10
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Volume2 Issue7
CDA
at
W
ork
Announcement
Our responsibilityas dentists is todoall thatwe can to ensure a
good outcome for our patients, whohave entrusteduswith caring
for their oral health.
It’sbest ifGPs know their
limitations and identify those
cases that are likelybeyond
their level of expertiseand
thereforebest servedby the
appropriate specialist.We
could all ask ourselves:Who
would I wantworkingonme if I had similar
treatment requirements?What is in thebest
interest ofmypatient?What is themost suitable
courseof action thatwill result in ahappy
ending?
GPs are theprimary treatment coordinators
andhence the “responsibledentists.” If you are
aGP, assist andguide your patients through
the treatment process, from your office, to
the specialist’s office andback again, until the
treatment is successfully completed. Know the
credentials of your specialists andunderstand
their referral process. Clearly convey your
general expectations in the relationship and
the specific expectationswitheach case.
Good communication and collaboration
betweenGPs and specialists is imperative to
maintain continuity andqualityof patient care.
Communication is adialogue that goes both
ways between the referringGP and specialist,
with thepatient keptwell informed throughout.
Thiswill ensure agoodoutcome for everyone
involved: GP, specialist and, above all, patients.
a
Theviewsexpressedarethoseoftheauthoranddonotnecessarilyreflecttheopinionsor
officialpoliciesoftheCanadianDentalAssociation.
CDAwas advised byTelusHealth Solutions that they will no longer accept
dental benefit claims sent by telephonemodem—a significant change
scheduled to occur by the end of 2017.
BecauseTelus is theCDAnet
networkusedby themajority
of insurancecarriers, dental
offices that still use telephone
modemswill need toprepare
andadjust accordingly for this
pendingchange.
Althoughmodem technology
is reliableandworkswell, it is
becomingmoredifficult
tofind replacement
hardwareand technical
support. CDA suggests
that dental officesmove
tousing the ITRANS
ClaimService—aproven
solution that sends claims
quicklyvia the Internet. Call
your softwarevendor or the
CDAPracticeSupport Services
HelpLineat
1-866-788-1212
to learnmoreandget started.
For dental officeswhereusing
the Internet is simplynot viable
due toa remote locationor
other factors, CDA isworking
onacontingencyplan toallow
suchoffices to still sendclaims
electronicallyusingmodem
technology.Wewill adviseon
thesepotential exemptions at a
later date.
a
Visit
foran
earlier interviewon
TelephoneModems
Telephone
Modems
tobe
Eliminated
Reprintedwithpermissionof theOntarioDental AssociationandOntarioDentist, 2015.
