A common stumbling block for audiology practices hoping to boost their business is that they simply don’t have the time or money to invest in setting up an entirely new audiology practice management system. That’s an understandable concern. Implementing a brand new set of software, plus the challenge of training your employees, updating your policies, and re-educating existing clients can be a major expense, both financially and time-wise.
It is all too easy though to fall back on those cost considerations as an excuse to let your practice management stagnate and perhaps you are not making the right business case? In order to attract new business and keep your existing base of clients coming back, your audiology clinic needs to be adaptable enough to evolve with the times. That’s especially true in an era where more and more market share is being taken over by online retailers, over the counter hearing aids, and other quick solutions that don’t offer the care and service of a more traditional audiology practice. Personalization, service and loyalty is where your clinic can stand out and keep your competitive edge.
Fortunately for many hearing health providers, instituting an entirely new practice management system is not necessary. If your hearing clinic is already operating with an established software system, you may be able to get your operation up to speed by taking better advantage of the resources you already have at your disposal. Here are a few key areas to focus on as you are deciding whether your internal systems are providing enough support.
Compliance
Staying compliant with all applicable local and national regulations is vital to any business, and all the more so for organizations in hearing healthcare. There are important data control considerations, such as maintaining the privacy of patient records, following requirements on where and how long that information can be stored, and knowing which employees can access that data. There are certifications and training requirements for employees working with complicated medical devices. And there are rules about the ways your practice can market and describe your services.
That’s a lot to keep track of when running an audiology clinic, but there are likely automated solutions built into your practice management system that can help you optimise your processes and stay on top of most areas of compliance. Running regular scans of your policies and practices can identify potential problem areas before they become an issue. Moving all of your recordkeeping to an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certified electronic database such as Auditdata’s practice management system makes it easier and less time consuming to access and update important patient information. In an industry where noncompliance can mean fines, loss of licenses, and damage to your reputation, keeping on top of these issues is essential and can save you money and keep the trust of your clients.
Integration
It is likely that your audiology business has added tools and services along the way as your business has grown. That’s a good thing and an indicator of a thriving business, but unless all of those upgrades have been purchased from the same vendors, there is a good chance they are not efficiently integrated with each other.
Too many hearing health practices spend too much time shuttling back and forth between different systems and software — using one platform for billing, another for tracking inventory, and another scheduling appointments with clients. Incorporating a practice management system that brings all of those core functions under one umbrella can help your practice stay focused, streamline your day-to-day processes, spend less time tracking down information and paying expensive software fees. Auditdata Manage offers a complete solution that fully meets the needs of a modern hearing organization. Rather than multiple systems that often require duplicated effort, the Manage platform provides a single consolidated database that links data across various platforms such as Auditdata Engage and NOAH.
On top of that, full integration with the NOAH software system developed by the Hearing Instrument Manufacturers’ Software Association (HIMSA) helps ensure that your practice stays consistent with the standards and practices of more than 34,000 hearing health professionals around the world.
Communication
Communication is key to running a successful audiology practice. From sending appointment follow-ups to existing customers to keeping in touch with vendors to making social media posts to attract new business, communication tools are at the core of any thriving hearing health organization. Even so, many audiology practices don’t take full advantage of the communication options they have at their disposal and it is difficult to track what happened last time?
To help owners, regional managers and marketeers improve their outgoing communication, we have created a marketing guide with a complete end-to-end customer journey starting with your customer insight and data. Our guide is about increasing your in-store traffic, converting more prospects into clients, and retaining those for life.
Your Practice Management CRM should allow your business to communicate along multiple channels, such as sending reminders to appointments. Moreover, your system should be able to track all kinds of communications and calls that have been going on with the clients. This will help you to stay relevant.
Your existing system likely includes options for most if not all of these outlets. Leveraging that communication capacity can make a big difference in connecting more closely with your client base.