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Case Study: How Nymbl Transformed P&O Group’s Success
Apr 13, 2023
Discover How Nymbl Systems Transformed P&O Group’s Success
Glenn Matsushima, a certified prosthetist, and orthotist found his passion in the orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) space after working in physical therapy. Glenn founded Prosthetic & Orthotic Group, Inc. in 2001, a company focused on being patient-oriented and patient-centric. To achieve success in their growing company, P&O Group needed fully web-based software to streamline operations across multiple locations. That’s when they found Nymbl Systems – the ultimate solution for their business needs.
“We do have different models throughout our company. We have our brick-and-mortar, which the conversion and the usage of Nymbl helped to streamline and standardize,” said Glenn. “But we also have mobile units that cover the Colorado area, from Vail to Pueblo, to Denver. Nymbl allows them to use this EMR on their phone or a tablet, just as easily as they can in an office. They’re on the fly, and the software has helped quite a bit there. We are able to be real-time with scheduling and billing.”
- Glenn Matsushima, CPO FAAOP, Owner, Prosthetic & Orthotic Group, Inc.
By partnering with Nymbl, P&O Group experienced significant benefits on both the clinical and operational sides of their business. Clinically, the software helps to regulate patient care and workflow by ensuring consistent training for all practitioners. Operationally, they could run cost analysis and referral-based data reports uniformly across all locations. By standardizing the work between their multitude of offices, they keep their business running efficiently and successfully.
Read the whole case study here to learn more about Nymbl and P&O Group's relationship.
To learn more about P&O Group, visit their website.
Managing a growing Complex Rehabilitation Technology (CRT) practice today demands a modern platform and practical features that streamline your team's workflows, ensure compliance, enable proactive financial management, and enhance patient experiences. As CRT providers face growing operational pressures and rising patient expectations, many find that Nymbl's all-in-one CRT solution offers the capabilities they need to thrive and grow. This blog examines Nymbl’s product approach, next-generation platform, and practical features that lead CRT providers to switch from legacy platforms to Nymbl. Benefits of Switching to Nymbl First, let's explore a few of the key benefits that CRT providers achieve when they run their business with Nymbl: • Streamlined Workflows. Nymbl simplifies and automates many crucial processes for CRT teams. The solution reduces manual tasks, from intake and scheduling to claims management and financial reporting. This allows staff to focus less on paperwork and more on their highest-value efforts, such as improving claims management or delivering exceptional patient care. • Faster Payments. Nymbl's efficient claims management reduces billing errors and speeds up reimbursements, helping CRT providers get paid faster and improve cash flow. Nymbl also offers outsourced revenue cycle management services, handling everything from accuracy checks and claim submissions to accounts receivable management and payment posting. • Data-Driven Decisions. With comprehensive, intuitive reporting, Nymbl empowers CRT providers to make more informed decisions based on data. This insight and control help CRT providers optimize every aspect of operations, from patient care to financial management. • Improved Patient Experience. Nymbl is designed to enhance every aspect of the patient journey, from intake to assessments and payments. By smoothing every patient interaction, Nymbl allows CRT teams to focus on delivering exceptional patient care. Top Nymbl Capabilities for CRT Providers Let’s explore Nymbl’s practices, platform, and product features that deliver an elevated experience and improved performance for CRT providers. The Nymbl Approach to Supporting CRT Providers Any discussion about the value Nymbl delivers starts with our partnership with CRT teams and their experience with our company and product, from implementation and training to ongoing collaboration on product enhancements. Nymbl takes an integrated approach to data migration, implementation, and training to ensure your practice is up and running rapidly with Nymbl. Once your data is migrated, you always have access — your data is yours, and it's always easy to export it for any reason. Our team has a relentless focus on exceptional customer support with dedicated contacts on our team, real-time availability through online chat, and a robust help center, all of which power our Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 85+. Finally, our customer-driven approach to development means our team hears your voice. With ten or more new releases yearly, Nymbl ensures continuous innovation, keeping your business equipped with the latest enhancements and capabilities. Don't just take our word for it, hear from our satisfied customers here. Nymbl's Cloud-Native Technology Next, let’s explore how our technology platform differs from rigid legacy solutions