January 1, 2004 to February 5, 2004

Hello!

It's time again to update you on all the cool things happening on Club Lighthouse! This newsletter represents a summary of the best of what's going on at the web site.

To properly use this newsletter, you should first log into the Club web site directly from this newsletter. Once you are logged in, you can click on any of the links in this newsletter to jump directly to the article or download of interest. To start your web browser now and log into Club Lighthouse, click here! That will open up a browser window on your computer. You can then Alt-Tab back to this e-mail and select any link in this email. Clicking on the link in this email will cause that article or forum post to appear in the browser window (you will have to Alt-Tab BACK to that browser window to see it).

If you forgot your user name and/or password, send an email to joel@lighthouse-pmg.com



In This Issue
New Articles
New or updated downloads
Interesting posts
Seminar schedule


New Articles
Confirmation Details System
No matter how you confirm appointments, there are inevitably going to be some patients who you cannot speak to directly. With today’s technology, we're able to leave appointment confirmation messages using a variety of different means: answering machines at home, voice mail at work, messages with a secretary, spouse or family member, and even via e-mail. And in spite of all this, patients still occasionally fail to show up for an appointment.

In the event that a patient doesn't show up for their appointment, do you have enough information to understand why they failed, by knowing how they were confirmed? For example, knowing that a message was left for a characteristically good patient on their voice mail at work, you might be conclude that the patient either didn’t go to work that day or simply didn’t get that message. Effortlessly gathering details of how a patient was confirmed will be helpful in determining whether or not to enforce whatever your cancellation or failure policy might be. That's the whole point of the Lighthouse Confirmation Details System.

 

New or updated downloads
The following is a list of recent additions to the Club Lighthouse download area. It is important to remember that most downloads have a corresponding article or forum post associated with them. If they do, please read the article or post first before downloading the file. Also, for complete instructions on how download and install the files listed here, be sure to read the article on Installing from an Exchange Pack

Proposed treatment Note Templates
Version: 6-29-03
A set of Note Templates for documenting the reason you've proposed all kinds of treatment, and an AutoLink to every appropriate system-defined button in Charting.

Install the entire Exchange Pack, and you'll immediately start seeing the Note Templates popping up when you chart proposed treatment.

Now available in version 5 format!!

The Rx Farm
Version: 1-23-2004
A collection of Rx's that aren't in the PW Plus Pack. These are so similar to the ones in the Plus Pack that they simply add to your list of Rx's when you write a new one. See the article that describes how to install and use them.

Completed treatment notes
Version: 7-22-2003
A set of notes to document completed treatment. Read the associated Article entitled "Going Chartless Part 4: Completed Treatment Note Templates" for details on installation and use.

Now available in version 5 format!!

Medical / dental history
Version: 02-04-04
All the components needed to gather, store, update and review patients' medical and dental history. This is the download companion to the Going Chartless article on collecting Medical/Dental History.

UPDATED 01-20-04 to add a version of the Patient Info Update document that will print correctly from the patient Clipboard. Also added a few more of the fields from the Medical / Personal History Form to the Patient Info Update document, so patients have even less to hand write on an update. FIXED 1-23-04: One of the document merge variables couldn't be edited by users. Fixed. UPDATED 2-3-2004: Added a checkbox "Review this Form when writing Rx's" to the Medical/Personal History Form. Allows you to "integrate" with the Rx System (pop up this Form every time you look at a patient's Rx History, from the [Rx History] button in Charting).

Confirmation Details
Version: 01-02-2004
A Form that will document the way each appointment is confirmed. Includes an AutoLink that pops the Form up automatically when the appointment is confirmed. Click here to read the article that describes the system in detail.

Referral Analysis by Referral Chart#
Version: 1.0
A spreadsheet that analyzes patient count and referral dollars for a specific time period, broken down by the chart # of the referral source. This download was created for a Club member in response to this post.

Ptns with a certain ADA code in a ZIP code
Version: 01-11-2004
A Contact Expert that prompts for a date range, up to 6 ADA codes, and a ZIP code (optional). Created for Don Frederick.

PW Plus Pack Updated Rxs
Version: 01-11-2004
All the Rx's in the PW Plus Pack that ships w/ PW, updated as follows: -Added "Phoned in" question -Added "Pharmacy name and number" question -Made AutoLink that prints the document not print if the "Phoned in" checkbox is checked -Reorganized them so they're simple to install.

RPs who dont have a specific ins. co.
Version: 01-12-2004
A Contact Expert of all Responsible Parties who do NOT have a specific insurance company (which is prompted for at run-time) as their primary. Included RP's who have NO insurance. Also, a field export document that contains the RP name and address, to be used with the Contact Expert to create a file for external mail merging.

Production and Collection Analysis Experts
Version: 01-16-2004
Three Analysis Experts related to Production and Collection: Production by Day of Month;Collection by Day of Month, and 12 Month's Monitors. These have previously been packaged in the "Various Analysis Experts" Exchange Pack.

LH Recall Due Tracking
Version: 01-20-2004
A small form that is filled out whenever a Recall appointment is made in order to track that recall appointment's actual due date. When the NEXT recall appointment is made, the form is updated (with today's date), and a NEW form is added to start the process over again.

This form was from a Club member request. Details of using this download are in this post.



Interesting posts

The following list represents topics on the Club site that either have had a lot of posts made, or have been read by a large number of Club members.

PracticeWorks

General discussion (PracticeWorks)

Expert Creation Requests

Automation and PracticeScript

The Business side of things (not PracticeWorks related)

General discussion (Office Admin)

Hot Deals!

Computers and Technology

The Clinical side of things (not PracticeWorks related)

Going chartless

Club Lighthouse

General discussion (Lighthouse)

The Suggestion Box



Seminar schedule

Mark your calendars! Coming in March!

We are very pleased to announce our NEW seminar:

Going Chartlesss

Want to learn how to rid your office of paper charts? Our next two day seminar will cover just that topic. Our first stop:
  • Seattle, WA - March 18 and 19

Keep on eye on http://www.lighthouse-pmg.com for details (which should be posted shortly).

Also, this is your last chance to see the very popular "Turbo charging your practice with PracticeWorks". This two day seminar is sure to improve your understanding of PracticeWorks, as well as give you a better understanding of what we are trying to accomplish here on Club Lighthouse. Don't forget: Club members get a 10% discount off of the registration fee!

For more information, download the seminar brochure in PDF format by clicking here.


We hope you found this newsletter informative and helpful. Remember, its our job to make your job easier! If you have ANY question, be sure to either post a question on the Club, or if you are uncomfortable posting your question in public, please feel free to contact one of us directly using email.

Thanks again, and see you on the Club!

Allen Jorgensen: allen@lighthouse-pmg.com
Brian Smith: brian@lighthouse-pmg.com
Joel Kozikowski: joel@lighthouse-pmg.com
Lisa Doiron: lisa@lighthouse-pmg.com

© 2003, 2004 Lighthouse Practice Management Group
"PracticeWorks" is a registered trademark of PracticeWorks, Inc.
Lighthouse Practice Management Group and its principals are not affiliated with PracticeWorks, Inc. in any way