Top 4 Practice Management Solutions for Therapists in 2020
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In today’s world of ever-increasing technological advancements, many private practices are now choosing to integrate computer software into their other daily tasks.
In fact, an Accenture survey showed that 77% of people think that the ability to book, change or cancel appointments online is important. The same report also said that nearly 38% (986 million) appointments would soon be self-scheduled.
Another article from OhMD reported practices that implemented text appointment reminders decreased no-show rates by as much as 60% while saving time and money compared to [traditional] methods.
These are only a couple of the many ways your private practice can benefit from adopting a practice management solution. In this article, we’ll walk through the core benefits of using practice management software and then, briefly review our top 5 picks.
Advantages of Using Practice Management Software
We realize that choosing practice management software is an important decision for your practice. Because this particular type of software encompasses so many important parts of your business – appointment schedules, client forms, billing processes, etc. – it can quickly become your new best friend or your new worst enemy.
To ensure the former, it’s critical that you choose the option that best matches your particular practice’s workflow. And the easiest way to guarantee you make the right choice is by understanding the core features they provide. So, here are some of the key advantages to using practice management software.
Automation = Efficiency
Practice management software also plays a major role in expediting many tasks that would otherwise slow down your daily operations. Client portals, for example, take much of the burden off of the front desk by allowing clients to schedule appointments, make payments, and fill out intake forms online.
Automated appointment reminders have also been shown to reduce the number of no-shows by as much as 60% while saving time and money compared to traditional methods. In fact, some estimates show missed appointments cost single practitioners as much as $150,000/year.
And some practice management solutions even include insurance eligibility verification to help ensure that a client is covered for your services before they ever request an appointment.
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Online Payments & Appointment Scheduling
The days of spending half of your lunch break on hold to schedule an appointment are finally a thing of the past! Now, with online appointment scheduling, your clients are able to view your availability and schedule (or request) an appointment through a secure online portal. Plus, now that online appointment scheduling is commonly done through HIPAA-secure platforms, people are also much more comfortable making payments for their appointments online.
Not to mention, the added convenience of scheduling an appointment or paying their bill through a secure client portal at any time, day or night (whether your office is open or closed) is reason enough for most people to get on board.
Billing & Financial Analysis
Assuming you have a certified medical coder on staff, many practice management solutions can help you submit claims to payers in a timely and appropriate manner. In conjunction with an attentive staff, practice management software can increase the number of claims that are accepted the first time they’re submitted. This software can also be used to respond to any rejections or denials you receive.
Some practice management solutions will even provide you with a financial analysis – providing you with a breakdown of all revenue so that you can determine which types of clients/services show the greatest hope of financial growth for your practice.
Session Notes & Secure Document Storage
Streamline your own workflow by storing and managing all of your clients’ health information electronically. Keep detailed session notes (i.e. initial assessments, treatment plans, progress notes) within your secure portal. Some practice management solutions even allow you to build treatment plans that are fully integrated with Wiley Practice Planners®.
You can also create paperless intake forms so that clients can have all their paperwork filled out ahead of time, giving you more time during their initial appointment. Then, safely store all of your client (and other business) documents online with full HIPAA compliance through your practice management software.
Top 4 Online Appointment Scheduling Tools for Therapists in 2020
Now that we’ve covered the most prominent ways your practice could benefit from adopting a new practice management solution, it’s time to talk about some of our favorites.
If you’re considering incorporating a greater level of technology into your private practice, here are the practice management solutions we recommend taking a closer look at:
TheraNest
TheraNest provides a secure, affordable and easy practice management solution for mental health practitioners. TheraNest is used by practices and organizations of all sizes: solo practitioners, large mental health and psychology practices, social services non-profits, and educational and teaching centers.
Starting Price: $38/month
Special Offer: Brighter Vision clients get 20% off their first 3 Months
Features:
| ✓ Appointment Reminders | ✓ Initial Assessments |
| ✓ Appointment Scheduling | ✓ Inpatient/Residential |
| ✓ Claims Management | ✓ Mobile Apps Available (iPhone & Android) |
| ✓ Client Portal | ✓ Paperless Client Intakes |
| ✓ Electronic Claim Tracking | ✓ Payment Processing |
| ✓ Employee Management | ✓ Telehealth/Video Appointments |
| ✓ EMR/EHR | ✓ Treatment Plans |
| ✓ Group Telehealth | ✓ Wiley® Integrated |
| ✓ HIPAA Compliant | ✓ Unlimited Users |
TherapyNotes
Trusted by over 60,000 mental health professionals, TherapyNotes helps behavioral health therapists manage their practices more efficiently through an easy-to-use, secure platform for notes, billing, scheduling, and more. TherapyNotes simplifies administrative work, giving practitioners more time and energy to focus on providing effective care for their clients.
