Orthodontic Office - Manual Conversion Sites

Overview

Tracker is a sophisticated practice management system with a full range of features. To ensure your staff becomes quickly productive with Tracker, The Bridge Network offers professional on-site training programs. Our experience has shown that generally three, four to five hour implementation and training sessions will significantly reduce the time that it takes for your practice to effectively use the basic features of Tracker. However, to really take advantage of Tracker as an effective tool, we also highly recommend at least one optional "Power Session" during which we review how you are using Tracker and how you can improve your productivity with the system. All of our training sessions are very flexible and designed with a hands-on approach so that each office learns the system at a comfortable pace. The net result is that the system is utilized to its fullest and it provides a greater immediate value to your practice.

Our first two training visits are structured using a four to five hour session approach since our experience has shown that the retention level of the information presented drastically decreases after this time period. However, please note that our "Training" sessions consist of more than Tracker training and could also encompass the installation and configuration of Tracker, as well as having our trainers understand the unique requirements of your office. This Tracker Training Overview is intended as a guideline only. We often modify the training schedule and the points covered depending on each practice's requirements. Depending on the computer skill level of the staff, the level of comfort with the items covered, and the progress of the session, more or less information may be covered than scheduled. The Bridge Network will be more than happy to accommodate the office with additional training upon request. An optional "Power Session" is normally scheduled at a later date after staff has some time to use the system. This provides the opportunity for us to analyze how well staff is using Tracker, to review some features in further detail, and to answer any questions from the initial two training sessions. This Tracker Training Overview is based on the foundation that your office has a fundamental understanding of Windows.

First Training Session - Scheduling and Contact Management

Unlike many other dental systems, Tracker is a true scheduling-based system. Therefore, we start our training with the Schedulers. In most cases, we do not believe it is a reasonable approach to slave away adding patient chart "A" to patient chart "Z", then adding your accounts receivable information before really using the system; it is simply too time-consuming and frustrating. We believe using the electronic Schedulers is the most sensible place to start, since not only will you be entering relevant and timely patient data, you will also be able to get an instant benefit from your new computer program. Though we understand that using electronic Schedulers can sound very intimidating, you will be surprised how fast everyone gets comfortable with Tracker's Schedulers. Rest assure that we do not start by taking your scheduling book away from you! As you schedule patients in your "manual" scheduler you also enter them into Tracker until you can "wean" yourself off the manual-scheduling book. As you start scheduling patients, you then add their relevant contact and family information. Therefore, the first phase of training is designed to provide your office a basic understanding of Tracker and the skills necessary to utilize Tracker's Schedulers and Contact Management features.

Second Training Session - Beyond the Basics and Billing

Once staff is comfortable in using Tracker's Schedules and Contact Management features, we will then continue to the second training session. It is at this session that we will answer any questions from the first training session and then proceed to explain further details of the Schedulers and Contact Management part of Tracker, including the very important Appointment Manager.

Third Training Session

At the Third Session we proceed to the billing (setting up new contracts, payments etc.) and reporting.

Fourth Training Session

At this training session we will show the staff how to enter all the outstanding contracts. Therefore, it is imperative that an up-to-date Aged Receivable report from your current system is run just before the fourth training session. Our goal at the end of the this training session is to have your staff ready to start using Tracker more as the primary practice management system and your current system as a back up. Staff should eventually be referring to Tracker first for information, and the other system then begins to be used for historical information only. As your staff begins to primarily use Tracker, the conversion process is essentially complete and you no longer need to run both systems in parallel. A date is then chosen to officially only use Tracker. It is recommended that the other practice management system be available only to access historical data (if possible).

Fifth Training Session - "The Power Session"

This session is to review the first four sessions, analyze the data you have entered into Tracker, and to ensure you have a complete understanding of how Tracker performs certain functions. This advanced session of Tracker training is usually scheduled several weeks or months after the completion of the last training session. This Session revisits the points covered in previous sessions and also examines Advanced Features of Tracker, as well as analyzing how staff has been utilizing Tracker. We then suggest ways in how to get the most out of Tracker.