Meet Clinical Manager Tonyah Slater, RN, BSN
Discover how a clinical manager elevated her dermatology practice by integrating advanced technology, enhancing staff training and achieving improved MIPS scores
The ModMed® Practice HERO Award recognizes leaders in operations who harness our solutions to help improve their practice. Award finalist Tonyah Slater guided her practice through consolidating and optimizing technology platforms to streamline workflows.
Tonyah’s story
I began my career as a certified medical assistant, and eventually earned my bachelor’s degree to become a registered nurse. Today, I’m the Clinical Manager at Dermatology Associates of Ithaca, and I’m proud of the journey I’ve been on and the growth we’ve experienced as a practice.
When I first joined the practice, it was comprised of founder and dermatologist Dr. Josephine McAllister and three mid-level providers. Over time, we grew — our team expanded, our patient base increased and our systems had to evolve. I’ve always focused on improving processes and training our staff well, which has been one of the most rewarding parts of my role.
A major turning point for us came when we made the decision to implement ModMed into our operations. This move wasn’t just about adopting new technology — it was about transforming how we worked to make things run more smoothly for both our team and our patients. Being nominated for the ModMed Practice HERO Award was a huge honor and a reflection of the hard work and dedication of everyone on our team.
Tackling MIPS and improving scores
One of the first challenges we tackled was managing our Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores after transitioning from a larger network. The process was tough at first, but I saw it as an opportunity to improve.
A MIPS Advisor from ModMed helped us streamline our approach and we were able to raise our MIPS scores from 47 to 93 in just a year. Not only did this boost our scores, but it also improved the overall flow of the practice, making everything run more smoothly for everyone.
Simplifying our workflow with ModMed
When I joined, we were using ModMed’s EMA® for documentation, but still had to rely on a separate vendor for scheduling. This involved a lot of toggling between systems. To simplify things, I worked to integrate ModMed’s Practice Management (PM) system into our daily workflow, so everything could be managed in one place.
The PM software’s Tasks feature has been a game-changer. It’s like having a built-in to-do list for myself and my team within our EHR, and it’s helped us stay on top of things without missing a beat. We also started using ModMed’s Image Management system, so photos are stored right in the patient’s chart — saving us valuable time by eliminating the need to scan and organize separate paperwork.
We’ve also optimized our charting. Since many of our patients have similar concerns, we use Protocols to make charting faster and more accurate. For example, charting a full skin exam used to take longer, but now we have preset skin exam Protocols that speed things up.
Streamlining pathology workflows and reducing no-shows
In dermatology, following up on pathology results is critical. Thanks to ModMed’s pathology workflows, we can quickly identify which patients need a first call, a second call or can receive a letter with results. This has drastically cut down on the time spent managing paperwork and reaching out to patients.
Switching to iPad for documentation has also been a huge timesaver. Now, we can add documentation and photos during the visit, reducing the need for end-of-day updates. That simple change saves us an hour or two every day.
An expanding practice
All these improvements couldn’t have come at a better time. We recently added a seventh clinician, and as our patient base continues to grow, we’re able to keep up thanks to our integrated ModMed system. It’s helped us manage our expanding workload without adding time-consuming tasks.
ModMed’s Patient Collaboration tools with Klara® have also improved our communication with patients. Patient Collaboration allows them to schedule and manage appointments online, which saves our front office staff from having to handle scheduling and reminders manually. We still answer questions over the phone but a lot of our routine questions are answered by sending a simple text.
Patient Collaboration also proved invaluable in an unexpected situation. We had a patient who needed sign language interpretation, but the interpreter wasn’t available. Instead of rescheduling the appointment, we used Patient Collaboration to bridge the communication gap and keep the appointment moving forward.
We’ve also seen a significant drop in appointment no-shows, thanks to ModMed Analytics. By running reports to spot trends in missed appointments, I can adjust our schedules to minimize the chances of no-shows and keep everything running smoothly.
Overall, ModMed has supported our growing and expanding practice in more ways than one. Adding in extra features like ModMed Practice Management and Patient Collaboration has improved office efficiency and productivity, allowing us to focus more on our patients and provide the best care.
Learn more about our ModMed HEROs.
The statements and conclusions contained herein reflect the opinions of Tonyah Slater and not those of ModMed. ModMed makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy of any such information. Results may vary depending on medical practice size, product usage and other variables.
