Canned Treatment Plans or Estimates are powerful tools that can help streamline your workflow, provide consistent care, and enhance client communication. By creating standardized plans for common treatments, surgeries, or procedures, your team can save time, reduce errors, and ensure that every patient receives the same high level of care.
This guide will walk you through the steps to set up canned treatment plans and estimates in Digitail, providing you with the flexibility to customize these templates to fit the specific needs of your practice.
Why use Canned Treatment Plans
Canned Treatment Plans allow you to create predefined packages of services, medications, and products that can be quickly applied to patient records. These plans are particularly useful for routine procedures, surgeries, and common treatments where the required steps are consistent.
By setting up these plans in advance, you ensure that all necessary services and items are included every time the plan is used, reducing the chance of overlooking important steps or items. Additionally, estimates can be generated more quickly and accurately, improving client satisfaction and trust.
Creating a new Canned Treatment Plan
To begin setting up your canned treatment plans and estimates, log into your Digitail account and select your Profile Icon > Administration. From there, locate the Canned Treatment Plans option. This section is where you’ll create, manage, and customize your templates.
Next to the estimate template name, there are several actions available:
edit the name
duplicate a template (so you don't have to start from scratch)
preview plan/estimate
delete a template (this won't affect the records that used this template previously)
Start a New Plan:
Click on the Create New Plan button to begin. You’ll be prompted to name your plan. Choose a name that clearly describes the purpose of the plan, such as “Routine Spay/Neuter” or “Dental Cleaning.” A clear and descriptive name will help you and your team easily identify the plan when applying it to patient records.
Add Services, Medications, and Products:
Exactly like creating a new Treatment Plan/Estimate in the record, you can add different services and products with different quantities (for low and high).Once your plan is named, you can start adding the necessary components. In the Services section, list all the procedures, consultations, or exams that are part of this treatment plan. For example, for a routine spay, you might include pre-operative exams, anesthesia, the surgery itself, and post-operative care.
In the Products section, add any consumables or products that are used during the treatment. This could include items like surgical supplies, bandages, or any take-home products for the pet.
Customizing Prices and Quantities:
For each service, medication, and product added, you’ll have the option to customize the price and quantity. Digitail allows you to set standard prices, but these can be adjusted based on the specific needs of your practice or client. Ensure that the prices and quantities reflect your current pricing structure to provide accurate estimates to your clients.
Include Optional Items:
If there are optional services or products that may or may not be required depending on the case, you can add these as optional items. This gives you the flexibility to quickly adjust the plan depending on the specific situation, without needing to create an entirely new plan.
Save and Review:
Once all the necessary items are added, review your plan for accuracy and completeness. Make sure all services, medications, and products are listed correctly, and that the pricing is accurate. When satisfied, click Save to store your plan in the system.
Your canned treatment plan is now ready to be applied to patient records.
Managing and Updating Treatment Plans
As your practice evolves, you may find that your canned treatment plans need to be updated to reflect new procedures, pricing changes, or updated protocols. To edit an existing plan, return to the Canned Treatment Plans & Estimates section under Settings. Here, you can:
Edit Existing Plans: Modify services, medications, products, prices, and quantities as needed.
Duplicate Plans: Create variations of a plan by duplicating an existing one and making adjustments. This is useful for creating similar plans with slight differences, such as different price points or additional services.
Delete Plans: Remove plans that are no longer relevant to keep your list organized and up-to-date.
Regularly reviewing and updating your canned treatment plans ensures that they continue to meet the needs of your practice and provide the best possible care for your patients.
Applying Canned Treatment Plans/Estimates to Patient Records
Using Canned Treatment Plans or Estimates during patient visits is straightforward. When working within a patient’s record, you can easily select from your list of predefined plans. Applying a plan will automatically populate the record with the selected services and products, streamlining the documentation process and ensuring consistency.
Best Practices for Canned Treatment Plans & Estimates
To maximize the effectiveness of canned treatment plans and estimates, consider the following best practices:
Tailor Plans to Your Practice: Customize your plans to reflect the unique services and procedures offered by your practice. This ensures that the plans are relevant and useful for your specific needs.
Regularly Update Plans: Keep your plans up-to-date with the latest procedures, medications, and pricing to ensure accuracy and relevance.
Train Your Team: Ensure that all team members are familiar with how to use the canned treatment plans effectively. This helps maintain consistency and reduces the risk of errors.
By utilizing canned treatment plans and estimates in Digitail, you can save time, reduce administrative workload, and ensure that your patients receive consistent, high-quality care. This feature not only improves efficiency within your practice but also enhances the overall client experience by providing clear, accurate, and professional estimates.