{"id":12160,"date":"2024-07-24T14:39:31","date_gmt":"2024-07-24T21:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.planetdds.com\/?p=11359"},"modified":"2024-08-16T14:00:45","modified_gmt":"2024-08-16T21:00:45","slug":"dykema-dso-conference-2024-dso-leaders-share-top-6-focus-areas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.planetdds.com\/blog\/dykema-dso-conference-2024-dso-leaders-share-top-6-focus-areas\/","title":{"rendered":"Dykema DSO Conference 2024: DSO Leaders Share Top 6 Focus Areas"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article was written by Planet DDS staff and originally published on Dental Products Report<\/a>. At the Dykema DSO Conference 2024 this July, DSO leaders shared their top six areas of focus for the next six months.<\/em><\/p>\n

This year has been like a tsunami, with a deluge of difficult business conditions including high supply costs, high labor costs, high interest rates, and low insurance reimbursements overwhelming many dental practices.<\/p>\n

At the Dykema<\/a> DSO Conference in Denver on July 10, dental group executives shared how they\u2019re faring and the top six areas where they’re focusing their attention for the rest of the year.<\/p>\n

1. Standardization, Interoperability, and Visibility of Data<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One hot topic at the Dykema DSO conference was standardization and efficiency.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting all of our practices on one unified, cloud-based system<\/a> was absolutely imperative for us. We\u2019re completing our rollout of the Denticon<\/a> Practice Management system across all of our GP practices and adding Cloud 9<\/a> practice management for ortho right after that,\u201d said Jason Heffelfinger, CEO of Dental Care Alliance<\/a>, a DSO with more than 400 affiliated practices in 26 states. With both Denticon and Cloud 9 produced by Planet DDS, the platforms are integrated so patient files can be entered or accessed from either application.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have one system that you can utilize across all your practices, it just makes it easier for everybody to execute. When we think about staffing, doctor days, data\u2014it just makes it so much easier to understand where you have opportunities. Then you can thank them for the work they do, and of course, you can course-correct when necessary,\u201d Heffelfinger explained.<\/p>\n

AJ Acierno, DDS, president of clinical operations for Smile Brands<\/a>, agreed. The company has more than 650 affiliated practices in 32 states.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re an acquisition-based company and that means we inherited a ton of different systems,\u201d Dr Acierno said. \u201cIt means everything to be able to standardize the technology and have all your data all in one place. It lets you measure metrics, apples to apples.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Increasing Same-Store Growth Through Systems<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The company OMS360<\/a> drove 40% organic growth in the first half of 2024 across its oral surgery business after implementing a new patient workflow, said its CEO, Trevor Maurer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to understand why some of our surgeons were more efficient than others, so we performed a comprehensive analysis of surgeons and workflows. We literally did a time study of our patient journey<\/a>, the staff, and even the surgeons. We needed to know who was doing what, and the impact that had on the entire patient experience. From this, we identified six phases of the patient journey and detailed how long each took for our highest-performing practices,\u201d Maurer said.<\/p>\n

When the research came back, the data showed that it wasn\u2019t just something the surgeons were doing but the systems they had in place that made them successful. OMS360 then modeled the stages across its practices:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Patient access<\/li>\n
  • Scheduling<\/a><\/li>\n
  • Pre-appointment, such as insurance verification<\/li>\n
  • Consultation and treatment planning<\/li>\n
  • Treatment<\/li>\n
  • Account reconciliation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \u201cWe systemized the six phases and let each team know where the inconsistencies are in their methods. Not everyone will want to make a change, and it is truly their choice,\u201d Maurer said. \u201cOur commitment is to enable the doctors to practice at the top of their license.\u202fIf they want to do it, OMS360 can get them there.\u202fSurgeons that were under $4 million have increased to over $6 million annually.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe\u2019ve been focusing on same-day care initiatives,\u201d said Teresa Williams, the chief financial and operations officer of Dental Express<\/a>, a dental group with six affiliated practices in California. \u201cWe\u2019re taking a hard look at what\u2019s happening for each of our patients when they\u2019re in the building. People want to get care immediately, so we\u2019re making it easy for them through third-party financing, building larger teams so we can provide same-day care, and even expanding the footprint of our offices.\u201d<\/p>\n

    3. Same-Store Growth Through Payer Mix Changes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Many DSO leaders predicted the COVID-19 impact on the global and local economy, from supply chain issues to higher prices for goods, higher wages, and higher interest rates. Himesh Kana, DMD, managing director of Dental Depot DFW<\/a>, began evaluating their systems and payor mix in 2022. Dental Depot has 37 affiliated practices in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Missouri.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe looked at our phones, we looked at our treatment acceptance rate, we looked at training, we looked at all of our payors, we looked at our data, and we looked at our patient volume,\u201d Kana said. \u201cWe have a really solid membership model with Subscribili<\/a>; it\u2019s now our second highest segment of commercial payors, and our per visit output on our membership model is much higher, by 20% to 25%.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The Smilist Management<\/a>, a DSO with almost 100 affiliated practices in the Northeast, is focusing on revenue cycle management to drive same-store growth too.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe negotiated a rate increase on our PPO plans. We tightened up on our RCM processes<\/a> and our accounts receivable,\u201d said Thomas Passalacqua, director of business development. \u201cWe added automation to our RCM, which has really improved patient communication, insurance verification, and collection rates.\u201d<\/p>\n