The Challenges of a Busy Medical Practice
Physicians today juggle multiple responsibilities, from providing direct patient care to handling documentation and administrative tasks and coordinating specialist consultations. Time is a scarce resource, and inefficiencies in communication can lead to unnecessary specialist referrals, increased patient frustration, and even delayed treatments.
Curbside consults, where a referring provider quickly asks a specialist for input without a formal consultation, have become a common way to streamline patient care. However, these informal interactions often go undocumented, leading to lost revenue, fragmented communication, and unstructured workflows.
Here’s a common scenario: A referring provider encounters a patient with a complex dermatological issue. The provider needs specialist input but doesn’t necessarily want to recommend an in-office referral. Instead of waiting weeks for an appointment, the provider wishes to consult a dermatologist quickly. Without a structured system, they might resort to an unsecured text message, a hallway conversation, or simply make an educated guess, none of which are optimal.
Enter DocSide—a streamlined, intuitive solution that simplifies curbside consults, improves workflows, and optimizes patient care.
The Pain Points in a Busy Medical Practice
Time Constraints
Physicians are constantly balancing patient care with consults and administrative duties. Without an efficient system, managing specialist referrals and consultations becomes an added burden.
Unnecessary Specialist Referrals
Many patients are referred for full in-office specialist visits when a quick curbside consult would have sufficed. These unnecessary referrals waste time, increase healthcare costs and delay care.
Limited Access to Specialists
Providers may not always have direct access to specialists within their network, leading to delays and suboptimal care. Patients often wait weeks for specialist input when a simple question could have provided immediate guidance.
Lost Revenue from Unbilled Consults
Many curbside consults go undocumented and unbilled. Consulting specialists provide valuable expertise daily, yet many of these interactions are lost revenue opportunities due to the lack of a structured billing mechanism.
Fragmented Communication
Lack of documentation for curbside consults results in inefficiencies. Without a proper record, providers may lose valuable clinical insights, reducing continuity of care.
What Is DocSide & How Does It Work?
DocSide is an intuitive and affordable mobile and web-based solution designed to help healthcare professionals document curbside consults, capture revenue, and enhance communication. It integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, allowing physicians to obtain and provide specialist input efficiently while maintaining proper, HIPAA-compliant documentation.
For Referring Providers
When a referring provider needs quick specialist input, they no longer have to rely on informal conversations or unsecured messaging. Instead, they can submit details about their patient and their clinical questions through DocSide. With an ever-expanding network of specialists, they can be assured that they are not alone in decision-making and can receive expert answers more quickly.
Additionally, the documentation they receive can be included directly in their patient charts, ensuring continuity of care and a clear record of specialist input.
For Consulting Specialists
For specialists, DocSide provides control over when and how they engage in curbside consults. It offers a structured way to log responses, whether through written notes or scheduled phone consultations, ensuring that guidance is documented for future reference. This structure allows specialists to provide input at their convenience while maintaining the integrity of clinical communication.
Additionally, DocSide includes a simple yet effective billing mechanism. Specialists can generate charge sheets for the curbside consults they provide, ensuring that their expertise is recognized and appropriately compensated. By addressing the challenge of lost revenue from undocumented consultations, DocSide ensures that physicians are not just supporting their colleagues but also capturing the financial value of their knowledge.
DocSide fits seamlessly into a physician’s daily routine because it is quick, intuitive, and designed with the realities of medical practice in mind. It enhances efficiency without adding complexity, allowing healthcare professionals to focus on patient care rather than administrative burdens.
Why Every Healthcare Professional Should Consider DocSide
The Reality: You’re Already Doing Curbside Consults—Why Not Make Them Work for You?
If you’re a referring provider, you already rely on quick specialist consultations to provide better care. If you’re a specialist, you’re likely offering informal consults without compensation. DocSide turns these interactions into structured, billable, and efficient processes.
The Benefits Are Clear
- Minimizes unnecessary referrals, ensuring patients receive the right care at the right time.
- Expands specialist access, improving care delivery for all stakeholders.
- Enhances patient outcomes through faster, better-informed decision-making.
- Reduces administrative burden while improving charge capture.
Built by Physicians, for Physicians
DocSide isn’t just another piece of technology—it’s a solution created by healthcare professionals who understand the challenges of a busy practice. It’s designed to support, not complicate, your workflow.
Better patient care starts with better, more connected workflows. DocSide helps you get and give answers, document smarter, bill accurately, and focus on what matters most—your patients. By streamlining curbside consults, capturing lost revenue, and improving access to specialist expertise, DocSide transforms the way physicians collaborate.
Your time is valuable—make the most of it with a solution built for real-world healthcare challenges – try DocSide today.
