Adam Llewellyn shares with Sophie Bracken his experiences implementing Ismile practice management software across three sites.
Sophie Bracken (SB): What is Ismile?
Adam Llewellyn (AL): Ismile is a practice management software system. Ismile itself is a small company and you speak to the same person all the time, so they’re very personable. They listen to you.
SB: How easy was the Ismile system to install?
AL: I’d never installed any other practice management software before so I guess I don’t really have a point of reference, but I set up three practices with Ismile from paper records. The network setup started a while in advance – there’s a bit of lead-time to it. Networking the practices was probably the most difficult bit. But full credit to Ismile, they know what they need in terms of infrastructure. So they set all that up. All you really need to know is where you want the computers, and you just plug and play.
In terms of what the user has to do, it’s very little. If there is an issue, more often than not it’s not actually Ismile’s fault, it’s been something like the server, or the NHS system is a good example at the moment!
SB: You mentioned that you have one main contact at Ismile – does that make things easier?
AL: Yes, it does. Everyone in the practice knows his name and number. He’s there 24/7. I feel a bit guilty calling him at night but he still answers the call. He even answered a call when he was on holiday. Again Ismile’s website service is 24-hour support. They’ve got your back. To make their business work they’ve got to make your business work. It’s great customer service. It’s one of the few bills I get every month that I don’t mind paying – I get my value for money.
SB: How has Ismile software helped you and your team?
AL: When you say team I immediately think of my nurse, my receptionist, but it’s also the background staff, providing the support network you need – technicians, your phone provider; there are so many. But I don’t have a relationship with BT – have you tried to call them these days? It’s a nightmare! But the whole team speak to our contact at Ismile – he knows us. Even if you have a computer problem – we have an IT guy in our town, but I don’t have a particular contact there, I don’t know them. But often I’ll phone our contact at Ismile and even if it’s not something under his remit, he’ll still dial in and sort it out for us.
SB: Why did you choose Ismile?
AL: Starting up a squat practice, cost was a factor. I didn’t know anybody that used Ismile at the time. I first contacted other practice management system providers, knowing that we wanted to be computerised, but the response was underwhelming. Ismile went above and beyond anybody else. We had a Skype call with them; from the off really it wasn’t a case of them getting our business and then leaving us high and dry. They were approachable and they wanted to help us. That sounds corny but it’s true.
SB: What are your favourite features of the system?
AL: It’s the feature that I specifically asked for: the ability to customise the system to exactly how I wanted it. They came down and did a training day and asked us what features we like and don’t like, what features we need and don’t need, and any input we’ve given they’ve made changes accordingly. You can see the system change – it’s evolving, but with you. Other systems seem very archaic and that’s what I didn’t like about them. With other systems for example there are codes that are no longer valid. But with Ismile being relatively new, you can see it evolving nicely.
SB: How easy is it to use compared with other systems?
AL: There’s definitely a steeper learning curve to other systems. Ismile is intuitive. We’ve had locums and specialists come in and I give them maybe a five-minute tutorial on it and they’re up and away. It’s not a case of them calling me every two minutes asking how to use it. It looks like an app – it’s user-friendly.
For more information on Ismile practice management software, visit www.ismiledental.co.uk.
