Benchmark: Practical Dental Solutions' YAPI

Have you ever wished you had an extra employee whose job was to organize all of the practice information you generate each day and use it to help you run your practice more efficiently? Obviously a position like this would not be a cost-effective tool for practice improvement in any but the largest offices. Fortunately Dr. Gina Dorfman has created YAPI, a computer program that puts all practice information at your fingertips and vastly improves your ability to act on that information.

How it works
YAPI integrates with almost every existing practice management system. By using statistics and data already being generated, it manages patient flow, manages patient relationships, improves team communication and collaboration, and provides tools to increase productivity.  

To manage patient flow, YAPI provides a virtual dashboard that allows you to track patients in real time. The dashboard will run on any network-connected PC or Mac. A “thin” version is available for use on Internet-enabled portable devices (iPad, iPhone, Android-based tablets and smartphones). This portability is particularly helpful when you’re entering new patient information or capturing patient signatures on electronic documents.  

Going paperless
YAPI also helps offices convert to a truly paperless system. All documents and forms can be managed electronically. The ability to convert up to 10 existing forms to electronic format as well as to create up to 10 e-mail templates is included in the purchase price. Custom clickable and editable e-documents (medical history, consent forms, financial arrangement forms, exam forms) are easy to create. When attached to a patient record, they are automatically populated with data from your practice management software and can be digitally signed, annotated, merged and stored. YAPI also supports various signature capture devices. If you are running the program on a tablet, you can sign documents with the touch of a stylus or finger.

Building patient relationships
YAPI also helps improve relationships between the patients and the practice. One of my favorite features allows me to customize the program to generate a care call list, which builds and improves patient loyalty. The patients can be added to the care call list at any time; the reason for the follow-up is recorded, and then a time is scheduled to make the call. Perhaps my favorite part of the care call list is it can be texted or e-mailed to the doctor’s cell phone so calls can be made outside the office. This is a vast improvement over most offices’ method of passing the doctor a note when he or she is on the way out the door for the evening.

The team component
Many practices place a low priority on team communication and collaboration, but these are hidden gems right in your office. Many team members have great ideas and are very motivated to do what’s best for the practice. But without accurate practice information, turning ideas into action becomes a daunting, if not impossible, task. YAPI allows real-time information sharing via text messaging and e-mailing between team members and operatories. Electronic checkout notes can be written in the back and seen by front office personnel. In addition, operatory alerts and virtual huddles can improve the communication and efficiency between team members.

It’s affordable
The most pleasant surprise about YAPI is its price. I would expect a program this extensive, comprehensive and helpful to be much less affordable. The $1,495 price includes online training, phone and Web-based support and form conversion. Additional e-mail support is available after the initial training period.  

YAPI offers so many benefits, and I have listed only a few of my favorite features. We have used YAPI for several months and are still finding new capabilities and methods for improving work flow in our office.

????? - 5 stars out of a possible 5.

The Benchmark column is written by the directors of the Atlanta Center for Dental Excellence, an alliance of practicing clinicians dedicated to progress in dentistry. The ACDE advises dental companies on product development and marketing, and provides PACE-approved high-level continuing education. To learn more, visit theacde.com, or contact Molly Thompson at info@theacde.com.

Tamara L. Bailey, DDS, MHA, is Director of Doctor Relations for the ACDE. She lectures and writes on practice management, marketing and clinical topics. Dr. Bailey moderates several Dentaltown.com message boards and has been named one of the Top 25 Women in Dentistry by Dental Products Report. She practices general dentistry in Weston, Wisc