Dermatology Software Review
Want to Manage Your Entire Practice On A Single Platform with an affordable all in one solution for in-office and remote patient care? In this 2022 review of Dermatology EHR, Practice Management and Billing Software we explore the most popular stand alone systems, integrated systems, and all-in-one practice management systems that are designed especially for the clinical and business needs of busy dermatologist.
2022 Review of Dermatology Office and Clinical Software
Finding True Customization and Workflows That Actually Work
Few physicians would choose the organized chaos of paper charts over today’s EMRs, which offer advanced notetaking capabilities and are significantly more customizable than earlier iterations.
Still, physician burnout is an enormous problem in the healthcare industry, and dermatologists (who in the past were ranked as the happiest physicians) are not immune. An article published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 32% of dermatologists are burnt out. Perhaps less surprising is that the most common cause was excessive documentation and time spent on their EMR.
Of course, this statistic is not surprising to dermatologists. The thing they most desire is more time with patients, and EMRs that are slow, hard to use, and don’t allow them to work the way they want to work get in the way of that.
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EMRs also tend not to be fully integrated, causing the practice management side of physician practices to be much less efficient than they should be. The practice must be connected from one end to the other: starting with scheduling and running through charting, imaging, labs, prescribing, coding, billing, and revenue cycle management.
Just as importantly, all of those functions must be customizable to the practice and the provider. Practices need to set up workflows that fit how providers like to work, the type and size of the practice, and the billing department’s goal of maximizing revenue without increasing overhead. And it goes without saying that physicians have certain ways they like to take notes during encounters, work with other clinicians, chart, and follow up with patients.
Unfortunately, buying software can be a confusing process, especially for specialist providers. For one thing, vendors sometimes promise customizability or certain features and don’t deliver. For another, some applications are great for the clinical side but lack robustness for billers while others are feature rich but prohibitively expensive.
Review the 11 software functionalities essential to any dermatology office system
- Multi-channel communication. Patients want to be able to communicate with their providers in the way most convenient to them, including phone, secure email, secure text, and a patient portal. Keeping the lines of communication open helps keep patients on your service, boosts their satisfaction so they’ll recommend your practice to others, and cuts down on missed appointments. Many patients also want the option of a virtual visit.
- End-to-end integration. We mentioned this above, but it’s worth repeating. Scheduling, clinical, billing, and revenue cycle management must all be connected to insure top performing practice management.
- Smart scheduling. Your front-office workers have to keep a lot of balls in the air, so they need extra support, including the ability to batch check eligibility, double book appointments, schedule resources by “first available,” and scan and attach documents to patient records.
- Simple coding. With dermatologists performing multiple procedures each day, your practice needs software that improves efficiency by quickly leading providers through the process to enter, for example, a biopsy type or surgical preparation category.
- Customizability. The more people in your practice that can customize the templates they work with and their workflow, the better. For physicians, a high degree of customization during the patient visit is critical.
- Dashboards. Make it easy for clinicians to easily track patient progress.
- Lab integration. Streamline the process of ordering lab and image tests to determine pathology and diagnose skin conditions—and getting results.
- E-prescribing. Physicians like the ease of e-prescribing as much as patients do.
- Streamline image recording and management. Creating and recording images is critical to dermatologists, as is follow-up and post-op image comparison. Look for the ability to gather data from a variety of imaging devices as well as advanced image recording features that also simplify image comparison.
- Practice management. Practice management is the backbone of your practice. First, look for a robust module that includes budgeting, contracting, benchmarking and forecasting, data analytics and reporting, provider compensation, HR, risk and compliance, and IT. Then, make sure you can create custom workflows that fit the way your practice runs.
- Revenue cycle management. Today’s technology can identify and fix lost revenue from patient balances and unpaid claims; benchmark your reimbursement rates; and help you understand how to increase patient satisfaction, increase revenue on appointments, and reduce no-shows.
Review The Top 7 Dermatology Software Today
- PracticeSuite all-in-one dermatology office system with EHR, Practice Management, Medical Billing, and Patient Engagement. Offer your patients a modern digital office communications experience.
- EZDerm’s fully integrated suite includes a patient portal, customizability, automated coding, image comparison, advanced scheduling, 3D anatomical maps, and real-time documentation.
- VisualDx.com. A diagnostic clinical decision support system, this program includes a curated medical image library, smart search for chief complaints, and a patient-specific differential diagnosis builder.
- Clinicea Dermatology Clinic EMR provides in-depth support for skin history, including skin type, hair color, keloid history, erythema, isotretinoin usage, tanning, and scars. It has comprehensive support for chief complaints, surgical history, and social history.
