 20, 2020 by Beth

XLDent Cloud Blog Banner that says Why Choose XLDent Cloud for your dental practice: adaptability, security, and efficiency meet in the cloud

 

When we released our XLDent Cloud solution back in March, we wanted to offer dental practices both an on-premise and cloud option for our already robust software suite. XLDent Cloud combines our leading dental practice management software with cloud data management technology.

The needs of dental practices are constantly evolving. So is technology. XLDent Cloud offers a scalable cloud solution that can meet your practice where you are now, and scale with you as you grow. XLDent Cloud allows your practice to:

  • Use a cloud solution for single or multiple locations
  • Centralize data management
  • Streamline software updates, backups, and server needs
  • Integrate with a full suite of comprehensive eServices, such as Real-Time Insurance Eligibility, Electronic Remittance Advice, Patient and Doctor Portals, Encrypted Email, and more

XLDent Cloud is a hosted cloud system that is managed and maintained by XLDent as your cloud service provider. That means you will have access to your information. However, XLDent manages the server systems on which that data is ultimately located.

How do you know if a cloud deployment will meet your practices needs any better than an XLDent solution hosted on a server in your practice? We’ve curated a list of a few of the top reasons that dental practices choose XLDent Cloud for your consideration.

 

Always Ready

With XLDent, all of your clinical documents, charts, patient contact information, and other practice management data can be accessed at any time, by any authorized user. XLDent Cloud allows you to work in a secure environment without complicated network connections to retrieve your data. Your data is synced and stored in the cloud.

 

Adaptability

XLDent Cloud creates the flexibility to work from home. All of the information stored in XLDent Cloud is synchronized in real-time so you can access it from anywhere. Your data is encrypted with secure password protection. XLDent Cloud simplifies availability while keeping data safe.

 

Always the Best Service

XLDent takes responsibility for managing the device on which all of your data is stored. You can expect the same level of service you’ve come to trust in the XLDent brand. Our experienced highly-trained IT professionals are dedicated to the security and health of your systems. We pride ourselves on being proactive and service-driven. 

 

Save Money

When you do not need to manage your server hardware at your practice on your own, there is no need to find and hire more experienced and more expensive IT staff and server administrators to address this aspect of the system. XLDent’s dedicated and experienced IT professionals are already looking out for your system. Your practice can also skip the cost of server hardware and still expect to enjoy the latest data storage advancements. 

 

Security

Protecting clinical data has always been a top priority for XLDent. We consistently choose the latest industry-standard security protocols. We stay on top of the newest security updates so that we are sure to provide the most secure platform possible to your practice. 

 

Posted in: Dental Practice Management Software, Dental Software, Dental Technology, Dental Web-based Solutions, Electronic Dental Records, IT Services, XLDent Cloud, Leave a comment/ No Comments »
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Payer Audits: What you need to know

Posted February 7, 2017 by Danielle H

Payer Audits factsWith tens of billions in financial losses due to health care fraud annually (according to the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association), third party payers are taking action. In an attempt to prevent abuse of the payment system, payers are now routinely conducting audits of health care providers. This article will help you understand how payers choose providers to audit and how you can prepare your practice.

Why me?

For insurance payers, the audit process often begins by looking at a specific dental plan. Payers analyze procedures submitted across all providers and look for inconsistencies. Auditors look for unusual charges and/or providers that submit a particular charge at an atypical frequency. As the payer looks closer into a particular provider, they will examine data relating to average cost per claim and average cost per person. Once the auditor has identified providers with the greatest discrepancies, they choose to audit one or multiple providers.

I’m being audited. What now?

Most dental practices will be notified of an audit by telephone or mail. In many cases, the third-party payer will arrange a day and time for the audit. Upon receiving a call like this, ask the payer representative why you are being audited. Likely, they won’t share details, but any information you obtain could help you prepare.

Plan to clear your schedule or significantly reduce your number of patients on the day the payer representative arrives. Meet with your entire team ahead of time to inform them of what is going on and what is expected of them. A primary focus of an auditor is to review patient files that support claims that were submitted. The auditor will request information from specific patient records and should be permitted only to view the records of the patients covered under their plans. HIPAA privacy laws do not allow payers to view the patient information for those that are nonmembers of their plans (or former members). Participating providers are typically left without recourse when the story told by the patient record doesn’t support the necessity of the treatment provided.

Preventative Measures

With dental payer audits becoming more routine, preparing your practice for a potential audit is increasingly important. For each insurance company that a practice participates with, the dentist and insurance coordinator should review the payer contracts annually. Designate a safe place to keep these items so they are easy to reference when needed. Next, review a report of the most commonly used procedure codes in your practice. Use Practice Booster to review these codes for accuracy. Are you submitting these codes under the proper circumstances? A Practice Booster subscription can help you stay on top of the latest information related to coding and insurance. Lastly, examine the documentation processes you have in place. Do your progress notes tell the entire story? What documents help support your necessity for treatment in any situation? Take time to review your processes with your team regularly. If you want to see what Practice Booster can do to help reduce your risk, contact XLDent for a special offer today.

Now that we’ve explored risk management as it pertains to your clinical practices, infrastructure, and insurance, stay tuned next week as we look at malpractice and how to handle risky patients.

