Patient Safety Compliance for Dental Labs

Overview

It happens all too often that we encounter labs who view trouble-shooting as the primary purpose for our software support services.  In truth, dealing with errors-- whether they be hardware issues or user errors or conflicts between various software systems--is only a small part of our work. 

The majority of our work with software development and support involves analysis, design, programming and testing toward keeping up to date with changes in laboratory and computer technology and requirements and in providing security and control for information. Other important components of our support services are ongoing training, education and guidance on use of the software.

It is QuickBooks that provides the software support for government requirements for accounting and taxation and it is DentaLab for QuickBooks that provides software support for government and industry requirements for patient safety.

Patient Safety Requirements for Dental Labs

In the dental laboratory industry, standards have been developed for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).   Compliance with these standards is recommended by the National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) and the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA and comparable administrations in other countries.  In addition, a growing number of states and provinces have developed legislation governing dental laboratory practices.

Included in GMP are measures to assure the safety of materials used in the manufacturer of dental prostheses.   Computer records of materials used, manufacturers, manufacturer codes or part numbers, and lot or batch numbers can be useful in tracking safety measures and in recalls, if defective or dangerous materials become necessary.

Also typically included in measures toward these goals are:

·        Documenting  the procedures used by laboratories to ensure patient safety

·        Tracking of production steps in laboratory cases by date, procedures, and   technicians

·        Documenting case issues and their resolutions

·        Providing information to the dental office and patient on the location where the work was performed 

DentaLab for QuickBooks: Patient Safety Support

For labs to comply with the increased requirements without incurring substantial amounts of time and money, it becomes critical to have good software support to both guide and document the steps in lab production.  Here are some of the ways this is done in DentaLab for QuickBooks:

1. Standard Procedures can be established to provide templates of work centers, items, and schedules.  These are used to guide case entry, providing both control and fast entry into the computer records.
2. Materials Disclosure sets provide templates of manufacturer, part/description, lot/batch numbers, entry by, start and expiration dates that can be associated with items and specific cases.  Should material recalls be mandated or adverse patient reactions be reported, associated cases can be quickly accessed.
3. Case materials disclosure documentation can be provided to the dental offices for inclusion in patient files.  These can also include laboratory registrations and/or certifications, safety data.                                                                                                                   
4. Tracking of case production by customer, patient, dates, procedures and items, technicians who performed the work, quality control issues.
5. Activity logs, case communication records, technician notes and case histories can all be used to track specifications and issues, resolution of problems.
6. Laboratory notes are standard text messages that can easily be included in case memos and other note-taking areas of the system including messages added to invoices to note issues, where the work was performed.
7. Electronic images created by the dental office or by scanning in the lab can be stored with case records and quickly accessed whenever needed to resolve issues or clarify specifications.

Upcoming Requirements

 
They seemed far away at first, but as the dates for the new government compliance requirements here in the USA close in, it is time to start planning for the software support that will be needed as development and testing do not happen overnight.  

One of the new federal requirements will be the excise tax on medical devices that will be applicable for most of the work produced by dental laboratories. QuickBooks already provides for automatic taxation if you specify that an item is taxable and then assign a tax item to specify the rate and chart of accounts entry.   For those who are in states and/or counties that also require taxation, you will need to assure that you are tallying multiple taxes accurately for government reporting.



Another will be the unique device identification (UID) that will require a barcode to identify the manufacturer, manufacturer contact information, date of origin, lot number, date of shipment, product class device, and risk classification.   This will likely require that a barcoded label be affixed to any packaging and possibly also the invoice or case materials disclosure form for the patient's records.  It is anticipated that a unique barcode will need to be generated for each case and shipment date.   Labs that provide services to the USA will need to register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to obtain their UID.  

Whenever your national or local government issues regulations regarding the production of work based on dental prescriptions, we ask that you let us know so that we can determine if new measures of software support will be needed.

Contact us through:  http://www.mainstreetsystems.net

Surrounding Yourself with Good People

When asked what she thought was the most important ingredient in achieving his success, Debbie Phelps, mother of the phenomenal 2008 Olympian Michael, responded: surrounding yourself with good people.

How can you, as a lab technician or manager working intently at your job, surround yourself with more good people?   One excellent way that comes immediately to mind is to join the internet forums for your industry.   These are basically set up to exchange ideas and information, opinions and news pertinent to dental labs all over the world.  The internet makes this easily possible for anyone with a few moments a day, a computer or other device connected to the internet, and a willingness to listen and share.

As in any endeavor, there are those who are leaders, movers and shakers who like to communicate frequently and have their opinions heard.  Others who are members of the forums are known as lurkers because they tune in but do not make their voices heard.  And in between there are those who participate from time to time, asking questions, seeking opinions or whatever comes to mind.  Out of these exchanges, there develops camaraderie, giving support and friendship when needed, joking and good-natured kidding, a way to find good people who share your profession and livelihood. 

On these forums are also representatives of industry organizations, journals and vendors who have a mandate not to advertise directly but to share information and expertise when requested.   Also included in this group are dentists who can add knowledgeable viewpoints from their side of the fence.  The net result of tuning in is that you find those good-hearted folks who are willing to give back to the industry.

After a time in this quest, you come to know the personalities of the active participants:  who is witty, who is wise, who never seems to quite know what is going on, who is always trying to impress, who is willing to provide whatever education they may have to give---but basically all good people who care about this industry and each other.

