I’ve heard quite a few comments about the fax machine article – I guess it’s funny because it’s true. The surgical world just can’t seem to lose the fax machine in the rear view mirror. The fax machine is still lingering in surgical offices like a bad device representative, but so are plenty of other outdated ways of doing business. It’s crucial that we change our ways sooner rather than later.

Imagine if other industries, like banks, hadn’t stepped into the light…

Why is the line at the ATM so long? I need to get back to the office to make a zillion phone calls…but I need cash for tonight. I guess I’ll wait…

Finally! Was that guy withdrawing money from Geneva or something? Sheesh!
Okay, we’re rolling now.

“Welcome to Old School Bank, please enter your pin number.”

1-2-5-8…

“We’re sorry; we do not accept digital entries from the keypad. Please write your pin number on the paper provided and insert into the slot marked “pin number.”

What? Why is there even a keypad, then? This is the stupidest thi…

“Please do not be rude, this is the way we do things here.”

It heard my thoughts? That’s creepy. Fine, here’s my pin number.

“Thank you. A representative will contact you shortly with confirmation of your correct pin number. Please go to the end of the line.”

You’re kidding. Isn’t this an automat…

“I’m not kidding”

-20 minutes later-

Okay, I’m back. Hopefully I haven’t been fired yet.

“Quick Cash” – that’s more like it…

“To withdraw cash using our “Quick Cash” feature, please fill out a withdrawal form and fax it to our main office at (480)555-9088. An account representative will manually enter your transaction into our system and FedEx the money to this location. Your money will be available for pickup anytime after 3:00 PM on Friday…”

*This has been a fictional account…any similarities to real surgery schedulers are completely coincidental.

The better way is this: use technology, that’s why it is there! Just as the ATM machine wasn’t utilizing its computerized system for easy data collection and distribution, the surgical world is using the PC for little more than the occasional game of solitaire.

How many times have we relied on the fax machine to send a fax to the hospital for scheduling purposes? They are most likely receiving the fax via their email inbox – that means that after they roll their eyes, they must print out the information, manually enter it into the system, and return a phone call to confirm receipt. Why are we blatantly ignoring the simplicity of a digital system?

Case-Connect is the easy way to put your computer to use. You don’t even need to install any software; just use your Internet connection. With the click of a button, schedules are sent to all interested parties in electronic form. Hospitals, patients, and other support offices can digitally add the information to their systems and confirm with another click of a button. No paper, no busy signals, no communication mishaps…just instant success. Streamlined scheduling will take less time, create fewer headaches, and lead to happier surgical offices.

You wouldn’t keep your money in a bank that operated like the one above; don’t lose business because you operate an outdated surgical office. There is indeed a better way. Get connected today!

You can’t turn on the television, listen to the radio, log into Facebook, or even walk through the grocery store without hearing something about the rapidly-heating healthcare debate. I’ll leave the debates to the political blogosphere, but I do think we can all benefit from a closer look at the issues.

There are plenty of issues surrounding President Obama’s healthcare plan that provoke argument. Depending on your political persuasion, terms like “single-payer,” “deficit,” “affordable drugs,” or “universal care” will stir up strong emotions and force you to choose a side. Not every detail in the proposal is debated, however.

There are some parts of the idea of healthcare reform that cross political boundaries. One of the things that resonates loudly with both sides of the aisle is the need for streamlined, efficient processes in the medical field. Costs will continue to rise if the bulky, slow, and inaccurate ways of doing business continue.

Here is what President Obama said recently:

“We can no longer afford to put health care reform on hold. Our recovery plan will invest in electronic health records and new technology that will reduce errors, bring down costs, ensure privacy and save lives.”

The need for streamlined practices in the medical field is now the elephant in the room. We know it, and now the world knows it. Our best kept secret (the fact that we haven’t quite hopped on the technological revolution bandwagon) is now being debated on prime-time news. Whether or not the government should show us how to be efficient is not the issue. It’s time for us to change – with or without a government mandate.

Case-Connect is a way for surgical offices to shed some weight…so to speak. Schedulers will find that the digital age has led to time-saving, headache relieving strategies for scheduling a case. Using an online platform for communication with support staff, hospitals, patients, and vendors streamlines the scheduling process. Records, data, and conversations can be sent securely, quickly, and efficiently. No more lists of 30 phone calls to make after lunch…computers will take care of the confirmations. No more fax blunders, either…digital copies of instructions and records are immune to pen leaks, soda spills, and misplacement.

The government may dictate many of the regulations and processes for our industry in the coming months. Whatever happens, we can help ourselves by embracing technology and using it to streamline our practices. That’s a proposal that we can all get behind. All in favor? “AYE.”