- DermCharts provides customizable EHRs, practice management, and revenue cycle management. It supports provider notetaking, lets practices customize workflows, includes user-centric macros, and lets providers order labs and e-prescribe from within the software.
- Telederm lets patient share photos and videos with a dermatologist for a remote assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of skin conditions.
- Miiskin. A virtual care application, Miiskin helps providers deliver care to more patients per hour and add flexibility to their schedules. Providers can review up to 20 patient cases an hour, prioritize care delivery, and renew prescriptions without a face-to-face appointment.
- Dorrell, Deborah, et al. “The Most Common Causes of Burnout Among US Academic Dermatologists Based on a Survey Study.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1 July 2019. https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(19)30126-4/fulltext
- Katamanin, Olivia and Alex Glazer. “Dermatologists’ Perceptions and Use of Electronic Health Record Systems.” Skin, The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine, September 2020. https://jofskin.org/index.php/skin/article/view/905/pdf
- .Siwicki, Bill. “How a New EHR is Helping One Dermatologist Practice the Way She Wants.” Healthcare IT News, 13 July 2021. https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/how-new-ehr-helping-one-dermatologist-practice-way-she-wants
Tomorrow’s Dermatology Practice, Today
What is Dermatology Software?
All dermatology software electronically stores patient medical information, but today’s advanced software takes into account the unique needs of dermatologists so they can spend more time with patients. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that no matter how modern or feature-filled an electronic medical record (EMR) is, unless it easily integrates with all other software used in the dermatology practice—everything from appointment scheduling to billing software—it’s not a good choice.
Tomorrow’s Software Today
Dermatology patients expect fast, simple, multi-channel communication with all their providers, and many want the option of a virtual visit when appropriate.
To fulfill their expectations, dermatology practices need to provide secure text and chat for appointment making, automated appointment reminders, electronic registration, mobile check-in, telehealth connected to the practice’s EMR, and automated e-billing and statements.
Of course, if providers don’t believe the software benefits them and improves the patient experience, its enhanced features matter very little. In a 2020 survey conducted by the National Society for Cuaneous Medicine, the majority of dermatologists expressed a negative about their EMR. They said EMRs decrease face-to-face time with patients and negatively impact their clinical efficiency.
5 Ways a Modern EMR Benefits Dermatologists
- Simplify coding. EMRs that are difficult to learn, counterintuitive to use, and require multiple steps for simple tasks quickly lead to physician burnout. With dermatologists performing multiple procedures each day, coding and billing for this specialty are some of the most complex in healthcare. Dermatology practices need software that improves efficiency by quickly leading providers through the process to enter, for example, a biopsy type or surgical preparation category.
- Facilitate lab work. Dermatologists rely heavily on lab and image tests to determine pathology and diagnose skin conditions. EHRs with a strong focus on lab integration automate that process, reducing physician time spent on administration and accelerating test-result delivery.
- Streamline image recording. Creating and recording images is critical to dermatologists, as is follow-up and post-op image comparison. EMRs tailored to dermatologists include advanced image recording recording features and help simplify image comparison.
- Improve practice management. Features like note-taking templates, digital graphing, simplified charting, and patient-progress dashboards all help dermatologsts create customized workflows that help them spend more time with patients and less on administrative tasks.
- Improve revenue cycle management (RCM). You may think you need more staff or expertise to solve your A/R issues—the truth is today’s technology can identify and fix lost revene from patient balances and unpaid claims; benchmark your reimbursement rates; and help you understand how to increase patient satisfaction, increase revenue on appointments, and reduce no-shows.
What Is the Biggest Mistake Dermatologists Make When Choosing Practice Management Software?
No matter how feature-rich a system is, unless it fully integrates with all other office software used in your dermatology clinic, it will not be able to give you the granular data you need for RCM. Put simply, the dermatology software you select should let your providers:
- Provide in-office and remote patient care
- Quickly create superbills
- Easily track revenue to avoid leaks
- Create customized notetaking templates
- Create dashboards to track patient progress
- Easily gather data from a variety of imaging devices
Lastly, the EMR should be able to quickly integrate with all of your patient-facing systems, including patient portals and personal electronic medical records.