To get you started, here are the contact points for some of the online communities for dental laboratories:  

Popularly known as the IDF:            internetdentalforum.org

-       to sign up, go to this link:

http://www.internetdentalforum.org/subscribe/subscribe/subscribe/sigsubscribe.html .

Dental Lab Network:                         dentallabnetwork.com/forums

Worldwide Dentaltown                     towniecentral.com or docere.com

-       First choose your area, then message boards and  dentallabtown

Lab Management Today                  LMTmag.com

-       Then choose The Bridge

Give them a try.  Find one or two that you like best.  We’ll look for you there.

Published in Spectrum Dialogue-Voice of Techno-Clinical Dentistry

About the Author:

Elaine Whelan is president of Mainstreet Systems & Software, specializing in software, training and support for dental laboratories as part of the Intuit Developers Network.   The flagship software system synchronizes case management with the QuickBooks products for accounting and financial management and services a large number of laboratories in the USA, Canada, Australia and United Kingdom. She has been a columnist for three journals of dental technology and has been guest speaker and lecturer at a number of dental conferences.

She is a graduate of Drexel University, has completed graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University, and has earned a CDP from the Institute for Certification of Computer Professionals.   She is the author of two books “My Mom’s Making History” and “Jameer” that have been chosen for Read Across America Day.  Pennsylvania has honored her as one of the Best 50 Women in Business for 2007.

 
Contact through:   http://www.mainstreetsystems.net

Artistic, Creative, Custom, Elite, Precision, Quality....

The list of superb adjectives goes on with many more…Aesthetic, Excel, Natural, Premier, Reliable, Superior, Unique.  These are not just adjectives, however, but dental laboratory names from our in-house license manager software that helps us keep track of both existing and prospective customers.  Many of the others in this industry are family names—names such as Dantonio, Glidewell, Killian, Rogers, Root---reflecting years of hard work to establish strong reputations for the very same superb characteristics. 

In these tough economic times, however, the qualities that have been the hallmark of many dental labs have taken a back seat to low-cost bottom dollar choices by dental practices.  To continue to succeed and prosper, labs must find ways to challenge this competition through more and better marketing, managing and innovation.

You may be thinking that your budget may not be big enough to do the things you would like to do in terms of time, money and other resources.  But think again….there may be a resource already in house, already paid for, that can be a great aid in meeting these challenges.   That resource is your dental laboratory software. 

Going beyond the tracking of cases and billing, many of the systems designed specifically for dental laboratories also include other capabilities that help you to reach out and find more business, both from your existing customers and prospective customers.  Sales and production analysis can pinpoint what types of services your customers have been using as well as those they have not used or used very little.   Is a particular customer only sending posterior cases and not anterior?   Do they use your lab for  crowns and bridges, but not implants, not dentures?

For prospective customers, you may need to ask these and other questions and record your notes in the software memo fields or activity logs.  Are they happy with their current lab in some ways but not in others?  Do they value excellent communication to achieve excellent results, do they need more expert guidance for their lab work, are they looking for faster turnarounds or bargain pricing or to try new techniques?

To help retain your existing customers, it is wise to take advantage of reports that show a change in activity.   If a customer has become inactive or greatly reduced the volume of work being sent to you, it would behoove you to find this out and resolve any issues, nipping trouble in the bud, as quickly as possible.   Reports that rank or sequence sales as well as graphs that show monthly sales can likewise be very helpful in spotting changes within your customer base.

In trying to attract and retain business, you can also let the dental offices know of capabilities you have not only with your products and services but also within your software that can of help to the doctors.   Some of these might include the ability to receive graphic images and imbed these in the case records for easy lookup both when performing the work and in the future.   Another might be materials disclosure forms sent with each completed case that specify the manufacturer, location, batch and lot of each component, as well as your own professional registrations, alliances and certifications.  Still another could be the capability to send invoices, statements and reports specific to the customer via email, as well as any special requests they may have.

To distinguish yourself from your competitors, you may be able to offer rapid and easily accessible case and invoice histories that can be printed or emailed upon request or simply answered in a phone call.   If your software system provides for direct entry via the internet for case information and requests from the dental office and then tracks these as well as billings and payments, this is another exceptional capability you can offer to save time and help assure accuracy for both of you. 

Doctors particularly value not having to repeat their preferences over and over again so it is wise to request these, record them, keep them up-to-date and then use them when performing lab work or making your next contact.  These can also provide an easy lead-in to discussing new work, an added way to build a reputation for trust and reliability.

Some labs market primarily by calling dental offices, others do mailings, seminars, in-person visits, sponsor events, email newsletters, maintain a website, exhibit or speak at trade shows and conferences.   To do any or all of these well, it is important to develop the habit of capturing and recording contact names and numbers with postal as well as email addresses and then extra pieces of information such as the type of practice, any specialties, preferences, alliances, how they like to be contacted, what they value most, the labs they currently use, and potential work for your lab.   You can then use your software to select from these criteria to generate communications in a variety of ways.  When you connect or receive a response, you can record your notes in activity logs to guide you on the next steps to follow through.  

Knowing that your schedule will be busy, it is good to provide alerts for yourself with dates and notes for your next communications.  One of fundamental rules of good marketing is to keep a steady beat of contacts so that through repetition your name and reputation become known.  Setting up an entrepreneurial program for your lab with the aid of your software can be accomplished with a little bit of determination, some guidance and input from your software support team, small chunks of time and minimal expense.  Then with some luck and good timing, you may be right there when a dental office is ready to send their lab work your way.  

Published in the Spectrum Dialogue-Voice of Techno-Clinical Dentistry