Starting Price: $49/month
Features:
| ✓ Appointment Reminders | ✓ Initial Assessments |
| ✓ Appointment Scheduling | ✓ Inpatient/Residential |
| ✓ Claims Management | ✗ Mobile Apps Available (iPhone & Android) |
| ✓ Client Portal | ✓ Paperless Client Intakes |
| ✓ Electronic Claim Tracking | ✓ Payment Processing |
| ✓ Employee Management | ✗ Telehealth/Video Appointments |
| ✓ EMR/EHR | ✓ Treatment Plans |
| ✗ Group Telehealth | ✗ Wiley® Integrated |
| ✓ HIPAA Compliant | ✓ Unlimited Users (non-clinical staff only, +$30/month/additional clinician) |
CounSol
Voted ‘Best Value Award’ By Capterra! Top Choice for Practice Management. Personalized, efficient, and complete – online practice management exactly the way you want it. Offering live online chat & video sessions, custom questionnaires & forms, email messaging, scheduling & calendar, billing & invoicing, treatment plans, and more.
Plus, increase your practice’s exposure online through CounselorListing.com where potential clients can search the directory of counselors by the type of counseling and/or zip code. Listing your practice is a fast and easy way to give your practice the added exposure needed to help maintain and grow your client base. Not available on all plans.
Starting Price: $44.95/month/user
Special Offer: Brighter Vision clients get $5 off a New Monthly Subscription with coupon code: brightervision
Features:
| ✓ Appointment Reminders | ✓ Initial Assessments |
| ✓ Appointment Scheduling | ✓ Inpatient/Residential |
| ✓ Claims Management | ✗ Mobile Apps Available (iPhone & Android)/span> |
| ✓ Client Portal | ✓ Paperless Client Intakes |
| ✓ Electronic Claim Tracking | ✓ Payment Processing |
| ✓ Employee Management | ✓ Telehealth/Video Appointments |
| ✓ EMR/EHR | ✓ Treatment Plans |
| ✓ Group Telehealth | ✗ Wiley® Integrated/span> |
| ✓ HIPAA Compliant | ✗ Unlimited Users/span> |
thera-LINK
thera-LINK provides private practitioners and small- to medium-sized group practices with a simpler online practice management solution. With thera-LINK, you’ll get HIPAA secure video, appointment scheduling, payment built-in, secure messaging, client/session notes, file sharing, and a directory listing for clients to find you. They’ll also provide you with office manager accounts and custom waiting rooms with music!
Starting Price: $30/month/user
Special Offer: Brighter Vision clients get 20% fff your first 6 Months
Features:
| ✓ Appointment Reminders | ✗ Initial Assessments |
| ✓ Appointment Scheduling | ✗ Inpatient/Residential |
| ✗ Claims Management | ✗ Mobile Apps Available (iPhone & Android) |
| ✓ Client Portal | ✗ Paperless Client Intakes |
| ✗ Electronic Claim Tracking | ✓ Payment Processing |
| ✗ Employee Management | ✓ Telehealth/Video Appointments |
| ✓ EMR/EHR | ✗ Treatment Plans |
| ✓ Group Telehealth | ✗ Wiley® Integrated |
| ✓ HIPAA Compliant | ✗ Unlimited Users |
Need Help Deciding Which Tool Is Best for Your Practice?
Making the choice to start using practice management software in 2020 is undoubtedly a step forward in making things more convenient for both the therapists and the clients in your private practice. Not to mention, a profitable one!
Tame Your Practice
Need help selecting the best Practice Management Solution for your practice? Looking to integrate technology while remaining compliant with ethics and HIPAA? Through Tame Your Practice’s expert services and consultation, you can reach your goals!
Special Offer: Brighter Vision clients get $15 off an EHR Matching Service or Technology Consultation
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I seek a HIPPA compliant web address for group therapy but need no other services..what do you suggest?
Hi Judith, thanks for checking out our article! We would love to speak with you about how we can help. You can schedule a call with a member of our team at https://calendly.com/mattc-2/30min/
Thank you for putting your summary together. It really helps to understand the options.