the path to paperless
Optical Dispensary Software
What you need in an optical management package.

At the end of 2002, and prior to making the decision to convert to an EMR system, we decided to go paperless in our optical dispensary. We have an optical in each of three (and soon to be four) office locations and needed to get a better handle on our inventory and our work order system.

Because we had recently made a change in our management staff, we thought it would be timely to use the opportunity to also make a change in the way we were operating the dispensary.

We Have had Problems

At that time, there were few options available to us in terms of a Windows-based optical management software system. Ultimately, we chose a stand-alone system. Although the company we chose also offered an EMR product, we were not yet ready for EMR back in 2002.

During the last 3 years or so, we found that having an electronic means of running our dispensary was definitely preferable to our old paper-based system. Nevertheless, we now realize that we have spent an inordinate amount of time tweaking our current optical software solution.

With respect to the software, we have had major issues with the way the database works and deals with data errors. Our IT staff has to fix these errors on a weekly basis. This is related to the software architecture. In contrast, data errors in our EPM's relational database, which we installed 18 months ago, have occurred three times during that period, were minor in nature and were quickly resolved the same day.

What You Need

Aside from the technical questions about the software architecture, here are the things that we have found to be extremely important in an optical management package:

Robust Software

To achieve a real measure of control over your inventory, you will need an optical management package with robust capabilities, including the following:

►integration with frames data
►special ordering
►order receiving
►barcode integration
►audit methods
►security
►capability to handle "miscellaneous" items
►minimum stock levels with reorder report
►stale stock reports
►stock-on-hand reports, filtered by brand/type
►stock transfer from one inventory location to another, such as moving frames from one satellite office to another.

Returns

Returns can be a thorny and time-consuming issue if your software is limited in its capabilities. The following questions need to be answered before you choose an optical management package:

►How easily can we return an order/job? How manual is the process? 
►Can we "forward" the order and make the applicable changes, or do we have to start the order entry anew?
►Are returned items returned to inventory or is it a manual stock adjustment?

Productivity Reporting:

One of the keys to operating a profitable optical dispensary is knowing which employees rate high in terms of productivity and which may be dragging down the overall performance of the shop. Thus, it is quite important that you be able to track the performance of each individual optician to determine how much he or she is contributing to the profitability of the optical.

In considering an optical management package, make sure to ask each vendor that you meet with the following questions:

►Can we run reports that show only what has been sold and not returned, filtered by product (type or brand) and optician? For example, can we easily determine how may complete pairs of progressives with A/R a certain optician sold without returns in a set period at any given location?
►Can we run reports that show us return/remake rates for each optician?

Order/Job Tracking

The greater the system's ability to track orders, claims and other paperwork electronically, the easier it will be for your dispensary employees to focus on their most important tasks — serving customers and selling. That is where their full attention belongs.

Ask the following questions of any potential vendor:

►Does this optical management software have "non-dispensed" reporting capability ?
►Does it have lab integration capability? Can we send order data electronically? Can we receive order status updates electronically?
►Is the package able to create a job as DME (durable medical equipment) for Medicare?
►Does the package offer an ANSI X12N (HIPAA-compliant) claims engine to send DME claims directly? Can it process 997 files for claims acknowledgement and 835 electronic remittance advice files (ERA), so that we can electronically post Medicare and commercial checks instead of manually posting them?

Considering an Integrated System

As we ready ourselves for going live with our EMR module from NextGen, we are considering changing to their Optik optical management module. This would allow us to have a completely seamless integration between the EPM, EMR and optical modules.

Next: Office Network Benefits, part 2

Peter J. Polack, M.D., F.A.C.S., is co-managing partner for Ocala Eye, PA, and a specialist in cornea, external disease and refractive surgery. Founded in 1971, Ocala Eye is a seven-partner, multisubspecialty ophthalmology practice located in Ocala, Fla. The practice, which has five locations including an ASC and laser center, has 140 employees. He can be reached by e-mail at ppolack@ocalaeye.com.

In a multipart series, Dr. Polack is describing how a seven-partner practice, Ocala Eye in Ocala, Fla., with five locations and 140 employees, makes the major transition from paper medical records to EMR. During the course of the series, Dr. Polack will provide readers with a "real-time" look at how the implementation is progressing. This is part 15 of the series.