Metro Smiles’ Dr. Robin Asbury believes the patient experience defines success.
Cosmetic and restorative dentistry can change lives. Dr. Robin Asbury recognized the transformative power of dentistry early in her career, and it is that inspiration of restoring dental function, dental health, as well as a patient’s confidence, that ultimately drove her practice’s ethos forward since its beginnings in 2007.
Metro Smiles, P.C, a dental practice based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, has made a big impact on patients’ lives – and it is complemented through the delivery of an excellent patient experience in all phases of dental care treatment.
In the beginning, the practice was operated by Dr. Asbury and one dental assistant. The duo handled everything from answering phones, scheduling, billing patients, and providing treatment. Today, the boutique-style practice has four employees who serve a growing and loyal patient base. Some patients travel from out of state to see Dr. Asbury, which is a testament to the practice’s commitment to customer service and exceptional patient care.
Dr. Asbury recalls that as the practice’s patient base grew, so did the management challenges. To maintain the practice’s trajectory and growth, the team needed to look for new ways to create efficiencies and modernize operations. As the days grew busier, hiring the right people, and investing in the best technologies and solutions became even more critical for the practice’s success.
“Now, we’re fully booked with patient appointments we don’t have as much time to do things as we used to, which is why we look for better systems to put in place and more efficient ways to do things,” Dr. Asbury adds.
The adoption of new technology was to facilitate a simplified, contemporary experience for patients, which allows them to engage conveniently and securely with the practice and pay for their services. Metro Smiles found the perfect solution from Rectangle Health. Dr. Asbury and the team consider Rectangle Health’s Practice Management Bridge® their “all-in-one” tool, as it facilitates safe and secure patient payments at any point in the care cycle, connects digitally with patients, and organizes front-office operations.
Rectangle Health’s Practice Management Bridge offers a simple and effective solution with features that help maintain a healthy practice for healthy patients. Practice Management Bridge makes it possible for practices like Metro Smiles to:
- Save time by simplifying patient billing, refunding, and reconciliation.
- Save money by replacing multiple systems with one “do-it-all” solution.
- Increase revenue by bringing in every type of payment, plus patient financing options and their new patient financing program. Accepts more payment types (e.g. digital wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Play)
- Improve patient satisfaction with convenient payment and communication tools, like text reminders.
- Maintains compliance with PCI HIPAA embedded into the software.
Getting Started
Office Manager Michele Washington first learned about Practice Management Bridge through a call from her Rectangle Health practice solutions consultant. At first, she was skeptical, but her interest was piqued as she spoke with the consultant who not only understood her practice’s challenges but offered solutions to solve them. After their brief conversation about some of the practice’s challenges and how they could be addressed, she decided to learn more.
When she understood how Rectangle Health uses a QR code to activate a transaction simply and securely with a patient, she knew it was something she wanted to explore for Metro Smiles.
“Our collection process was straightforward. It wasn’t anything that was out of the ordinary. It was good but we were still sending statements hoping to get payments returned” she says. “Until we partnered with Rectangle Health, it took us from good to great!”
Previously, Metro Smiles used one person to check patients in and out at the front of the office. The line could get backed up at times and patients had to wait to pay their balance before leaving the practice. Now, patients can simply scan the QR code to initiate an online payment on their mobile device. It is so convenient, Washington says, that Metro Smiles has placed QR code signs in several locations throughout the practice to help facilitate a fast, convenient, and secure checkout.
Technology can alleviate congestion at the checkout area so that the front office staff has more time to connect with patients, who need to discuss their dental care or follow-up dental care. They can answer questions without anyone feeling rushed, which creates a more consistent patient experience and elevates the level of service the practice provides.
The entire team has received training on how to use the QR code, which is key to a smooth transaction. Patients can scan the code to initiate a payment no matter where they are in the office or what team member they’re interfacing with. “Implementing the technology was effortless,” Dr. Asbury says. “Most people are accustomed to using QR codes these days.”
Patients can also receive a payment link via text message or email, a feature that Washington describes as a game changer for the practice. This capability helps the practice collect out-of-pocket services faster.
With the everchanging contactless era, the technology is helping the practice offer the same flexibility patients enjoy when paying for everyday purchases.
Metro Smiles was trained on Practice Management Bridge processes and they were able to use their training that day. “It was not hard at all,” Washington says. “It was easy to embrace and simple to implement.”
A Positive Patient Reaction
Patients are accepting of the convenient change, especially knowing they can complete their transaction without having to wait or pay a bill by mail.
“Our patients know they’re going to pay a portion [of the invoice]. We’re very upfront with the treatment plan and with copays, so there are no surprise fees once they come in for treatment,” Dr. Asbury says. “Most of the patients were used to coming in, handing the card, and swiping the card in the machine.” Now, patients are embracing the various payment options Practice Management Bridge offers, to pay out-of-pocket costs before even leaving the treatment room.
