HearForm, Practice Management Software Extraordinaire
The HearForm story began in July of 1992, it was introduced in response to a growing demand for an affordable and easy way to automate the basic rituals of a hearing healthcare practice. HearForm is in fact an elaborate template that runs on Apple’s FileMaker Pro software. I actually used FileMaker Pro to design the CRM for my Investigations company many years ago. As comprehensive and connected as HearForm it was not, but hey, it did the job for us and that was all that mattered.
Patient Care On HearForm
HearForm is another pretty impressive piece of software, I found it easy to navigate and use, it also follows a logical work process. The functions of HearForm are in depth and comprehensive, it is designed to cover the full operation of a Practice up to the point where it becomes completely paper free.
HearForm has made this possible by providing a really complete set of features and powerful integration with other software such as QuickBooks, Noah 3, Noah 4, Counsel Ear, credit card processing and any number of insurance clearinghouses. The software is available as a stand alone system that can be deployed in a client server configuration within your Practice. However, Mike and his team now offer HearForm 11 as a cloud based option.
The onsite version is accessible via an LAN, Local Area Network, or a WAN, Wide Area Network. This means that it is eminently suitable for a multi Dispenser, multi branch deployment. In fact HearForm boasts that it can service unlimited Office Locations and unlimited Audiologists/Dispensers. The software runs on a Client-Server basis, with each client instantly syncing data to the main server. The Cloud based software operates in a similar manner.
The software is very powerful and has all the features you would expect in order to run your Practice from one place. The Patient Care interface is the heart of the software. It includes at a glance pretty much all of the details surrounding your Patient. It is also the main entity that all other entities, appointments, transactions, scanned forms etc. are connected to.
The software is designed with a paperless office in mind, so all and any scanned forms or electronic forms may be attached to the Patient record. You can record unlimited recalls/reminders against every Patient. You can also record unlimited hearing devices per patient. You can also record quick entry chart notes that are instantly searchable in the software.
As with other software packages HearForm gives you the ability to enter a referral source against each Patient record or appointment. This feature is fully customizable which gives you a very powerful function for reporting. As you are probably aware at this stage I think it is imperative for a Practice to have access to as much data as is humanly possible. This allows you to know exactly what is going on in your Practice.
These functions allow a Practice to track all marketing activities that are undertaken for impact and ROI. If deployed properly it allows you the comprehensive ability to ascertain what works and what doesn’t. It also clearly lets you know exactly where your Patients are coming from, how much they are spending and what they are spending that money on. The amount of data that can be retrieved from HearForm and the versatility of the search functions are almost overwhelming even for a data junkie like me.
Audiometric Data In HearForm
HearForm has a complete audiometric module. The module contains just about every test known to man. The Patient’s audiogram and other diagnostic tests may be entered manually or imported from NOAH 3 & 4. It also integrates a quite amazingly powerful Physician/Patient reporting function. The reporting function is quick, powerful and easy to use.
The screen above shows the reporting engine and all of the test options that can be included in the report. It is easy to use and extremely versatile, basically you can output extremely informative and professional reports with a few clicks. These reports can be then e-mailed, faxed or printed from within the software. The software also allows you to use a customizable check list in order that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet. The one bugbear I have is that HearForm is not completely integrated with Noah. Hopefully now that HIMSA has made Noah 4 more open and connectable through web services this will cease to be an issue.
Financials In HearForm
Above is the sales by city report, you can also print out a sales by circuit and sales by size report among others. HearForm is stuffed with financial forms, receipts, invoices and reports including KPI reports. It also has really flexible accounts receivables statements. For Practices in the States it also incorporates insurance billing through your chosen clearing house. There is also a commissions module which allows you to quickly assess commissions. I thought that really was a piece of small genius.
You have integrated credit card processing right from the software. Of course all the financials can be integrated with QuickBooks saving you on double entry. You can also track all your stock devices through HearForm, including loaner stock if you in fact make that facility available to Patients. It will also track your trial stock very effectively. It allows you to set up and track charges for diagnostics, batteries, accessories, devices, warranties, etc..