Posted in: Dental Practice Management Software, Dental Software, Electronic Dental Records, Leave a comment/ No Comments »
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HIPAA: Keep your data and practice protected

Posted January 12, 2017 by Alexa S.

We get it, HIPAA isn’t the most exciting topic out there. However, it is a topic that needs to be a priority to every dental practice. A lack of attention to HIPAA details could cost you. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) was established in 1996 as a way to promote and standardize information stored and exchanged, as well as create a guideline for transaction, security, and privacy standards. A common buzzword associated with HIPAA is PHI (Protected Health Information) which is individually identifiable health information that is held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associate. There are 3 primary categories in HIPAA that we should first take a look at.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes standards to protect individuals’ medical records and other personal health information. The HIPAA Security Rule deals with electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI). The HIPAA Breach Notification Rule requires covered entities to notify affected individuals, HHS, and in some cases, the media of a breach of unsecured PHI.

Now that we have reviewed the nuts and bolts of HIPAA, what do you think the most common HIPAA violation is? Negligence. Negligence can in the form of either intentional or unintentional. More often than not in a dental office, unintentional negligence is the most common. Human error is the number one offender for unintentional negligence. It cHIPAAan be as simple as an employee who forgets to log out of the computer when leaving, or other violations such as improper data disposal or a lost backup device. A first step in minimizing the unintentional acts is with proper staff training. HIPAA education and processes should be ongoing in your practice. Every team member should participate in HIPAA training and should understand the do’s and don’ts that surround patient data.

So, what are you doing to keep your office HIPAA compliant? For starters, do you feel that you are keeping up with your computer security? The modern practice relies on technology for successful and seamless daily operation, and not having a safe and secure technology system could lead to costly downtime and even violation fines. One way to make sure your practice is doing all that it can to back up data is with XLBackup. This offsite backup storage uses HIPAA compliant encryption technology system that stores your data in multiple data centers. For added security and peace of mind, this solution is consistent with NIST publication 800-11 and follows Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2. Using XLBackup is an easy way to make sure your information is automatically backed up to a secure location, and the more automation surrounding your data, the better.

Another area to consider when making sure you are staying HIPAA compliant is an encrypted email service. XLDent offers SecureMail which is a HIPAA compliant email service that will secure sensitive patient email and file attachments from accidental exposure and data theft. SecureMail ensures compliance, guards your reputation, builds customer trust, and reduces business process costs.

There are many tips you can find surrounding HIPAA compliance and best practices. Here are a few you can start implementing today.

  1. Make sure your team is trained in HIPAA compliance.
  2. Regulate who has access to sensitive information.
  3. Keep an inventory of your office computers and devices.
  4. Wipe down tablet and touchscreen devices to ensure clear entries and to prevent easy guessing for entry to systems.
  5. Do not share passwords.
  6. Keep anti-virus scanning software up to date.

For more information about offsite backup, email security and other services to keep your data safe visit www.xldent.com.

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SCDI Meetings in Denver

Posted October 19, 2016 by Dawn

The second meeting of the ADA Standards Committee on Dental Informatics this year was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Denver, Colorado. XLDent continues to participate in Working Group 11.1 Standard Architecture and Working Group 11.9 Core Reference Data. This year we were invited to participate as a voting member and happily accepted the invitation.

Our working group Chairman, Dr. Mark Diehl, unexpectedly passed away last April. Dr. Diehl’s most notable accomplishment is the work he had done to produce numerous standards and technical reports related to the architecture, data structure, and open implementation of the electronic health record. Most notable are the following:

  • ANSI/ADA Standard No. 1000,Standard Clinical Data Architecture (2001, revised 2010);
  • ANSI/ADA Standard No. 1027, Implementation Guide for Standard No. 1000 (2010);
  • ANSI/ADA Standard No. 1039, Clinical Conceptual Data Model (2006);
  • ANSI/ADA Standard No. 1067, Electronic Dental Record System Standard Functional Requirements (2013).

He was recognized as an expert in the science of clinical informatics and I was proud to have served with him on WG 11.1, 11.9; and, the recent progress we made on ADA Technical Report No. 1091 for Cloud Computing and Data Storage. Dr. Diehl will be missed and we will do our best to continue the work he started. During the Plenary session today, Dr. Amit Acharya was nominated as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Clinical Informatics and Dr. Terry O’Toole as Vice Chairman.

During our session, WG 11.9, which will define a core set of data to support the Implementation Guide for TR 1067, focused on narrowing the scope of the project because the group was not able to make much progress given the expanse of the undertaking. Dr. Mark Jurkovich proposed that we focus on the exchange of information based on current standards that already exist (i.e. X12 835, 837D, 270, etc.) and are successfully in practice to exchandawn-no-backgroundge objects of data, versus focusing on the monumental scope of interoperability. It was concluded that the working group will take a “bottom-up” approach in that we will start with a focus on establishing a standard core set of data that is typically exchanged during a referral between a general dentist and a specialist, for example. All of this will be done with the ultimate goal of achieving interoperability at some point in the future. Keeping this ultimate goal in our sights means that we will need to decide on the standard document or transport mechanism (i.e. HL7 CCDA format) so that we can begin populating it with this first core dataset.

With these meetings wrapping up, I’m on my way to meet up with Duane at the ADMC meeting….and tomorrow the ADA 2016 Exhibit Hall opens!

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