11
Volume2 Issue5
|
CDA
at
W
ork
An important feature ofCDAnet is that itwas developed
bydentists fordentists.
Thesedays, it ishard to imagineadental officewithout a
computer, butDr.MacFarlane remembers thecommittee
discussing theuntappedbenefitsof usingacomputer
in theoffice. “DonGutkinwas frustrated that theoffice
computerwasnot contributingmore toofficeefficiency
and said, ‘Shouldn’twebeable to senddental claim
informationdigitally to thedental plancompanies?’”
Bringing this idea to fruition tookabout4years.Consultants
werehired toexplore the technical requirementsof the
projectanddiscovered that the technologywasalready
beingusedbyfinancial institutions. Theheadsofmajor
insurancecompanies initiallydoubted itcouldbedone,
but sooncame tobeconvincedof itspossibilitiesand
potential cost savings. Softwaredeveloperswerehired,
softwarevendorsnotified, andeventually theconcept
waspromoted todentists. The taskofnegotiating legal
agreementsbetweenCDAandvarious interestedparties—
provincial associations, networkproviders, insurers, and
softwarevendors—wasmanagedbyDr. BernieDolanskyof
Ontario,who joined tocommittee to lead thiscrucialwork.
In1991, the system theycalled “CDAnet”wasofficially
launched. Technicallydefined, CDAnet is “theagreement
between thedental professionand the insurancecarriers
on the format inwhich the informationnormally foundon
dental claimswill be forwarded to the respectivecarrier
electronically.”Practically speaking, CDAnetopened the
doors fordentists to sendpatient insuranceclaimsonline.
An important featureofCDAnet is that itwasdevelopedby
dentists fordentists. “Inournegotiationswith the insurers,
we insisted thatCDAwould retainall rights to the system
and itwasCDAownership thatgave thedentistsofCanada
a feelingof security in joining,” recallsDr.Gushue.
“As someonewho spentmanydayspromotingCDAnet to
dentists, I can tell you that the fact that itwasownedand
controlledbyCDAwasacomfort tomanyof them.”
Today inCanada,with theexceptionofQuebec, all
provincial feeguidesandcode listsarebasedon the
USC&LSandmore than14,500dentists, representing
about 85%of licenseddentists, subscribe toCDAnet.
“Thesedays, for youngdentists comingoutofdental
school,CDAnethasalways justbeen there,”saysDr.Gushue.
“But I lookat it asacrowningachievement forCDAand it
wasmypleasure tohavebeenapartof it.”
a
CDA's
Communiqué
magazine featured informationonCDAnet in
anticipationof its launch in1991.
What ifwedidn’thaveCDAnet?
To imaginealternativesolutionstoCDAnet,considerhow
dentalofficestransmitclaims intheU.S.usingEDI (Electronic
Data Interchange).Dentists intheU.S.mustselectat leastone
EDIdentalclearinghouse, suchasDentalXChange,andpay
anannual fee forservicesthat“simplifybusinessprocesses,
increaseproductivityandenhancethemanagementsideof
yourdentalpracticebyprovidingstreamlinedconnectivity
thatbridgesthegapsbetweenpayers,patientsandproviders.”
Thereareroughly15companiesthatprovidetheseservices
intheU.S.
EachEDIdentalclearinghousehasconnectionswith individual
dentistsandproviders.Unlike inCanada,whereeverydentist
cantransmittoeverycarrier, intheU.S.adentistcanonly
transmittothecarriersthatarealsosignedup,orconnected
to, thesameEDIdentalclearinghousesasthedentist. It’sa
fragmentedsystemwheredentistshave little influence,and
wheretherearegreatercosts forthedentist.
It’sdifficulttocalculatetheexactcostsavingsperclaimbyusing
CDAnetcomparedtoasystemused intheU.S.,becausethere
aremany factorstoconsider.However,conservativeestimates
suggestthatCDAnetsavesCanadiandentiststhousands
ofdollarseachyear.