HearForm Search Facility & Marketing
Data mining for marketing is very powerful and detailed; searches can be undertaken via numerous filters. A friend of mine who uses the software says if you want to send a mail to a one eyed, one legged man who Morris dances on a Thursday night and was referred by a certain physician, HearForm search will find him for you. The queries can be specified on a significant number of criteria using any or all of the numerous customizable fields.
This versatile search capability allows your Practice to undertake detailed queries of your database for marketing purposes. It allows you great flexibility to clearly and carefully define your targets for Campaign mailing. This will allow you to undertake comprehensive and intelligently focused marketing activities. It will also allow you to carefully manage your Patient Journey mailing activities. All searches can be saved as templates in order that they may be reused as needed.
The software is stuffed with mail merge letters for every possible circumstance, there are over 600 letter templates and 600 form templates. You can also design and customize your own using the built in word processing feature. These new letters can be added to the mailing templates. For day to day mailing and mail marketing purposes, HearForm could not be beaten with a big stick.
Once the templates have been defined it’s a simple process to run the mailers. It is a fully integrated process from data extraction through to mail merge and print, which makes it very easy even for novices to create and send a mailer in a very short time without needing to leave the software or use other tools such as Word or Excel. Another nice touch is the ability to add electronic signatures of any of your staff to any form or letter.
Scheduling On HearForm
Scheduling on HearForm can handle up to 70 Audiologists/Dispensers. Appointments scheduled can be dragged and dropped along multiple columns allowing for quick and easy changes if need be. Another really excellent feature is the Telemarketing Module. The Telemarketing Module can be opened from any point but I raise it here because it is ideal for calls into or out of the office for scheduling.
Basically the Telemarketing Module contains scripted prompts for phone calls in nearly any situation. This is a small stroke of genius, I have said before that your front office staff are probably one of the most important assets you have. They can also be the worst thing for your business, which depends on training. The Telemarketing Module really helps out here.
Another feature that I really liked is the mapping add on, within the software is the ability to tap into maps and provide directions from a Patient’s home to their chosen office. You can then e-mail them a copy of those directions and the map from within the software. How cool is that? This is just one of the many little genius features that I like within HearForm.
The features of HearForm are endless and to even touch on them would ensure that this was an eighteen page post so I will give you a flavour of some of them.
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Print Mailing Labels Quickly
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Print Smead, Brother or Seiko Labels
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IPad and IPhone App allows for patient to sign device with fingertip
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Instant Exporting of any data to Excel
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Integrated ESCO export for Free Mailing Campaigns
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Unlimited New Order, Earmold, Repair, Loss and Damage and Return Credit Forms to Vendors by Print, Fax or Email
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Accessory, New Order, Earmold, Repair, Diagnostic and Return Credit Receipts to Patients
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Speech Language Forms and Reporting
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Innovative Battery club
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Physician Reference Module
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Payer Reference Module
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Progressive Appointment Tracking
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Full security module allows Account Names, Passwords and Privilege Sets
HearForm allows creation and customization of unlimited forms, letters, reports, fields and screens. Forms from your local or government organizations can also be inserted into the program allowing time saving automation of repetitive tasks. Apple has invested significant resources to allow FileMaker to work powerfully on Windows, Macs, IPads and IPhones. This fact will allow HearForm to continually innovate within their software. It also opens up many possibilities for mobile integration and development.
The staff at HearForm are excellent, support levels you can expect from them are second to none. Initial deployment of the software within your Practice is fully supported and for a reasonable fee, Mike and the team will customize the software to an inch of its life at your request.
I have some experience with HearForm as one of my customers uses it within his Practice. It is not the most intuitive software, nor is it exactly the prettiest; however, it is amazingly powerful and comprehensively featured. It will take either some training or a serious amount of poking around to become familiar with the software. You should seriously have a look at this software, download the demo and have a poke around.
You can see the software at HearForm .Com
Regards
Geoff
