Canadian database

[sprange]

Are there any Canadian users out there who can share their tips for making OD more functional? The Canadian database (beta) looks really cool...especially how it can manage a standard claim form. The problem I have is that the database causes issues for some aspects of OD. For example, selecting a patient and then the Treatment Planner will cause an unhandled exception. I also seem to recall having problems with the quick buttons in the chart--I couldn't find out how to change them. Anyway I am (and my staff, to a lesser extent) looking forward to using this great product. Thanks for any help.

Sean

[tdong]

Any unhandled exception you get is because of the .net framework when compiling it has nothing to do with the database. You need to update all the framwork, Directx etc. Quick buttons are for the US users. They are hardcoded. You can put canadian procedure codes there. I didn't bother. Just change the code to hide quick buttons.

We have been using OD for 3 years already. still waiting for the EDI to work but my wife is so use to snail mail the claim and ask the receptionist to mail at the end of everyday. So far we get all the money except a few times where the insurance sent it to the patient

[jordansparks]

So far, we have identified one problem with the database which could cause an error. It has no providers. Make sure to add one provider, set a fee schedule for that provider, and make that provider the default provider in practice setup.

Canadian e-claims is coming along nicely. We have successfully sent eligibility and claim transactions and appropriately processed the responses. There is a series of scripts that we continue to work through and then we will begin the certification process in about 2 or 3 weeks. We also want to add enough usability features to make it equivalent to the USA version. For example, the list of procedure codes is a little messy, with abbreviations that are too long. We also want to have default procedure buttons in place, etc.

[sprange]

Thanks for the information Jordan. After I had added a provider I was able access the treatment planner without issue. I still ran into problems when I tried to preview a claim form...('could not locate claim form'). When I attempted to edit the claim form sheet it displayed it correctly however.

At this stage what do you recommend regarding my database. If I use the Canada 2010 file (with quick buttons that do not work), will it be easy to update the database without starting over? I'm in no hurry for eclaims....my staff would be very happy with the CDA claim forms already filled out (as it worked for the trial version). Next week is our training session so wish me luck.

[jordansparks]

Some of our improvements will work with any database. For example, the procedure buttons. There's already a feature to set them to default for USA. We will just add default settings for Canada. For the procedure codes, I don't think our improvements to shorten abbreviations would reflect in a database that was already running. But I would still say go forward with what you have right now.

[sprange]

Everything seems to be working with the Canadian database provided on your website (although the fees make me feel like I'm working for peanuts). Regarding fee schedules...I'm going to assume that creating new schedules (2010 BCDA, 2010 First Nations, 2010 Welfare/etc) will be better than using the 'standard' category. Since all the fees are blank until added it makes it much easier.

Sean

[huithomas]

My office is in Vancouver, Canada and I am considering switching from Dentrix to OpenDental. Are the support adequate for Canadians? Also regarding the fee schedules and the e-claim thru CDAnet, are they working well?

Thanks

Thomas

[jordansparks]

CDAnet does not yet work. Please do not ever make software purchasing decisions based on vaporware (promises of future improvements). We do not sell vaporware. However, having said all that, we are working very hard on CDAnet, and we truly do hope to complete it. Also, Open Dental can still be useful for Canada even if you have to send all your claims by paper.

[huithomas]

Thanks Jordan
Do you have any idea when CDAnet will be ready? Thanks
Thomas

[jordansparks]

Keeping in mind that my estimate is pretty much guaranteed to be wrong, I'm going to guess 3 weeks more of programming followed by one week of certification.

[kderhami]

Hi Thomas:

Ive just seen your posting, we have been with OD since 2004, we love the product can't wait for the eclaims

[jordansparks]

See, my guess was wrong. We're still plugging away at it.

[spsdds]

Hi Jordan,
Just another Canadian user keen on the e-claims. It seems you are almost there. We are all pulling for you.
Sincerely,
Stephen Shanahan DDS Ottawa

[beattyph]

I am yet another Canadian keen on seeing Open Dental work with Canadian e-claims. Jordan --- can you give us an update on how you are progressing?

Thanks so much,

Philip

[jordansparks]

Painfully slow. It's as fast as we can.

[Lorita]

What is the status of making OD e-claim ready, it has been mths since you posted the progress!
I know the idea is that OD will move faster then other software, but the other software has been e-claim running for a few years up here.
Are you going to enable it to run with CDHA-ADHCnet™ also?
This will allow Dental Hygienist who are independent to process there claims also electronically too.
There are over 100 DH practices open across Canada and many would love to use this software if these abilities were in place.
Please advise.
Thanks in advance.

[jordansparks]

It's not ready yet, but we are working on it.

[Lorita]

Do you have a time line to when you will have the CDHA-ADHCnet™ up and running?
Thanks

[jordansparks]

Definitely not. No timeline. We can't sell vaporware.

[MedDen]

Just an update here from Canada. We've just received a call from the association that the few companies (Dentaide, SSQ, Desjardins, etc.) that used to accept claims by phone will not be able to do so anymore starting 2012. It's in their contract that when less than 10% of the claims are made by phone, they will discontinue the service. Frankly, we were surprised to see that 90% of claims are already made electronically, as that means most offices already have a software for it. Sorry to bring the news Jordan, but it seems we are late in the race. Opendental has been our software for 7 years already, and honestly, we don't want to change it and are willing to support it, but we will have no choice but to change (with all the hassle of converting data) if the programming is not done by then. We know that you can't give us an ETA, but it looks like other events are forcing the issue.

[jordansparks]

I completely understand. Keep in mind that it is also in our best interest to get it done asap due to the huge potential market. For that reason, it remains our top priority. We are actively working on it. At the moment, we are working on embedded COB responses, and we are getting ready to move on to the requests tomorrow and early next week. Claims and eligibility have been done for months. So I can tell you what we have and haven't done, but not when we might finish. One thing I'm very excited about is that the certification is now done by a private company that is eager to have us be certified. That's very different from the way it used to be.