Does a paper referral ever make it from the dentist’s office to the specialist? The paper could get pushed to the bottom of a patient’s bag, crumpled in a pocket and washed in the laundry, or turned over and used as an impromptu grocery list. Imagine if referrals could be digitized. Then, exchanging information could be as easy as a tap.
Look no further than Bright Referral’s Bright Card. Bright Card’s technology and custom software make it function similarly to tapping your phone or credit card at grocery checkout. To make a referral, the dentist asks the patient to unlock their phone and taps the Bright Card to the patient’s phone. All contact information for the specialist’s office pops up right on the screen.
Among other things, the patient can choose to schedule an appointment, find locations, call or text the office, look at social media, or request treatment notes. The patient doesn’t have to go home, look up the info, or delay until they forget to make the appointment altogether.
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On a color-coded dashboard, specialists can analyze referral data and build referrals based on facts displayed in easy chart and list form. The specialist can see who was referred, when they called, which doctor referred, and whether treatment notes need to be shared.
Graphs indicate what season or month referrals are the highest or if they rise after a certain type of interaction. The specialist can view which dentists sent the most referrals during a specific month and can thank them appropriately.
The data also shows which patients were referred but did not follow up. This creates an opportunity for the referring dentist and specialist to strategize on how to better turn referrals into appointments.
The company was cofounded by orthodontist Dr. Geoff Sudit and marketing and advertising executive Liz Sudit. As a specialist himself, Geoff had been frustrated by how patients often didn’t follow up and were not treated until it was discovered at the next dental visit months later. Liz said that as one of Bright Referral’s first users, they were thrilled with the results. She said, “My husband has been using this for about six months. With just his existing referral sources, he has seen a 30% increase in his referrals since using it. So, it pays for itself really quickly.” This simple, trackable, analyzable technology gets my referral. Connecting more patients with their specialists translates to better care.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the September 2023 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