that may be web-enabled but are not built on a modern platform. Nymbl's cloud-native SaaS platform offers seamless scalability, robust security, and an optimized user experience. With a modern, user-friendly interface, Nymbl provides a clean, intuitive experience that simplifies onboarding and daily tasks. Nymbl’s mobile-friendly design allows users to access the platform anywhere on any device to manage tasks, complete home assessments, and check reports. In addition, Nymbl centralizes documents and notes to eliminate the need to switch between different product sections or modules to search for relevant documents. Nymbl’s Practical Features That Optimize CRT Team Performance Let’s take a closer look at the features that enable efficiency in patient interactions and internal workflows that are essential for any CRT provider: • Streamlined Patient Intake, Scheduling, and Payments—Nymbl simplifies intake with a single-page patient intake that efficiently captures all necessary details without navigating around multiple areas of the product. It also integrates calendar management with Outlook and Google for easier scheduling, automatic appointment confirmations to reduce no-shows, and seamless credit card processing for simplified patient transactions. • Mobility for ATPs and Clinicians—Not only is Nymbl built for any user to access the product from anywhere, any device, but Nymbl also helps mobile staff gain efficiencies during visits to patients’ homes or to multiple locations. Features such as quick access to maps for navigating to a patient’s address, mobile assessments that automatically update the patient chart, and instant media capture to easily upload images directly to Nymbl (not to your phone) take a little work out of each step that adds up to significant efficiency gains. • Optimized Billing and Business Management— Nymbl equips CRT providers with powerful operational features that enhance efficiency, ensure accuracy, and provide valuable data insights. Reduce manual entry with the ability to digitize and autofill any form with information from a patient chart. Achieve more efficient claims management with a single-page hub and automate billing for Medicare-capped equipment rentals. Simplify financial workflows by automating ERAs, EOBs, and remittance postings through Nymbl’s integration with Waystar. A robust and intuitive AR tracking module and flexible financial reporting tools make it easier to manage outstanding balances and close the books effectively. Finally, Nymbl's business intelligence dashboards and drill-down reporting enable more informed, data-driven decisions.
Innovative AI-powered solution helps O&P clinicians save up to a day a week spent on capturing, summarizing, and editing clinical notes DUBLIN, Ohio, September 12, 2024 – Nymbl Systems, a software company dedicated to delivering better business outcomes for those who enable better health and mobility, today announced the launch of the industry’s first artificial intelligence-powered clinical notes solution specialized for orthotics and prosthetic (O&P) practices. Nymbl’s AI Notes helps O&P clinicians balance engaging in quality patient interactions with completing detailed clinical notes that meet compliance standards. Typically, O&P clinicians spend up to 40 percent of their time completing clinical notes. By automating capturing, summarizing, and editing their notes with AI Notes, clinicians can now save up to a day per week of their time. "With AI Notes, we're tackling one of the most time-consuming aspects of O&P practice management," said Josh Lau, CEO of Nymbl Systems. "Our solution allows clinicians to focus on what they do best – providing exceptional patient care – while ensuring accurate and compliant documentation. This launch demonstrates our continued dedication to creating new efficiencies for practices through modern technology applied specifically for the practices we serve, significantly improving how they run their businesses.” How Does AI Notes Work? Within the Nymbl platform, clinicians can use AI Notes to record patient interactions in real time, or they can upload pre-recorded audio. This eliminates the need to write or type notes while interacting with the patient, which creates a more efficient visit with improved focus on the patient. AI Notes transcribes these interactions into editable text leveraging healthcare-specific language recognition through AWS HealthScribe. The solution creates structured summaries within minutes and allows further editing and integration with existing note templates in the system. With increased efficiencies, O&P clinicians can see more patients each day while ensuring high standards of accuracy and compliance with clinical notes. AI Notes will be available as an add-on subscription for current customers of Nymbl’s core practice management solution. See AI Notes and the Nymbl Practice Management Platform at AOPA 2024 To learn more about AI Notes and how it can transform your workflow, talk to our team and see AI Notes live at the AOPA 2024 National Assembly at the Charlotte Convention Center, booth #816, from September 12-15, 2024. Or visit the Nymbl website to learn more and schedule a personalized demonstration . Read the full announcement here .
