Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Medware scheduler

Just wondering if anyone else is using Medware for billing and, if so, do you use the scheduler?

Yes, and yes.
We have been using it since 1996, but it's getting long in tooth, and they say they wlll not be supporting it in the future.
We use it in tandem with AC -- the integrated AC practice manager seems to be much more of a problem than what we face with running AC and Medware together, though that is something of a nuisance.

Do you use reminder texts and calls as well as staff reminder calls? Automatically.

No -- we do reminder calls manually.
Also, we have a person answer the phones.
I know -- it is SO retro, almost antediluvian

We do reminder calls manually. Just started a trial of a company which uses the Medware schedule. It is unbelievably awesome. The things you can do with it are unbelievable. You can set it to text, call or email. Currently, we are just doing text. We now do text messages automatically two days prior and do reminder calls the day before. When the person gets the text (and it tells you if they received it), they can click on Y or Yes to confirmed or N or No to cancel. So far if we have 20 appointments, the breakdown is roughly:

18 received the text
2 had a landline
7 will click on yes
1 will cancel
8 will receive the text but do nothing

The following day (the day before), we call the two with the landlines (confirm) and try to get a cell phone number, skip the 7 who click on yes and use the yellow phone icon to show confirmed, call the cancellation to try to reschedule, call the 8 who received the text but did nothing.

My theory is that those who click yes are more likely to show than those who say yes on a phone call. Some people who have no intent on showing may not want the hassle of being questioned as to why or if they want to reschedule. A yes on a text message is likely to be 100% valid.

You can set custom messages if you want to let everyone know that you are closed due to a storm, etc.

If you use auto telephone reminders, they can click on a link to call back and confirm or change the appointment. You know if they receive it. You know if it went to VM.

We definitely don't do emails, but you can. Or you can do all three or four if you count manual calls, but this would be overkill.

My sense is it will stop three no shows per week minimum or 12 per month minimum.

Tom,

I continue to be amazed with this program. This is the first time I have seen this, and it happened three times. Apparently, after they click on Y or N to confirm or cancel, they can write a short message. Today, had Yes, but will be running a little late. One was cancel, doing great now.

Nice to hear we aren't the only office with a real, live person who answers the phone.

We have a person who answers the phone.

Doesn't change that we are seeing at least 12 more patients a month.

This is an automated system response to inform you that your calls have been completed with the following results:

Results Count Percent

Confirmed 9 50%

Messages sent 8 44%

Total 17 100%

I forgot to send Monday's. So the staff asked if I could send it now. Sent at 12:30 pm. Nine were confirmed. That is nine calls that do not have to be made. (The percentages will be off, because I took one line out that didn't need to be there).

That's great! Our issue with using an automated system is the way we schedule appointments. We do use text and portal message reminders. The text messages really work the best, especially for patients who need to reschedule. They can text NO way quicker than they can call or email, so we have more time to fill the empty slot.

Are we talking about the same Medware program?
The same one we have been using since 1996?
That is a warmed over and somewhat improved DOS program?
It works well for us, but of course it doesn't interface with AC, so we have duplicate entries for insurance and addresses.

I had no idea it could send automated reminders.
The company that now owns it says they will stop supporting it in a year.

https://www.1800notify.com/ does the phone calls or texts or emails. You just export the appointments to a .csv file then import it to the 800notify.com website. It is rather seamless. You can set each day in less than 30 seconds.

Medware is unbreakable. When it loses money, someone buys them. Support isn't an issue for me. It doesn't install to the registry. Just runs from the desktop, flash drive, wherever.

If you start with double entry, an employee will never mention the phrase.