As The Reimbursement Dietitian, I am no stranger to EMRs for dietitians. It was not long ago that I wrote a different blog on EMRs. Less than a year later, I am updating that blog as some information is already outdated. As a private practice dietitian, I have used all of them, even ones that no longer exist. I know I am dating myself. But I started this private practice stuff before it was kool. So I am sure that last statement doesn’t shock you. Many of you have been curious about my thoughts about Practice Better’s new integration with Claim. MD. Therefore, I thought creating a video highlighting the benefits would be helpful.
I am a (recent) Ambassador for Practice Better (a.k.a. an affiliate). I want to emphasize the word recently because, until now, Practice Better has yet to check all the boxes for my insurance-based practice. Now, with their new integration with Claim.MD, Practice Better has made THE crowd favorite of cash-based dietitians a viable option for insurance-based EMRs. It is only now that I feel comfortable fully supporting their platform.
As many of you know, I’m super extra regarding most things in life. However, I am anything but extra when it comes to my practice. I am the Queen of efficiency. I’m not too fond of extra steps or anything unnecessary. I like to keep things simple. However, I do have what I refer to as non-negotiables when selecting an EMR.
When it comes to EMRs and dietitians below are my four non-negotiables:
- Online scheduling
- Automation
- Credit card requirement for booking an appointment
- Seamless insurance integration
Online scheduling
My patients MUST be able to schedule directly from my website. I don’t have anyone answering the phones and directly scheduling our patients. I know this may shock you. But I don’t have anyone manning the phone lines of my practice. So, having a widget I can place on my website is critical to successfully (and efficiently!) onboarding the hundreds of patients my practice sees each month.
Practice Better has this function.
Automation
Similarly, automation is my middle name. I’m just kidding. It’s Lynn. But if I had a choice, I might change it to automation (Sorry, Mom!). I automate EVERYTHING I possibly can in my practice, especially appointments and onboarding. So, it is critical that our patients schedule independently (by entering in their credit card) and then automatically receive all their paperwork and text and email reminders for their visits. Plus, I want them to be able to cancel (within a specific time frame) on their own as well. Remember, I am the Queen of efficiency. So, automation is critical. And I would not personally select an EMR that didn’t support this.
Practice Better has this function.
Credit card requirement for booking an appointment
I imagine by now you are getting the picture that I’m not too fond of any extra work. So, you will likely not be surprised that my practice does not allow anyone (and I do mean anyone) into our schedule without a credit card on file. I wouldn’t say I like to chase money. Whether or not the card has funds on it is a different story (eye roll IYKYK). However, we intend to use credit cards to demonstrate to our patients that our time is valuable. Therefore, non-negotiable for EMRs for dietitians number three is that it must be able to collect the credit card before someone can access the schedule.
Practice Better has this function.
Seamless insurance integration
Until now, Simple Practice has been one of the only EMRs for dietitians with seamless insurance integration. Seamless integration means the clearinghouse (the software we need to submit insurance claims) is directly built into the EMR. This allows the provider to do everything from one platform.
Up until March 2024, Practice Better supported insurance-based dietitians. However, you needed to leave the EMR to submit insurance claims. It was still one of the doper EMRs for dietitians. But it required a critical piece. Most dietitians and CNSs used Office Ally as their clearinghouse. So, the RD would need to create the claim in Practice Better, then download it as a text file, open Office Ally, and upload it. The steps involved were not the main issue.
The main issue was that you had to leave Practice Better and submit through an outside clearing house, and the two systems didn’t ‘talk’ to one another. This made claim reconciliation a nightmare. The RD needed to bounce back and forth between the EMR, the clearinghouse, likely a spreadsheet, and the insurance companies’ portals checking on claim status.
Practice Better has partnered with Claim.MD and now allows providers (for an EXTRA cost) to submit insurance claims seamlessly. Rather than having to leave Practice Better when the RD elects the Claim.MD integration, they can easily submit and track insurance claims now in Practice Better. Everything is done directly in Practice Better, decreasing the known burdens of using an outside clearinghouse.
Another feature, depending on the Claim. MD package they select, the RD can also conduct patient eligibility checks. The verdict is STILL out on just how accurate the verification of benefits feature is. But I will report back once we know more. So far, so good.
The Reimbursement Dietitian’s Final Thoughts
So, when it comes to EMRs for dietitians, Practice Better has up-leveled its game. They have taken a much-loved EMR and turned it into a powerhouse for cash-based and insurance-based dietitians and CNSs.
As a Practice Better Ambassador, I fully support this platform. If you want to try Practice Better out (and are a NEW user), please use my link HERE and enter my Ambassador code AMYPLANO20. All Practice Better NEW users will receive 20 percent off of their Practice Better subscription for their first four months when they use my link and code. It is suitable for all the different tiers.
Anywho! You guys have been asking about my thoughts about Practice Better’s new insurance integration feature. So hopefully, you found this information helpful.
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