If you were given the option of creating the ideal patient communication software, what would the platform do? A basic answer is that it would make your job easier by simplifying and automating tedious tasks. However, the answer becomes slightly more complicated when you take into account all that you do on any given day. Before you choose a software platform, it’s important that the staff takes time to self-audit.
If you’re not sure where to start or what exactly to consider, look for peer feedback. Take, for instance, Lighthouse 360, a Dental Product Shopper “Best Product” award recipient and a highly regarded provider of patient communication software. In defining what their product does for customers, Lighthouse 360 also provides insight about what customers do on a daily basis with patient communication software.
Here are three ways patient communication software helps office managers in their daily routine and what office managers say about the usefulness of Lighthouse 360:
1. Keeping your schedule full
This involves bringing in new patients, reactivating dormant patients, and getting your patients to return regularly. Scheduling can take up an entire day if you don’t use some form of automation to call, text, and email patients. Lighthouse 360 takes automation a step further by translating confirmations directly to your practice management system, eliminating the need to manually update the schedule. Additionally, it can automatically detect last-minute cancellations helping to find patients to fill the opening.
In a review posted on Dental Product Shopper’s website, Emily Moreshead, office manager at Dr. Ted Filandrianos and Associates in Newton, MA, says Lighthouse 360 saved her sanity. “As the office manager in a multi-doctor specialty practice, your system is by far the best investment our office has made!” she wrote. “We utilize it daily and our patients are thrilled with being able to text and respond quickly. I cannot say enough about your confirmations and how they have saved many a lost hour or two.”
Another office manager from Midtown Dental Calgary praised Lighthouse 360’s scheduling features: “Our favorite feature is the reminder two hours prior to the patient's appointment. We have found it cuts down on missed appointments... The other feature we like is the 'Save the Date' the patient gets as they are leaving from today's appointment.”
2. Running your practice efficiently
Realizing efficiencies isn’t just about freeing up your time—it’s about improving the patient experience in your office. Front desk tasks lists that are automatically generated from the previous day can save you time, and so can a data sync feature that makes sure your PMS and patient communication software are “talking” to each other. But there’s even more you can automate that translates to the patient’s perspective, including mobile-friendly patient registration.
“We tried two other services before switching to Lighthouse 360 and couldn't be happier,” an office manager named Marcia wrote. Daily reports that are easy to read and follow up on, having flexibility on what is sent to patients and when, and 10-minute data syncing intervals are all features that make her job easier. “And truly more importantly, the patients really love it. We have received more positive comments and thanks than with either of the previous two [services],” she added.
Also, if the dentist is out of the office, or the office needs to unexpectedly close, an alert can be sent to all the patients whose appointments are affected.
“When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and many roads were impassable, LH360 made it easy to communicate the challenges faced by our office and our building,” wrote office manager Leslie Devillier of Post Oak Dental. “We were able to share updates with our patient database easily and remotely, which was a lifesaver. We like that it frees up staff time daily to get other things accomplished as well.”
3. Building better relationships
As an office manager, your world is what goes on inside the practice, but you can’t ignore the world outside. The ability to be found online with great reviews is crucial to growing the practice. Lighthouse 360 offers a patient review feature that helps collect and post reviews from satisfied patients to sites like Yelp and Google+. The platform also integrates with Facebook, distributes photos, and helps with email marketing.
Lighthouse 360’s support staff can provide help with feature customization and user education, helping your practice get the most from the platform. Many customers have attested to the value of communicating with a real person who can offer timely solutions.
Carla Collier, practice management consultant at Global Team Solutions, wrote, “I cannot say enough good things about Lighthouse 360. It is very user friendly for both the dental office and the patient. Their customer service is amazing, and the value of the product is good. This product has saved our office a lot of valuable staff time and money… You can set it up for your office needs.”
An office manager from Weaver Reckner Reinhart Dental Associates added, “I recommend Lighthouse 360 to office managers all the time. Their customer service is excellent. They are patient-focused, customer-focused, and their product is user-friendly for our staff. Partnering with Lighthouse 360 has been one of the best decisions we have ever made.”
So before you make the decision, the question remains…what are your specific needs and how can a platform like Lighthouse 360 help? A demo of the software is a great way to find out. Visit www.lh360.com to learn more.