As we enter a new year, many use it as an opportunity to start afresh and get on top of last year’s backlog of compliance tasks. We hear from Agilio Software about how you can best take the headache out of managing dental compliance.
That’s easier said than done and as soon as hectic practice life begins again, compliance can fall to the bottom of your to-do list.
So, is there a way to get out of this vicious cycle? Yes, and this article will help you find out how.
Software for compliance success
Dental regulations and guidance are complex and ever-changing, making it hugely time-consuming for practice managers to always stay up to date.
The simplest solution is to take advantage of the latest technology on the market that can do most of the job for you. So you can focus on running the practice without losing sleep over whether you are ready for your next CQC inspection.
The latest development launched by the dental compliance experts Agilio Software, iComply NextGen, was designed to take the headache out of managing compliance within the dental profession.
Taking the best parts of an already innovative system used by 2,500 practices across the UK, this new generation of software focuses on streamlining compliance tasks to save valuable time and be as user-friendly as possible.
Here are just some of the benefits enjoyed by iComply NextGen members:
An ‘effortless’ easy-to-use system
Through surveys and focus groups, researching more than 2,000 CQC inspection reports, Agilio were able to identify what members wanted and what the profession needed. The result was a streamlined Icomply system that has made life easier for members.
For example, iComply’s popular calendar of key compliance dates has been updated with a list-view function, allowing you to understand the details of what is needed, when and who from, so you have more time to plan out how your compliance will be completed.
Jurgita Baublyte, compliance manager at Angle House said: ‘Since we got iComply, it’s just so easy because it’s all there, it tells you what needs to be done, when needs to be done.
‘So we don’t have to think if you like, it’s like there on the plate. I really like Agilio, not just myself, but the whole team loves it because it’s so easy to use and navigate around the system.’
Nicola Attard, practice manager at MJ Warren Dental Practice describes iComply NextGen as ‘the practice manager’s survival guide’ and said: ‘I like that it sets out what I need to do each month in different topics. So I feel really confident that I’ve covered everything if I had to have a CQC visit.
‘But I also feel confident that we’re offering the best patient journey and the best patient experience and care because we have covered all topics.’
‘Effortless’ is the first word that came into Gensmile’s compliance manager Heather Finkle’s mind when thinking of iComply NextGen.
She said: ‘It’s just effortless to use it. You don’t have to think about what to write, it’s done for you. It’s there.’
Save up to 40% of your time by only doing tasks that matter
When you finally get the time to sit down with your compliance, you don’t want to spend a single moment working on something that won’t impact whether you pass or fail.
To save time, iComply NextGen assigns activities with a low, medium, or high priority rating based on ongoing research into how inspections are carried out, the likelihood of an inspector looking at a particular area when assessing a practice, and what impact being non-compliant could have on your assessment.
Practices can then choose to focus on high-priority tasks when short of time. This benefit is unique to Icomply Next Gen and can reduce the time you spend on compliance by up to 40% each year.
Additionally, iComply’s document tracking tool allows you to see who has read and signed key practice documents, saving the time and hassle of chasing up team members.
Karen Haresnape is compliance manager at Riverdale Healthcare. She said: ‘It prioritises what tasks are due so you can actually work on those high priorities first.
‘When you’ve got more time, you can go to the lower ones. It shows where you are within the system, what progression you’ve made, and what percentage you’re at within each practice. So to me, that’s a huge benefit.’
Manage compliance across one or more practices
Whether you are setting up your first squat practice or managing compliance across a large dental service organisation, Icomply Next Gen is an exceptionally agile system that can support your business.
At a practice level, iComply NextGen is a centralised hub for an organisation that allows every person to log into their personalised dashboard and work through the tasks delegated to them.
The specific alert system also sends automatic reminders to team members to make sure everyone is on track, with real-time deadline updates.
Practices also benefit from our HR compliance section and personal support from the UK’s largest team of dental HR experts.
For groups and DSOs, features such as the group template creator, group task manager, custom group folders, and a very popular board pack-ready reporting suite are designed to streamline compliance management across larger organisations while highlighting areas of risk.
At the touch of a button, managers can view each practice to see which ones are flying or struggling so action can be taken.
Polly Bhambra, director of Tri-Dental Partnership said: ‘Oh, it’s been absolutely superb. It has streamlined our business. It’s given us consistency. It’s allowed all of our managers to communicate at the same level. The support mechanism has been superb.
‘It’s made life easier not only for them, but also the team members, it allows them to go to sleep knowing that they’re on top of their compliance.
‘Their practices are safe. They’re doing everything that they possibly can to ensure the practices are compliant and fully compliant according to CQC regulations.’
Article featured in dentistry.co.uk Jan 2023
If you’d like to know more about how iComply can help to gain control of your compliance, book a demo
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