Gerry Stone

Since 1995, The Rehab Documentation Company Inc (TRDC), Nashville, Tenn, has been developing and distributing ReDoc software, a tool specially designed for physical, occupational, and speech therapy documentation. Rehab Management recently had the opportunity to ask TRDC founder and president, Gerry Stone, PT, MEd, GCS, about his company and how ReDoc software benefits users.

Q: What is your company's niche within the rehabilitation industry?

A: ReDoc software is the leader in rehab documentation software. ReDoc software is endorsed by both the APTA and the AOTA, and assures CMS and JCAHO compliance for the different clinical settings in which rehab is delivered. ReDoc has a built-in scheduler and is interfaced with most of the large hospital information systems and smaller practice management systems to easily exchange patient and billing information.

Q: What is your main objective in developing and evolving ReDoc software?

A: As a director of rehab services, I lived the nightmare of documentation for more than 20 years. The first objective was to simply save time and minimize what I hated the most—paperwork! ReDoc software efficiently streamlines and automates the flow of comprehensive clinical information through a patient's treatment cycle. The benefits of the technology, however, have surpassed our initial expectations. The data collected during the documentation process can be used to assure compliance, reduce denials, and analyze outcomes, productivity, and referral patterns. Transcription is completely eliminated, while therapists' job satisfaction is significantly increased.

Q: How does your company support facilities that use ReDoc software?

A: Our company has five full-time therapists on staff to clinically train new facilities and their therapists. We encourage therapists beginning to use ReDoc to incorporate their style of documentation. ReDoc therapists, along with the staff of each new facility, analyze the clerical, billing, patient care, and documentation workflow processes to identify inefficiencies. Our technical support team provides technical support to the customers from 7 am to 6 pm CST, Monday through Friday.

Q: How do you stay on top of industry trends?

A: It's a matter of staying ahead of industry trends. I had the opportunity to be a member of the Neuromuscular Panel that helped to write the Guide to the Physical Therapist Practice from 1995 to 1997. From the company's inception, we have tried to stay current with the industry trends in rehab with regard to reimbursement structures and compliance issues for each of the different clinical settings. At the same time, we have been working with the APTA and the AOTA to propagate their clinical terminology, semantics, and standards as reflected in the Guide to the Physical Therapist Practice and the Occupational Therapist Framework.

Q: How do you see your market evolving in the next few years?

A: It will be unbelievable. It is estimated that over 80% of working therapists have not yet converted to computerized documentation. Over the next 10 years, however, 90% of that 80% will convert. It is that exact point in history where the entire health care industry meets information systems technology.

—Morgan Saffari