The programming passion of my life
Published: 2021-07-19 02:57:10

The programming passion of my life has been my Chiropractic Office software - code named "dcOffice" in my "inner circle".  It has provided structure and automation for our business since 2007 and the efficiencies that have been facilitated have far surpassed the effort put in.  When we first moved from paper cards to computer-based practice management, we picked the best third-party product that met our needs at the time.  As we used it, more and more it seemed like there were things it could do better - I am a problem identifier and solver so I look for those things.  I had a little background in web applications so I started building little piggy-back web-based tools to make up for what the purchased system didn't do well.  I was able to discover where it stored it's data and made tools that were able to access and manipulate it.  It all started with a dynamic "new patient wizard" with a flow that changes based on answers to previous questions, provided functionality to collect answers to those questions and create a new patient scheduling record in the third-party appointment database.  My staff would have challenges remembering the differences in information required in different scheduling scenarios, so Webtools (the original name - it's important to have a name) mapped it out for them - reducing time on the phone and resulting in fewer errors.  Other functions came along and for a period of time, both systems worked cohesively in tandem.  As time went on and my Webtools became more robust, I eventually got to the point where we cut ties with the third party system altogether and moved all office functions to what was Webtools and "dcOffice" was born!  At that time, dcOffice provided patient scheduling management, late cancellation tracking and reporting, patient data management, accounting for patient charges and payments, calculating patient responsibility based on insurance benefits (copay / co-insurance), patient billing, insurance claim billing and payment tracking, staff time and payroll tracking, online "help" documents, a multiple provider / multiple discipline environment, provider data management, provider availability management as well as practice statistics and reporting and even reports to assist in marketing operations such as patient retention, recall and reactivation.  In 2017 we reduced the size of our office.  Because of the reduction of storage space, we needed to reduce the use of paper health records and files.  This drove the need for an alternative and functionalities were added for electronic health records and reporting.To calculate the resultant cost-savings of developing an in-house solution would have to include the lack of the cost of a third-party system, probably somewhere around $3000 each year for almost 20 years but also the unmeasurable impact to the practice in staff efficiency and marketing.  It would be difficult to run an office of our volume with the level of staff we retain without the automation dcOffice provides.  Add in the functionality of patient marketing and how that has produced for the practice - it's very difficult to measure.  My business partner likes to estimate it at about $100,000.  She's my wife so when she says that, I smile ... a lot.