Innovative artificial intelligence-powered solution helps O&P clinicians save up to a day a week spent on capturing, summarizing, and editing clinical notes Your orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) practice revolves around providing excellent patient care. Yet, O&P clinicians can struggle to balance quality patient interactions with completing the detailed documentation that is necessary for compliance and reimbursement requirements. Manually typing notes can consume a significant portion of a clinician's day—sometimes up to 40%—with complex interactions requiring as much as 45 minutes to document fully. Many clinicians may resort to jotting down brief notes on paper during visits and then completing the full documentation afterward in their practice management system at the end of the day. This introduces the risk of inaccuracies, incomplete visit notes, and an extended workday. Additionally, clinical notes must not only be accurate but also formatted in a structured, compliant way to withstand audits, which adds time to the task. Editing, updating patient information, and applying templates further complicate the process. While this is the status quo, the fact remains that there are significant opportunities to streamline clinical workflows and increase the number of patients clinicians can see in a day. Whether clinicians manage high-volume interactions, such as diabetic shoe fittings, for example, or complex prosthetic cases, the challenge remains: creating accurate, compliant clinical notes without sacrificing valuable patient interaction time or extending the workday. At Nymbl, we are constantly focused on creating efficiencies for our customers. We believe the area of clinicians' patient visit notes can be dramatically improved with modern technology, including artificial intelligence (AI). Our new solution, AI Notes, optimizes clinical note workflows and improves the accuracy of clinical note-taking for O&P clinicians. What Is Nymbl AI Notes? AI Notes is an advanced artificial intelligence-powered documentation feature designed to streamline the clinical notes process for O&P clinicians. AI Notes automates the recording, transcription and summarization of notes, significantly reducing the time clinicians spend on this critical task. How Can AI Notes Help Your Practice? There are substantial benefits of leveraging AI Notes within your practice: Save Time and Increase Productivity Clinicians can save an estimated one day per week of their time on clinical notes. With less paperwork, clinicians can see more patients and improve overall productivity. Enhance Accuracy AI Notes ensures more accurate notes of a patient visit. With a patient interaction recording, an intelligent transcript, and an automatically generated summary, clinicians can quickly double-check for errors. Improve Patient Care With more time for patient interaction and more focus on the patient during the interaction, clinicians can focus on quality interactions and make better-informed clinical decisions. Security and Compliance Administrators can manage access, ensuring notes are only viewed and edited by the appropriate team members. Clinicians use structured note summaries that can easily be converted into standard templates for audit compliance. How Does AI Notes work? AI Notes dramatically reduces the time it takes to accurately capture, summarize, edit and complete a clinical note. Let’s explore the details of AI Notes features: Automated Transcription AI Notes records patient interactions within the application and converts these audio recordings into structured text in minutes, saving clinicians hours of manual documentation a day. Recordings can also be uploaded if the interaction was recorded with another device. Complete Transcripts Users can review the transcript to spot errors or omissions before finalizing the summaries. This adds an extra layer of accuracy. Structured Summaries AI Notes automatically generates structured note summaries from the transcript. These summaries can then be further edited and integrated with existing note templates to complete the documentation of an interaction. Healthcare-Specific Language By leveraging AWS HealthScribe, AI Notes can accurately transcribe and summarize complex medical information. Typical errors created by simple voice-to-text apps are minimized through specialized transcriptions that recognize medical terminology. As a HIPAA-eligible technology, AWS HealthScribe meets the stringent privacy and security requirements necessary for handling sensitive healthcare data. User Permissions Once the solution is licensed, your company’s administrators control access, ensuring only authorized staff can use AI Notes and view clinical notes. Seamless Integration AI Notes is embedded in Nymbl, eliminating disruptions to current workflows and the need to work in multiple applications. At Nymbl, we are always focused on user feedback. Since we release enhancements on a regular schedule 10 or more times a year, we will incorporate feedback and explore additional capabilities, such as expanded template options and more advanced AI capabilities, to further streamline your workflow. Ready to streamline clinical documentation at your O&P practice? By significantly reducing documentation time, improving accuracy, and seamlessly integrating with existing workflows, AI Notes empowers you to focus on what you do best—providing exceptional care to your patients. Whether you are a current customer or considering making the switch to Nymbl, discover how AI Notes can give you back valuable time, enhance your patient interactions, and take your practice to the next level. Learn more and set up a time to see a demo and talk to the Nymbl team about getting started today.