The word “fax” in the title is not a typo – but it probably is a mistake. This dinosaur of a machine has somehow managed to slip through the evolutionary cracks and still hold a place in the business world. The proverbial meteor is about to hit, however, and the fax machine may have indeed seen its last days. It’s time for this 20th century relic to disappear.

In the eighties, businesses were delighted to have a new way to send messages to clients, suppliers, and colleagues. The fax machine (along with the copier and the office Coke machine) was a welcomed addition to the workplace. Let’s keep things in perspective, though. That was also the era of The New Kids on the Block, Atari, “Perfect Strangers,” “Footloose,” and mullets – all of which served a purpose but have thankfully been replaced by bigger and better things.

Just as Aqua Net hairspray has been gradually phased out of store shelves (and the ozone layer); fax machines have quietly been disappearing from office desktops. Computers have opened the door to better ways of sending information. Email attachments and universal file formats (i.e. PDF) have streamlined the process of sending and receiving information. The fax machine is officially obsolete…almost.

Some businesses refuse to give up on their beloved fax machines, just like some of your friends probably refuse to stop wearing that old REO Speedwagon t-shirt from high school. That’s okay, we can deal with that. Although receiving a fax through our computer may require us to take a few extra steps, it’s not the end of the world. We need to patiently encourage our colleagues to step into the 21st century, just like we encourage that friend with the concert t-shirt to head over to Macy’s or The Gap.

In the surgical scheduling field, it may be even more important to ditch the fax machine quickly. Patient data that sits on a fax machine tray may be a violation of HIPAA regulations; something none of us wants. Sending data via a secure, online server is the best way to deal with information. Scheduling surgeries via email also results in instant confirmations and sufficient “e-trails” to keep us organized.

Case-Connect is the way to jump into the 21st century and beyond. Automated scheduling, email confirmations, streamlined procedures, and easy access to statistics and data make Case-Connect a surefire way to move ahead. We’ve created a product that makes surgical scheduling the least of your worries…no more never-ending games of “fax tag” are necessary.

I’m not on a mission to rid the world of fax machines. I am, however, interested in ridding the surgical field of inefficient, time-consuming, profit-eating ways of doing business. And I wouldn’t mind if acid washed jeans never came back in style, either.

We can’t quite decide if the world is growing worse, or if the reporters are just working harder. ~The Houghton Line, November 1965

There is a lot of negative news floating around out there… banks collapsing, foreclosures rising, flus spreading, and bad reality shows still running. It’s easy to get bogged down with the negativity – if we’re not careful.

I’m a positive person, but I understand my place in the world. I don’t have the power to single-handedly fix the economy, come up with miracle cures, or lead a coup that would force McDonald’s to serve breakfast after 10:30 am. What I can do, however, is strive to influence my corner of this world for the better… and I think I’ve found a way.

I’ve been involved in the surgical world for many years and I understand the headaches that are inherent to the profession. That is, the headaches that were inherent to the profession.

Through my research (mostly anecdotal, albeit), I discovered that surgeons and schedulers were so bogged down in the process of scheduling that it began to overtake their lives. Surgeons were handcuffed with a slew of surgeries slowly waiting in the queue and no time to grow their practice. Schedulers worked endless hours chasing confirmations or finding out why devices or implants were not delivered on time. Something had to change.

Cue the superhero music; this is where Surgical Data Solutions comes in for the rescue. After analyzing the needs of the typical surgical office, SDS developed Case-Connect, a scheduling platform that can schedule surgeries, contact sales reps, create reports, manage contacts, leap tall buildings in a single bound, etc. Surgeons, schedulers, and administrators now have the tools to schedule all of the surgeries they want, easily administer those schedules, and still manage to get home on time. That’s some good news for a change.

There are still going to be the typical world problems: Congress will always be fighting and another bad reality show will undoubtedly premiere next week. In the grand scheme of things, a surgical scheduling program may seem fairly insignificant – but it will help make your life easier; easier to grow your practice, easier to get out of the office at a decent hour, easier to watch your child perform in the school play. We’re working hard to ensure that your professional world, the one we’ve been a part of for many years, is a better place than it was yesterday. Case-Connect can make that happen.

I’m excited to be on this journey with you, and I’d love to hear your comments. To that end, we’ve created a new website, this blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin accounts, and we even have a mailing address where you can send a letter, if that’s how you roll. Case-Connect is all about connections, and we want to stay connected with you. We hope you will stop by often to share your comments, concerns, or success stories with us.

The world isn’t growing worse…at least not for us. Let Case-Connect take the scheduling nightmares away – so you can be free to dream big.*

*no restrictions, no limits, no worries