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Forward Migration Kit: Eyecare software part II

By Dennis Sellers
Macworld APR 13, 2001 5:00 pm PDT

(For those new to the column, Forward Migration is our term for companies moving from Wintel machines to Macs — or at least adding or increasing the number of Macs they use. A Forward Migration Kit is an overview of Mac OS products for a particular occupation, such as dentistry, accounting, etc.)

This week we’re offering the second of our three-part series ( see Part 1 ) on ophthalmology/optometry software for the Mac OS.

Goal

Goal is a Mac-based based optometric system for “independent” eyecare professionals. Goal Eyecare Software consists of two core modules (Patient and Accounting) and four add-on modules (Multi-User, Electronic Insurance Billing, Appointment Book and Rx). You may purchase GOAL in modules, allowing you to tailor the software to your specific requirements.

The Patient Module is the main database and is part of the application core. This module contains and tracks all information about patients and their families. The Accounting Module is the main billing application and is divided into Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable.

The Electronic Claim Module is currently available for specific states. This module lets users electronically send insurance claims directly to state medicare and DMERC providers. The Multi-User Module allows you to connect multiple computers together to work as one. This module offers “true” multi-user capabilities, which allows access to all areas of the program and office data. The Multi-User Module also provides the ability to connect two or more computers together without the expense of a “dedicated file server” and the ability to perform the same or different tasks simultaneously.

The Appointment Book Module enables you to schedule patient appointments for each doctor. The Rx Module allows you to record a patient’s prescription history.

Human Vision

The Human Vision CD-ROM by Interactive Knowledge Inc. is designed to teach the public about the human visual system. Colorful 3D animations, videos, and descriptive diagrams explain the different structures of the eye. The symptoms and treatments of the most common eye problems are discussed, including the latest surgical procedures.

KIP

KIP Medical Software makes programs that, I’m told, integrate well between Mac and Windows. The company’s apps include:

  • KIP ClaimPro is designed specifically for those who don’t require or can’t yet afford the sophistication of a full office management software package.
  • KIP Medical Billing Administrator is a full-featured medical office billing system for the Mac or Microsoft Windows. It handles all accounting, ledger cards, day sheets, receivable reports, and much more. It prints reports and graphs for analysis of practice data. It has an online Rolodex file as well as online help.
  • KIP Deluxe is a complete multi-tasking environment where you can enter claims, patients, payments, appointments, and print reports all at the same time. KIP Deluxe comes as one integrated package.
  • KIP Deluxe Medical Office Network Versiony packages all the functionality of KIP Deluxe into a multi-user environment. Each workstation runs as if it were a stand-alone system, but once data is entered it now becomes accessible to all users along the network. KIP Deluxe Network Version divides the work between file server and workstation computers.

    • MediMac

    MediMac by HealthCare Communications Inc. is medical practice management software that provides the ability to process statements and insurance claims. It maintains accounts receivables, patient history and financial data. F/X versions integrate audio, video and graphic records. MediMac takes output directly from ultrasound, angiography, video fluoroscopy, arthroscopy, histological microscopic examination; CT and MRI can be captured and stored in the MediMac database.

    It also lets you merge info to Excel, Word, Works, FileMaker and others. It operates standalone or fully networked. For more info call (402) 489-0391. HealthCare Communications also has a Web site, but, in repeated attempts, we were unable to access it.

    OculoData

    Robert R. Wresch, M.D., Guam SDA Clinic, Tamuning, GU, has been developing medical records software for ophthalmology for nine years. The result is OculoData, which creates almost instant progress notes, medical summaries, and personal letters to referring physicians.

    Wresch said that OculoData has a friendly interface and can be mastered in 12 hours by a doctor or assistant. It provides point and click entry of clinical data by dialog boxes and pop-up menus. There are branching menus to less common or more specific diagnoses and easy access to relevant medical history. Other features include:

  • Intelligent selection of ICD-9 Codes and common CPT codes
  • Common findings and diagnoses in general medical-surgical ophthalmology offered in menus, arranged anatomically
  • Intelligent monitoring of data-entry errors, offering the opportunity for correction
  • Defaults chosen to match normal and most common findings
  • Menu selection of pertinent negative findings
  • Explanation of diagnosis and treatment
  • Customizable menu of referring physicians and customizable descriptions, explanations, and counsels
  • Reporting of percentage of disability Evaluations
  • Countdown timing of dilated pupil examinations
  • Description of in-office laser procedures
  • Strabismus surgery calculations
  • Intraocular lens power calculations
  • Reporting of color vision and stereoscopic testing
  • Menu listing of patient education materials (i.e. AAO)
  • Menu selection of commonly prescribed medications, with flexible dosage frequency and refills
  • Auto-calculation of pediatric oral dosages
  • Menu selection of interval for return appointment

    • OculoData exports tab-delineated data for storage and analysis and exports to Microsoft Word for immediate printing.

