Adding Functionality to Open Dental

[mandmdiet]

Hello,

We have a need to add some functionality to Open Dental that would allow us to automatically pull ERAs from our backend services into Open Dental. We haven't ever written any custom functionality that augments Open Dental and were wondering what is the current recommended way of doing something like this? Is it through Open Dental plugins (https://www.opendental.com/site/plugins.html)? Or is there something more current?

Thank you

[jsalmon]

Open Dental can already process ERAs by monitoring a report directory so you wouldn't need to augment anything if that is all you desire. You'd just create a clearinghouse and point it at the right directory where the ERAs will eventually show up. What custom functionality do you require?

[mandmdiet]

We won't have a way to automatically put files in the report directory and so that would have to be done manually for each office and we have hundreds of offices. Our software, however, can make these EOBs available securely so that they can be accessed via a service endpoint. I understand, maybe incorrectly, that Open Dental has support for some ERA providers. Fitting in alongside the support for those other ERA providers seemed like the easiest way for us to get the functionality our users need in their OD software.

[jsalmon]

If you need Open Dental to utilize a service endpoint then you'll need to contact vendor.relations@opendental.com and we can start talking about how we can start integrating with each other.

If you prefer to continue down the plug-in route then your hundreds of offices will have to start installing and enabling your plug-in while you maintain it for the foreseeable future. Once again, I'd need to know more about your specific functionality that you are trying to add if you want a second opinion before heading down this path. So far, it doesn't sound like implementing a custom plug-in is the right choice.

[mandmdiet]

OK, yeah, thanks jsalmon,

The functionality we're after is getting EOBs into Open Dental as seamlessly as possible having to do the least amount of install work and updating on the office machine as possible. Something like an API endpoint that accepts EOBs would probably be our simplest option actually, is that something that could be made possible?

[SLeon]

Good afternoon,

An API endpoint to upload an EOB (and create an EOBAttach table row) is already on our development list. This endpoint will be called EOBAttaches POST UploadSFTP and will allow developers to transmit a file and create the database linkage to the associated ClaimPayment.

Would this suit your use case?

[mandmdiet]

Actually, I've made an error in my wording in portions of this post. We started off talking about ERAs and I accidentally started using the acronym EOB. I apologize for that. As chance would have it, yes we are planning on using that EOB functionality as well and are looking forward to that change. Let me correct my first mistaken post though so that we can hopefully get the conversation back on track.

The functionality we're after is getting ERAs into Open Dental as seamlessly as possible having to do the least amount of install work and updating on the office machine as possible. Something like an API endpoint that accepts ERAs would probably be our simplest option actually, is that something that could be made possible?

Thanks for your help guys

[mandmdiet]

Just bringing awareness back to this question:

Would it be possible for us to have an API that allows us to upload an ERA into Open Dental directly?

[SLeon]

Good afternoon,

We are going to add "Insert ERAs via the API" to our development list. However, this process is complex and will require us to research how we can support this. I will update this thread when we have a better idea of exactly how this would work, payload contents, etc.

[mandmdiet]

OK, thank you we really appreciate it SLeon.