E-Services in Dental Clinics - Essay Example

Business Case for E- Services in Dental Clinics [Student’s Name] [Institutional Affiliation] Executive Summary Survey done by British Dental Journal shows that many dentists (more than 90%), use the internet but for personal reasons rather than professional reasons. Most of the dentists in the UK are private contractors working privately and for National Health Services (NHS). Technological change is a major problem. Equity in healthcare is difficult to achieve. Several dimensions used to determine equity have been devised but none can determine equal distribution of healthcare services. Equity in health sector has not been achieved despite numerous government initiatives geared towards this objective. To curb problems facing healthcare, this business case has reviewed various solutions, which can be implemented and design one aimed at simplifying operations in a dental clinic through technology. This involves integrating e- services into dentistry practice. This decision was after a thorough review of the solution in all aspects including financial impact and the effect it will have on the practice. E-services suggested in this study in dental practice will help in automating previous manual work. The old style of doing job was labour intensive and time consuming. With the new way of doing things, time is saved and much attention is paid to the patient ensuring quality in service delivery and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, tasks are not part of a dental practice’s core business. Time spent on performing these tasks reduces time spent with a patient and diverts resources (staff) that could be utilized better in other ways. Overview of Current Work Practices in Dentistry in the UK According to Dental Marketing Experts (2011), many dentists use the Internet. They however use it more for personal reasons rather than for professional ones. Forty six percent of the dentists accessing the internet use social network sites to talk to friends and other dentists for unprofessional reasons. Those who use sites such as Facebook for professional reasons are few- 10%. Only two thirds of all dentists have websites at workplace. Most of the dentists (76%) prefer having the resources available online increased. Half of the dentist would not mind accessing professional resources online. Seventy-five percent feel it is important to receive a printed British Dental Journal (BDJ) and only a quarter want to see a change in access to resources from print to online. A rise has been noted in the number of students enrolling for training in the dental field recently. The range of their job has gone up regarding duties and choice of clinical settings. Dental therapist has emerged as an important aspect and practitioners have to consider working closely with the therapists in delivering quality value dental services. Most dentists in the UK are independent contractors providing both private and National Health Service (NHS) dentistry services. Recently, private practices have been on the rise. In the past, the government covered cost of the services in the NHS. However, patients have now to cover 80% of the total cost with the government taking care of the rest (Harker, 2011). NHS has provided a list of more than 300 treatments, which dentists are supposed to offer to NHS registered patients. These treatments have a fixed price. Dentists working on the NHS are paid the same regardless of type of treatment and amount of time taken to offer the service. Since NHS has set a fixed amount of payment of the treatment list, for a dentist to earn a certain amount of income, they have to set a maximum time for each patient. This limits time spent with each patient hence substandard service delivery (Karandawala, 2008). NHS provides care ensuring that patients access particular services at a predetermined fee. Private practitioners on the other hand, offer extra services not provided by NHS, such as cosmetic dentistry, opening for longer hours, and spending more time with patients. Overtime, the number of people visiting dentists for checkups has been on the rise. Some go for regular checkups while others go when they feel discomfort (Office of Fair Trading, 2003). Equity in Health Equity in health is one of the main objectives of healthcare provision. However, it is difficult to determine the criteria to be used to achieve this objective. There is no commonly decided definition of equity for the allotment of resources in health sector. Dimensions that have been suggested for equality comprise of equal expenditure per capital, equal inputs per capital, equal inputs for equal needs, equivalent utilization for equivalent need, equal marginal needed and equal health- rather than healthcare (Whitehead, 2003; Powell & Exworthy, 2003). Equity in provision of health and healthcare may be based on gender. Study by Lasch, Sonntag, and Maschewsky- Schneider (2010) aims to evaluate equity in access to health by identifying whether health services can meet demands of both genders and whether they benefit from these services equally. To achieve gender equity in healthcare, there is a need to improve social values through solidarity as well as mutual responsibility (Gabbott, 2012). However, the National