Duncan & Todd ready for surge

Companies north of the border preparing for the new GOS contract might do well to consider installing a web-based practice management system.

One of its first customers -Frances Duncan, the managing director of 23-branch Duncan & Todd - said this week its introduction into her business has been 'the best investment we've ever made'.

Duncan & Todd, which has over 200 corporate clients as well a thriving patient base, has stated the See20/20 system has brought benefits to the Scottish company, and credits it with increasing profits and efficiency across the group.

'As the company has grown we inherited a wide variety of recall and reminder systems,' said Duncan. 'This often created up to five different databases of disjointed and ineffective information.'

However, this has been turned around by using the new management programme, which was fully implemented last year, after trialling six different systems for 18 months. The See20/20 system was recommended by Duncan & Todd's IT director.

'The business is now recording a regular 9 per cent improvement in efficiency with more sight tests undertaken in the same number of days,' said Duncan. 'The ability to time advertising campaigns to patient recalls has also produced incremental sales, resulting in a 5 per cent improvement every month.'

Duncan added that she now feels the company is prepared to cope with an expected rise in demand when free eye examinations are available for everyone in Scotland from April.

'Without See20/20, I'd be dreading the sudden upsurge, but with a single-point electronic diary and our staff allocation system, we're more than ready for it.'

Introduced by Midlands-based software specialist Exmet, the system is claimed to be the first web-based ophthalmic system to improve practice management and profitability from a single location.

'See20/20 provides real-time information on all aspects of running a practice from patient details and appointments to stock levels and payments,' said a spokesman for the company.

'Records can be viewed at any time from any practice while an automated diary integrates resources and recall functions.'