Steve Gottfried, director of sales and marketing for Rehab ToolkitTM–MIMS LLC, Waukesha, Wis, recently spoke with Physical Therapy Products about the latest trends in practice-management software.

Tell us about Rehab Toolkit
Our company was founded as MIMS in 1992 in a private practice in Wisconsin. At the time, there was not really one physical-therapy-specific program that practices could use. Our original design idea, which is still applicable today, is that the software can be used for everything in the clinic—from front-desk scheduling to point-of-service note-taking, and finally to generating billing information from which claims are then sent electronically for processing and payment. It’s an efficient model where there is no repetitive typing of information. We’ve grown to support up to 99 departments, including occupational and speech-therapy facilities.

What are the current trends in your industry niche?
In the mid-1990s, I remember only three or four companies like us at conferences. In the current market, there are more than a dozen companies that claim to offer some kind of rehabilitation software. This upward trend in the number of companies offering this type of product really justifies the need for practice-management technology.

How does Rehab Tookkit stay on top industry trends?
Most importantly, we listen to our clients, and we become involved with industry forums, courses, and conferences. Our users are the ones who are helping us improve our product. Software can change pretty fast, and we can make quick changes to it depending on what is going on in our clients’ markets. For example, Medicare is implementing the KX modifier; and from a coding perspective, our software is ready to accommodate this change. Another key to staying on top of industry trends is forming good partnerships with other technology companies and other members of the rehabilitation industry.

What’s new at Rehab Toolkit?
We are nearing the launch of a new documentation option, which will feature a pen-centric design and the use of digital ink. This is something that is very new to the market, and we are excited at the user adoption. The technology simulates handwriting, but therapists complete their paperwork electronically on a tablet PC. It will feel very natural to the therapist. In terms of billing, we’ve worked with clearinghouses to offer the complete electronic data interchange solution from claim submission to electronic remittance (automatic posting of payments)—we are trying to help our clients shorten the number of days that a claim is outstanding and eliminate extra keystrokes.

What are the top three business issues that PTs are looking to solve?
The three issues that I notice PTs are trying to solve in their practices are: 1) Organization. Practices struggle with paperwork, and they are looking to organize all of the information in the clinic. It could be something simple as a patient file, which can only be in one place at one time within the clinic. When that patient file is in a database, you can extend applicable pieces of patients’ information to others in the clinic. 2) Efficiency. Many practices waste time with repetitive tasks and paperwork. PTs should have to enter patient information only once instead of handwriting data over and over again for different purposes. 3) Reimbursement and cost containment. PTs are searching for innovative ways to speed up and post their reimbursement. Therefore, electronic claims or electronic remittance advice (ERA) would help. Every therapist I encounter insists that they have the worst reimbursement record, and they want to know how our software can help contain costs and speed up reimbursement.

We find that many practices today still do not have software that is specifically designed for their businesses, and what we do is try to help PTs identify the benefits of using a specialized program for their facilities.

What can we expect from this industry niche in the next 5 to 10 years?
I think we will see industry professionals make use of outcomes data [from the reporting capabilities within software programs] to help steer reimbursement and economic forces. Using this data can really demonstrate the effectiveness of the physical-therapy profession as an industry and justify payment for services. I also think that, in 5 to 10 years, chart reviews by physicians and payors will be electronic instead of paper-based through fax machines. This will require a network to be built to support electronic documentation reviews. However, we already see this in some states.