health Strategy defines equity based on needs instead of on geographical location or the capacity to reimburse. The aim of equity policy is not to eliminate all health differences in a manner that everybody has similar quality of health but instead aims at decreasing significantly the disparities, which are avoidable and unfair. Despite efforts to improve health sector, for instance by increase in health services investments, especially public hospital system, with an aim of equality, inequality still persists in access to services. Study by Harkin (2001) highlighted inequality in: access to education and information, staffing arrangements, in geographical distribution of services, access to primary care services and access to acute public hospitals. Problems Facing Dental Health Clinic The Dental health Clinic at Worksville Regional Hospital has been having problems with their patients because of their poor approach to customer service. Despite the fact, they open at 9am, patients starts lining up at 6am to be served first. The clinic “first in, first seen” basis lead to scrambling and commotion when entering the clinic. This shows that the clinic has inadequate staff and very poor management approach. Technology is advancing fast making it difficult to find staff who can continuously work in the ever-changing environment (Burt & Eklund, 2005). Another problem concerns dentistry schools. There has been a decline in number of dentists because qualifying graduates number is falling gradually. Furthermore, female majorities who have to balance between families and work making it difficult to increase practicing hours characterize practicing population. With the Internet changing the face and the manner of conducting dentistry services, the need to adopt is not only appropriate and effective but a necessity as well (Daskalaki, 2009). With the new technology comes new products and increased demand for technical knowhow. All this needs money hence greater operating costs (Economists Intelligence Unit, 2010). In an effort to learn customers’ needs, it is imperative to make them learn these needs. In cases where technology is required to do this, the customers perceive the solution as “complex” or “confusing.” Dental practitioners are faced with the challenge of simplifying technology for easier understanding and at the same time playing the role it was meant to. There is a conflict between the increased cost in equipment required for dentistry and the requirement by the insurance and dental industry to reduce benefits. Further, increased awareness and sceptical population has challenged treatment options. Suggested Solutions to above Problems Dentist practitioners will be required to have websites to market their services and register customers. Manufacturers and laboratories will have to incorporate online training modules plus conducting seminars to ensure continuous education. One-on-one personal contacts will be very effective means of establishing loyalty with the customers. In selling the ideas relating to improved technology and creating awareness of what is available, clients will understand what and where to obtain their needs (Oral Health Group, 2002). Clients can also be reached through use of direct mail and newsletters. Print advertisements designed for showing new leads would also be effective means in this regard. For an effective reform, solution needs to be effected right from the background dentistry schools. Older technologies already obsolete need to be scrapped and concentrate on new processes. Other curriculums have laid much emphasis on theory and neglected the practical aspect. This approach need to be changed, practical approach has to be integrated into the schools teaching programs (Whitehead, 1992). In fact, emphasis should be more on the practical aspect. Another effective means is incorporating business courses such as marketing, finance, and management into dentistry curriculum. Additionally, dental schools need to be upgraded with up-to-date learning equipment. Preferred Solution for the Case Technological advancement in dentistry practice is the answer, particularly change in the management approach (Technology Strategy Board, 2009). E-services comprising of various functions should be integrated in the management for efficiency, speed, and accuracy not to mention customer satisfaction and value addition. These services maybe expensive at first but in the end will help the practice run smoothly, more efficiently, and cut down on costs and errors. Staff will concentrate more on patient care (King’s College London, 2008). The first service integrated in practice management is an online customer interactive program or software that would help patients to communicate to the clinical staff online. This would help them to book appointments with particular dentists. In case of any other need, this would provide the best avenue for addressing the need. Secondly, the clinic should consider using digital radiography, which assists in tracking details and information on the patients digitally. Time when patients’ information was kept manually in files is long gone. This allows for faster retrieval of the required data (Emmott, n.d). This would help to reduce the amount of time spent with one patient hence