When Retina Institute of the Carolinas was looking for a more automated and centralized system to track its drug inventory, distribution, and payments, it chose DoseTracer software. “We chose this system because of its ease of use and because it isn’t tied to one particular distributor or group purchasing organization,” says Charles Len Tucker, MD, FACS, a physician shareholder at the Charlotte, NC, practice.

DoseTracer software was already in place when Alison L. Ratliff, MBA, CEO of South Coast Retina Center in Long Beach, California, joined the practice. “I had previously used several other software systems and although they had great bells and whistles, I didn’t need most of them,” she says. “DoseTracer can be used at the most basic level, but it can also produce comprehensive reports for complex practices. It’s really a software system for the entire spectrum of sophistication that we see in our retina community.”

FUNCTIONALITY

When a medication delivery arrives at a practice, it is scanned into its inventory. “When a drug is needed for a patient, it is scanned back out and assigned to the patient,” Dr. Tucker says. “We can then track the drug through the payment process to ensure that we’re paid and that the correct amount was reimbursed. We always have a current inventory of all drugs in our system, so we know what needs to be ordered.”

In addition, “DoseTracer provides an alert when a drug is scanned and not billed or a drug is billed and no charges are posted to our practice management system, or a different drug than expected is billed or assigned,” Dr. Tucker says.

Furthermore, DoseTracer software was upgraded in 2016 to read the 2D barcodes that are already imprinted on most pharmaceutical packaging, Ratliff says, and compounded drugs are now tracked using scan-free, patent-pending processes. This eliminates the need to print barcodes and place them on items in their inventory.

Mark Naples, president of Custom PC Programming, LLC, the company that makes DoseTracer, says the software has been developed to process practice management information from more than a dozen different vendors. “In most cases, when bringing a new practice on board, we can use existing code to prepare the practice management interface in about an hour,” he says. “If we encounter a system we haven’t seen before, we can usually complete a new interface in about 3 hours. This rapid development capability allows us to prepare and install a group’s application in a few days or less.”

STREAMLINING BILLING

DoseTracer has identified instances when a practice didn’t bill for a medication. “The system provides instant confirmation of what has been used or what has been billed, and indicates discrepancies that need to be addressed,” Ratliff says. “We’ve realized that we shouldn’t just assume that if information is entered into the EMR that it has also been billed.”

For example, if a diagnosis code is not properly linked or a particular code is not selected, a claim might remain only in the electronic medical record and never reach the practice management system. “This is where DoseTracer is extremely valuable,” Ratliff says. “It bridges this gap and allows practice administrators to confidently evaluate the strength and accuracy of both their clinic and billing teams.”

ENHANCING EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY

DoseTracer software has implemented safety features redundant to health record functionality that serve to inform users of various events. “For example, it sends a warning message when a patient has already received a dose from a particular lot number,” says Naples. “Expiration dates of each dose are prominently displayed during dose assignment to guide intelligent dose selection, with a check feature that prohibits assigning an expired dose.”

A detailed special order process keeps track of patients designated to receive noncommercial doses and creates custom orders when doses are received for those patients. “The process informs users of special order status at the time of dose assignment and reports available inventory, helping to ensure that the patient receives the correct medication dose,” Naples says.

EASE OF USE

Ratliff finds DoseTracer easy to use. “Inventory management already relies heavily on manual effort by clinic staff and if it isn’t used properly, the level of human error can diminish any hope of even breaking even on pharmaceutical expenses,” she says. DoseTracer gathers data in such a basic manner that all clinic participants can easily understand how to use the technology. However, the simplicity of use doesn’t mean that the system is basic.”

Reports provide billing verification, which Ratliff views as the system’s most useful function. “DoseTracer can generate a report at any given time to indicate what you have used, but not yet billed,” she says. “It will also provide information about what was paid and written off. This is the best way to quickly and easily verify that your clinic and billing staff have aligned to complete the revenue cycle on medications.”

Dr. Tucker says, “[The system has] made our lives so much easier. We can’t imagine trying to keep up with everything without having this system to use. We have been happy with it, as well as Mark Naples’ professionalism and availability. He is always eager and willing to handle any issue quickly and efficiently.” RP