Sources:
- Katamanin, Olivia and Alex Glazer. “Dermatologists’ Perceptions and Use of Electronic Health Record Systems.” Skin, The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine, September 2020. https://jofskin.org/index.php/skin/article/view/905/pdf
- Kaufmann, Mark. “Turning the Tables on Physician Burnout.” Practical Dermatology, September 2019. https://practicaldermatology.com/articles/2019-sept/turning-the-tables-on-physician-burnout
- Adams, Mark. “Ultimate Guide to Dermatology EMR Software.” EMR Finder, 20 August 2021. https://www.emrfinder.com/guide/dermatology-emr-software/
ICD-10 Dermatology Superbill Example
| Appointment Date & Time: | Last Seen Date: | ||||
| Patient: | Gender: | DOB: | MR# | Pat Due: | INS Due: |
| Address: | Reason: | ||||
| Home Phone: | Cell Phone: | E-Mail: | |||
| Case Name: | Case No: | Case Type: | Case Date: | ||
| Pr Insurance: | Member ID: | Co-Pay Amount: | Deductible: | ||
| Rendering Provider: | PCP: | Referring Provider: | |||
| CPT CODES | |||||
| CPT CODES | Description | CPT CODES | Description | CPT CODES | Description |
| 11100 | Biopsy of the skin, subcutaneous tissue and/or mucous membrane (including simple closure); single lesion | 15278 | Application of skin substitute graft to face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and/or multiple digits, total wound surface area greater than or equal to 100 sq cm; each additional 100 sq cm wound surface area, or part thereof, or each additional 1% of body area of infants and children, or part thereof (List separately in addition to code for primary pro- cedure) | Q4101-Q4111 | Skin substitute, per square centimeter |
| 11101 | Biopsy of the skin, subcutaneous tissue and/or mucous mem- brane, each separate/additional biopsy | 15780–15782 | Dermabrasion; total face; segmental, face; regional, other than face | Q4112-Q4113 | Allograft, injectable, per 1cc |
| 11200 | Removal of skin tags, multiple fibrocutaneous tags, any area; up to and including 15 lesions | 15783 | Dermabrasion; superficial, any site (e.g., tattoo removal) | Q4121 | TheraSkin, per sq cm |
| 11201 | Removal of skin tags, each additional 10 lesions (CPT 11201 must be billed in conjunction with CPT code 11200) | 15786–15787 | Abrasion | 15274 | Application of skin substitute graft to trunk, arms, legs, total wound surface area greater than or equal to 100 sq cm; each additional 100 sq cm wound surface area, or part thereof, or each additional 1% of body area of infants and children, or part thereof (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) |
| 11920 – 11922 | Tattooing, intradermal introduction of insoluble opaque pig- ments to correct color defects, including micropigmentation | 15788–15793 | Chemical peel | 15275 | Application of skin substitute graft to face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and/or multiple digits, total wound surface area up to 100 sq cm; first 25 sq cm or less wound surface area |
| 12001–12018; | Repair—simple; | 17360 | Chemical exfoliation for acne | 15276 | Application of skin substitute graft to face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and/or multiple digits, total wound surface area up to 100 sq cm; each additional 25 sq cm wound surface area, or part thereof (List separately in addi- tion to code for primary procedure) |
| 12031–12057; | Repair—intermediate; | 96567–96571 | Photodynamic therapy by external application of light to destroy pre-malignant and/or malignant lesions of the skin and mucosa by activation of photosensitive drugs | 15277 | Application of skin substitute graft to face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and/or multiple dig- its, total wound surface area greater than or equal to 100 sq cm; first 100 sq cm wound surface area, or 1% of body area of infants and children |
| 13100–13153 | Layer closure; | 96900 | Actinotherapy; ultraviolet light | 15272 | Application of skin substitute graft to trunk, arms, legs, total wound surface area up to 100 sq cm; each additional 25 sq cm wound surface area, or part thereof (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) |
| Repair—complex | 96910, 96912, 96913 | Photochemotherapy | 15273 | Application of skin substitute graft to trunk, arms, legs, total wound surface area greater than or equal to 100 sq cm; first 100 sq cm wound surface area, or 1% of body area of infants and children | |