reducing the time spent on queues. Third, is the electronic claim processing service; this needs to be integrated into the practice management software, such as SoftDent software, which helps in filing electronically clients’ insurance claim. Since every patient’s information is stored electronically, insurance claim is updated automatically. Staffs are saved from filing out insurance claims, printing, and mailing them. Another e-service is electronic statement delivery service. It generates bills electronically and transmits them to the clearinghouse where they are printed and mailed to the patients. Work that manually takes days can be completed in minutes using this service (Office of Fair Trading, 2003). Electronic insurance eligibility service is another package. It helps staff access patient’s information on insurance benefits and eligibility from the Internet. It saves time spent on calling insurance companies to find out whether one is covered or not. This information is then stored in the patient record. Staffing also needs consideration; the fact many patients wait to be attended to means that the demand for the services is high. This could be because the number of dentists available is few and needs review. The clinic should consider recruiting new practitioners. The clinic may also consider using other cost-free queuing techniques, such as priority queuing discipline like first- in- first- out or categorizing patients depending on their priorities. When utilization is high, waiting time may be minimised by giving priority to those who need short time service. Another amicable solution may be appointment systems to reduce the arrival variability and time spent in waiting at the clinic such as emergences. Therefore, the dentist can plan his/ her schedule to reduce idleness and huge workloads. How Staff will be Educated Dental clinic staff will be educated through training to improve their qualities, familiarize themselves with the product, augment personnel efficiency, and professional development, and maintain smooth and efficient organization’s performances (Rowbotham et al., 2009). Type of training to be adopted will be on-the-job-training or coaching approach. Training can also take place formally; in- house or off- house-training (Olaniyan & Ojo, 2008). The community, which comprises of the clients, will be informed of the new technological changes. They will also learn from the websites of the clinics, which will be designed specifically for patients support. References Burt, B., & Eklund, S. (2005). Dentistry, dental practice, and the community. St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders. Daskalaki, A. (2009). Dental computing and applications: advanced techniques for. US: Information Science Reference. Dental Marketing Experts. (2011). Dentists’ ICT Use. British Dental Journal. Retrieved from http://www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/BDJ-ICT readership-survey_web1.pdf Economists Intelligence Unit. (2010). Doing More with Less: Britain’s Healthcare Funding Challenges. Retrieved from http://webr.emv2.com/gen_heal_gr/news/BMI_Doing%20more%20with%20less_FIN L%20FEB%202010-2.pdf Emmott, L. (n.d). How to go Paperless in the Dental Office. Drlarryemmott, 1-6 Gabbott, D. (2012). Medical emergencies and Resuscitation. Resuscitation Council UK. Retrieved from Harkin, A. (2001). Equity of Access to Health Services. Ireland: Institute of Public Health. Retrieved from http://www.publichealth.ie/sites/default/files/documents/files/Equity_of_Access_to_Health_Services.pdf Harker, R. (2011). NHS funding and expenditure. Retrieved from http://www.nhshistory.net/parlymoney.pdf Karandawala, A. (2008). Key challenges facing hospitals today. Future Health, 1: 1-2 King’s College London. (2008). Policy plus evidence, issues and opinions in healthcare. Retrieved from http://www.kcl.ac.uk/nursing/research/nnru/Policy/previous issues/impactofnursingcare/PolicyIssue13.pdf Lasch, V., Sonntag, U., & Maschewsky- Schneider, U. (2010). Equity in Access to Health Promotion, Treatment and Care for all European Women. Retrieved from http://www.uni-kassel.de/upress/online/frei/978-3-89958-7401.volltext.frei.pdf Olaniyan, D., & Ojo, L. (2008). Staff Training and Development: A Vital Tool for Organizational Effectiveness. EuroJournals, 24(3): 326-331. Office of Fair Trading. (2003). The private dentistry market in the UK. Retrieved from http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/consumer_protection/oft630.pdf Oral Health Group. (2002). Roundtable: the future of dentistry. Retrieved from http://www.oralhealthgroup.com/news/roundtable-the-future-of-dentistry/1000149248/ Powell, M., & Exworthy, M. (2003). Equal access to health care and the British National Health service. Policy Studies, 24 (1): 51-64. Rowbotham, J., Godson, J., Williams, S., Csikar, J., & Bradley, S. (2009). Dental Therapy in the United Kingdom: Developments in Therapists’ Training and Role. Washington State Dental Association. Technology Strategy Board. (2009). Medicines and Healthcare. Retrieved from http://www.innovateuk.org/_assets/pdf/Corporate-Publications/MedicinesHealthcareStrategy.pdf Whitehead, M. (1992). The concepts and principles of equity and health. International Journal of Health Services, 22(3):429-445. Read More