My experience as a certified trainer has lead me to firmly believe that the best dental providers seek to create a patient-focused environment, where the provider applies a key concept of enhancing the patient experience through non-stop provider to patient interaction. This patient-focused environment requires a strong balance of continuous communication and efficient data entry to provide the greatest ease of dental anxiety. This patient-centric dental experience with nearly non-stop provider to patient interaction will need the best tools for the quickest data entry possible. It is the simple solution to the ultimate goal of patient care…
Quick Data Entry = More Time for Patient Interaction
Data entry is most successful when the process is kept short and sweet. Fewer mouse clicks and an overall reduction in computer time means more face-to-face time with your patient. One area that many offices have been able to successfully reduce time with data entry in Easy Dental is with using explosion codes during the treatment planning process.
In a blog post titled, Save Valuable Chart Time with Explosion Codes, released in May 2018, the approach to data entry through the use of explosion codes opened the door to saving time during dental examinations. Read that blog post for detailed steps to create an explosion code.
When asked to define ‘Explosion Code’, I tend to think of a special, grouped procedure code that contains multiple procedures. To put it in perspective, I like to tell my audience to imagine the to-do list you have waiting for you. Now imagine removing multiple items from your to-do list in one motion – now that’s an EXPLOSION CODE!
In today’s post, I will provide one more tool for your arsenal of time-savers – the explosion code within an explosion code.
Today, we will take your use of explosion codes to the next level by demonstrating the concept of expanding that explosion code beyond the limit of 8 procedure codes. Here is what you need to know to place an explosion code within an explosion code:
Step 1: Determine the Best, Most Common Combination of Codes
For example, a periodontal therapy plan can require a number of service codes: a comprehensive examination, full mouth radiographs, scaling and root planing of all quadrants, gingival irrigation and/or laser therapy. Determine which codes you want grouped together.
Step 2: Access Explosion Codes Setup in Easy Dental
You will find access to the Explosion Code Setup from the Reports module. Select Practice Setup, then choose Explosion Code Setup.
Step 3: Create the First Explosion Code
It is best to create this code with the idea that it could function on its own. For example, four quadrants of scaling and root planing can function nicely as an Explosion Code on its own, but could also combine with additional procedures.
- From the Explosion Code Setup, select New.
- Add a Description, Code, Abbreviated Description, Time Units, and Procedure Codes.
- Click OK to save your explosion code.
Step 4: Add Your Explosion Code to a More Comprehensive Explosion Code
In this step, your newly created explosion code will be combined with another explosion code, which I like to refer to as the “2-for-1 knockout” for treatment planning.
- From the Explosion Code Setup, once again select New.
- Add a Description, Code, Abbreviated Description, Time Units, and Procedure Codes. When adding the procedure codes, make sure to add the Explosion Code you created in Step 3 above.
- Click OK to save your new (mega) explosion code.
There you have it – a simple and quick solution to an otherwise complicated treatment. In a matter of seconds, you can enter 11 procedure codes to the patient treatment plan. Without the explosion code, the entry of this treatment plan would have easily consumed 2-3 minutes of time.
What combination of procedure codes are a best fit in your practice? Please share your ideas and questions about your experiences with the efforts you have taken to simplify data entry to save time for patient care.
David Broom is Senior Director of Product and Business Development. David has a master’s degree in Information Technology (IT) from the University of Texas in Dallas and has more than 35 years of experience from many global companies such as Hitachi Vantara, Methode Electronics, and Keane, Inc. In his current role, he is responsible for all aspects of the product management and field service teams at Henry Schein TechCentral, which identifies the ideal advanced technologies to meet the unique needs of the dental market and ensure that dental offices are using the right IT to be more efficient and effective.