| 15002 | Surgical preparation or creation of recipient site by excision of open wounds, burn eschar, or scar (including subcutaneous tis- sues), or incisional release of scar contracture, trunk, arms, legs; first 100 sq cm or 1% of body area of infants and children | 96920–96922 | Laser treatment for inflammatory skin diseases | A4649, A4550 | Miscellaneous supplies (including surgical supplies) and surgical trays |
| 15003 | Surgical preparation or creation of recipient site by excision of open wounds, burn eschar, or scar (including subcutaneous tis- sues), or incisional release of scar contracture, trunk, arms, legs; each additional 100 sq cm or each additional 1% of body area of infants and children (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) | 99070 | Materials charge | 15271 | Application of skin substitute graft to trunk, arms, legs, total wound surface area up to 100 sq cm; first 25 sq cm or less wound surface area |
| ICD CODES | |||||
| ICD-10 CODES | Description | ICD-10 CODES | Description | ICD-10 CODES | Description |
| L02 | Abscess, furuncle and carbuncle | C4A | Merkel cell carcinoma | L21.9 | Seborrheic dermatitis, unspecified, Seborrhea NOS |
| L70 | Acne(for all acne codes) Excludes2: acne keloid (L73.0) | D22 | Melanocytic nevi | I83.10 | Stasis dermatitis Varicose veins of unspecified lower extremity with inflammation |
| L70.0 | Acne vulgaris | D23 | Neoplasms of skin | I83.11 | Stasis dermatitis Varicose veins of right lower extremity with inflammation |
| L57.0 | Actinic keratosis, Keratosis NOS, Senile keratosis, Solar keratosis | L71.0 | Perioral Dermatitis | I83.12 | Stasis dermatitis Varicose veins of left lower extremity with inflammation |
| L63 | Alopecia areata, androgenic, scarring, non-scarring | L80-L81 | Pigmentation Disorders, lentigo vitiligo | L85.3 | Xerotic dermatitis, Asteatotic dermatitis, Dry skin dermatitis |
| C44 | Basal Cell Carcinoma | L72.11 | Pilar cyst any site | B35-B36 | Dermatophytosis, tinea, and tinea versicolor |
| L12.0 | Bullous pemphigoid | L30.5 | Pityriasis alba | L50.3 | Dermographia, dermographism |
| B37 | Candidiasis of Skin, Nail, Candidal onychia, Candidal paronychia, Lips, Vulva | L42 | Pityriasis rosea (a billable code) | Z12.83 | Encounter for screening for malignant neoplasm of skin |
| L20-L30 | Dermatitis | L29 | Pruritus | L72.0 | Epidermal cyst, sebaceous cyst (any location) |
| L20.81 | Atopic neurodermatitis, Diffuse neurodermatitis | L40 | Psoriasis | L92.0 | Granuloma annulare, Perforating granuloma annulare |
| L20.84 | Intrinsic (allergic) | L98.0 | Pyogenic granuloma | B00.1 | Herpes simplex face, face, lip, ear |
| L20.89 | Other atopic dermatitis | L71.8 | Rosacea | B00.89 | Other herpesviral infection, Herpesviral whitlow (finger), (trunk, limbs) |
| K13.0 | Cheilitis, Angular Cheilitis, Cheilitis NOS | L71.9 , | Rosacea,Unspecified | B00.9 | Herpesviral infection, unspecified, Herpes simplex infection NOS |
| L30.8 | Dermatitis, Other specified acute or chronic | L91.8 | Skin Tag Other hypertrophic disorders of the skin | A60 | Herpes simplex infections, Anogenital herpesviral |
| L30.9 | Dermatitis, unspecified, Eczema NOS acute or chronic | L91.9 | Skin Tag Hypertrophic disorder of the skin, unspecified | B02.9 | Zoster without complications, Zoster NOS (not for the eye) |
| L30.1 | Dyshidrosis [pompholyx] | L82.0 | Seborrheic keratosis Inflamed | B02.29 | Other postherpetic nervous system involvement, radiculopathy, neuralgia |
| L98.1 | Factitial dermatitis, Neurotic excoriation | L82.1 | Seborrheic keratosis Other, Seborrheic keratosis | L01.0 | Impetigo, Impetigo contagiosa, Impetigo vulgaris |
| L30.4 | Intertrigo | D04 | Sq. Cell Ca. in situ (Bowen’s Disease) penis, vulva | L60.0 | Ingrowing nail (Any location) |
| L28.0 | Lichen simplex chronicus, Circumscribed neurodermatitis | C44 | Squamous Cell Carcinoma | L91.0 | Keloid, Hypertrophic scar, Keloid, Keloid scar |
| L28.1 | Prurigo nodularis | B36.0 | Tinea versicolor | L43 | Lichen planus |
| L21.0 | Seborrhea capitis, Cradle cap | B07.8 | Wart Viral Other, common wart, Flat wart, verruca plana | L43.3 | Subacute (active) Lichen planus |
| L21.1 | Seborrheic infantile dermatitis | B07.0 | Wart Plantar | D03 | Melanoma in situ |
| L21.8 | Seborrheic dermatitis, Other | L85.3 | Xerosis cutis, Dry skin dermatitis | C43 | Malignant melanoma of skin |
| Charges: | CASH | Doctor’s Signature | |||
| Payments: | CHECK: | ||||
| MC | AMX | ||||
| Balance: | VISA | DEBT | |||
| Credit Card# | |||||