Key Practice Management Bridge Features:
- Text to pay. Practices can collect payment faster by reaching patients directly
with a payment link, and patients can pay in seconds through
their phones. - Automatic Posting. Payments post to the patient ledger in any practice management
system with just a click, reducing manual data entry and the
potential for errors. - Card on file. Patient payment information can be securely stored with Pre-Authorized Healthcare Forms to authorize seamless, convenient
future payments. - Online payment. Payments can be accepted on practice websites, and the link can
be shared in emails and statements for easy access. - Elevating patient care
The level of customer service your office provides can have a significant impact on its growth and success. The team at Metro Smiles understands investing in technological tools unifies the patient experience. Rectangle Health’s Practice Management Bridge was selected as that solution because it collaborates with any practice management system.
Exceptional customer service means taking extra steps to provide high levels of service. Companies that do this establish a loyal patient base. The goal is to create a connection with patients that fosters loyalty. Earning patient loyalty requires trust, and it is cultivated by interacting with a well-organized practice and by a dental care team that has their best interests at heart. This is evident by looking at the type of products the practice invests in.
Metro Smiles is a popular practice; about 90% of the patients Dr. Asbury sees return to the practice. Between 15 and 20 new patients visit the practice every month. By providing top-notch customer service, any practice can foster this type of loyalty. Practice Management Bridge allows Dr. Asbury and her team to provide a hassle-free experience for all patients, reduced check-out times at the office, and allows her front office to focus on tasks that may not involve payment collections.
“From the minute they call the office, we’re giving them an outstanding first impression, interviewing them and finding out what their concerns are, what their wants, and what their goals are,” Dr. Asbury says. “We do all that upfront and then, of course, get all the information we need to research their prior dental history. We tie all that together as part of the new patient experience. Then we continue that for every office visit after.”
Evaluating Technology
Dr. Asbury prides herself on offering her patients the newest and most effective technology available. Before investing in a new product or service, Dr. Asbury does her research. She reads journals and spends a lot of time taking CE courses. She also relies on her colleagues’ opinions and experiences, talking with them about the different products they’re using and what they do and don’t like about them.
And, of course, Dr. Asbury values what her team members have to say. When Washington first told her about how Rectangle Health could help her run a more streamlined front office with improved collections, she knew it was something she wanted to implement as soon as possible.
For other dentists considering technology purchases, Dr. Asbury notes that the cost of the technology versus the benefits it offers the practice is an important consideration. Is it worth the investment? Will it help generate more income or save the practice money?
But just as important are the intangible benefits — will it make your team more efficient? Free up their time? Boost morale? Positive impacts like that will make it easier to get buy-in while also allowing for a smoother transition once the technology is implemented.
Why Rectangle Health?
Rectangle Heath’s Practice Management Bridge offers Metro Smiles patients and staff cutting-edge technology, which makes their businesses operate more effortlessly and makes their lives easier.
With more options to collect payments digitally, there’s no need to manually mail out bills. Everything can be done via email or text, which saves the staff time. Instead of chasing patients through phone calls and hoping they get back to her, Washington appreciates that now patients have simple ways to take care of their bills on their own time. Because patients have adapted to using QR codes, text to pay, and mobile wallets, they tend to pay their bills faster too. If the practice’s computer system ever goes down, patients can still make payments online, which Washington considers a huge benefit.
Rectangle Health considers everything practices need with this solution and lightens the burden of administrative tasks. Specifically, it reduces the amount of time team members spend talking about outstanding balances with patients. Patients can pay for products and services without any prompting from the team.
Accounts receivable is more streamlined with this technology, and patients leave the office happier with their experience with less financial stress.
“It’s easy; it’s trusted, and it allows for better efficiency not to have to rely on mail,” Dr. Asbury says. “Everybody is used to checking their email or getting a text on their phone. Everybody has a smartphone these days, so it makes sense to trend toward that direction when it comes to your practice statements and invoices.”
The Practice
Designing confidence one smile at a time! World-class aesthetics in both modern cosmetics and general dentistry as well as injectables. A dental boutique, Metro Smiles is located in the DTC area and specializes in cosmetic and restorative dentistry, veneers, implant restoration, and is a Preferred Provider by Invisalign, Zoom Whitening, Botox, and more!
Dr. Robin Asbury has also been voted one of 5280 Denver’s Top Dentists for fifteen years and running. There are four employees who see 15 to 20 new patients a month as well as their loyal patients, and many who venture from out of state. Dr. Robin Asbury and her team are committed to improving your smile, oral health, and overall image by providing top-notch dental and facial skin treatments. Our goal is to make your experience as enjoyable as possible.