    For more info, email Wresch at wresch@kuentos.guam.net.

    Omega Patient Link

    Axiom Technologies Inc. has developed software for the refractive eye surgery market that runs on the Mac. Omega Patient Link is a prospect conversion program (essentially a souped-up contact manager) that automates communication with potential refractive eye surgery patients, mainly LASIK. It sends letters and schedules appointments and callbacks to prospects, while keeping track of which advertising is working the best to capture new prospects. The program can be modified to work with other businesses. Contact Axiom’s marketing manager, Mark Graham, at mgraham@axitech.com or call 949-488-3047 for more info.

    OptimeyesMBA Software

    OptimeyesMBA Software is a practice and business management software package written specifically for optometrists, opticians and ophthalmologists. It’s cross platform and multi-user. Features and modules include: Patient Input, Insurance Claims and Inventory, Patient Recall, Labels, Personalized Letters, Walk-Out Receipts, Lab Worksheets, Monthly Billing, Electronic Claims, and more.

    PowerMed EMR

    PowerMed Corp., developers of a FileMaker based electronic medical record system for all office based health professionals, works closely, and are integrated completely with a FileMaker billing software package called PowerMed EMR, for medical databases.

    Practice For Today

    “The Optician,” Dr. John R. Smith, uses Macs in his everyday practice and has developed software for optometrists called Practice For Today. Smith currently owns and operates an optometric practice in Elyria, OH. He’s been developing the software to run his office for a good part of the last 10 years, with a majority of the current version being developed over the last 3 years.

    Smith’s office is run in a paperless mode. The only information kept on paper is each patient’s name, address and account number on a 3×5 note card. Features of Practice For Today include:

  • Patient address file, exam data file, contact lens info and ordering, receipt generation with end of day reports and monthly reports, appointment scheduling, insurance tracking for prior authorization and insurance submission
  • A Floating Patient Status Bar that holds patient information and reminds the user when a patient has a balance due or other things
  • An electronic Rolodex function
  • The ability to play digital videos for patients while they wait to see the doctor
  • A touch screen questionnaire for patients to answer personal health history questions
  • The ability to print out Spec/CL and medical prescriptions for more accuracy than handwritten prescriptions
  • A digital photo display of colored contact lenses
  • Doctor scheduling for multi-doctor offices; this can be linked to the patient schedule for ease of scheduling patients with a specific doctor
  • An Insurance Check Entry and Balance Screen
  • Customizable system backup that can be set up to the user’s preference and implemented based on the individual offices needs
  • Optional wireless connection to network or connection via 10/100BaseT Ethernet
  • Separate Patient notes section to make notes about a patient’s account
  • User verification and tracking for computer functions; each employee and doctor has his own password and ID

    • TESS

    TESS (http://www.tessdata.com/) makes cross-platform, multi-tasking medical software. TessSystem is the firm’s flagship product for the Mac. It has been used in doctors’ offices around the country for over 15 years. Plus, it’s been updated regularly every three months. TessSystem was purportedly designed from the ground up for the express purpose of dealing with four common tasks:

  • Entering and registering new patients
  • Billing outgoing patients and scheduling future appointments
  • Offering patients over-the-phone information about their accounts
  • Making over-the-phone appointments for patients

    • Winx Pro

    Winx Pro is a multi-tasking, multi-office practice management system, using the latest in database technology. It’s designed to be a complete solution in managing the administrative, financial and insurance aspects of an eyecare practice.

    It offers comprehensive reporting using SuperReport Pro, an easy-to-use tab interface for quick navigation, a wide range of scheduling features, detailed patient accounting, a comprehensive ledger format that gives patient account status for every unpaid slip in one screen, the application of payments across multiple patients or slips with a single click, and support for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

    For more info, send email to Scott Price, Winx product manager, at scott@babcockltd.com.

    (Thanks to Ed Melman, OD, Jonathan Avrigean, iSmon Cheng, and others for alerting us to many of the products in this series.)

    And if you know of a Forward Migration story, please send it my way.