As an O&P practice, your primary focus is always patient care and achieving the best possible outcomes. However, balancing the demands of patient care with the need to manage administration, billing, and the financial health of your practice can be challenging. The complexity of healthcare billing and ongoing regulatory changes can often feel like it takes away from your focus on the people you serve. Managing claims, dealing with denials, ensuring timely reimbursements, and maintaining compliance require specialized knowledge and significant administrative effort. This dual focus can strain resources and threaten a practice's growth. Nymbl understands these challenges. We are here to help, and we believe our approach and commitment to responsive customer care will make a difference for your business. Nymbl's O&P Revenue Cycle Management Services At Nymbl, our focus on streamlining O&P operations extends beyond the capabilities of our software: Nymbl offers specialized O&P Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) services for our customers using the Nymbl practice management platform. This service helps your practice get paid faster, reduce denials, and lessen administrative burdens so you can focus on your core strength: delivering exceptional patient care. Here is an overview of the RCM services Nymbl offers its customers: End-to-End Billing Services. Nymbl’s comprehensive O&P RCM services manage the entire billing process, including reviewing claims for accuracy and compliance prior to submission, submitting claims after validations, managing accounts receivables and denials, and posting payments upon receipt. Seamless Software & Services. Our O&P billing experts work within your instance of the Nymbl software platform. This ensures real-time data, eliminates the need for third-party integration, and, since the platform always has the latest payer rules, we can submit clean claims for faster payment. Real-Time Financial Transparency. Once a month, the team guides you through a comprehensive review for total visibility into the revenue cycle process and results. And with the Nymbl platform’s dashboards and reporting, you always have real-time visibility. Flexible Service Options. Practices can choose from comprehensive services or “a la carte” supplemental services that complement your existing billing processes if you are growing too fast, understaffed, or looking to improve in a specific area. What Makes Nymbl RCM Services Right for Your Business? Nymbl offers a unique combination of expertise, advanced technology, and responsive customer service, making our team an ideal partner for your practice: O&P-Specific Expertise. Nymbl's billing experts have extensive knowledge of O&P-specific payer rules and regulations and specific knowledge of how best to use the Nymbl platform. Specialized Tools. At Nymbl, we are all about streamlining and improving processes. For example, we use AI-assisted claims scrubbing and a Stripe integration for instant payment adjudication. And we continuously pursue new ways to optimize workflows. In-House Team. Nymbl maintains an in-house team of experts with deep knowledge of our customers to ensure consistent quality and the highest standards in execution. We don’t outsource your business. Responsive Service. Our commitment to responsive customer service and a collaborative approach ensures honest and transparent communication, with a dedicated team ready to promptly address any questions or concerns. Creating Value for O&P Practices Nymbl’s RCM services create significant value for O&P practices by addressing key challenges and optimizing financial operations. Get Paid Faster. Streamlined processes and fewer denials lead to quicker reimbursement, improving cash flow. Lower Costs . By partnering with our team, practices can avoid the high costs of hiring, training, and managing an in-house billing team. Predictable Cash Flow. Faster claim submissions and reduced denials lead to more predictable and consistent revenue streams that keep your practice healthy. Focus on Patient Care . By handling the complexities of billing, Nymbl helps you stay focused on changing patients' lives and improving their outcomes and satisfaction. Compliance and Risk Management . Nymbl's platform and team stay up-to-date with regulations and payer requirements to reduce the risk of audits and penalties. Scalability and Flexibility. You can tailor and right-size RCM services to fit your business, and as you grow, we can scale our team with you. Ensuring Financial Health and Growth For O&P practices like yours, partnering with Nymbl for RCM services means more than just outsourcing billing tasks. It represents a strategic decision to enhance operational efficiency, reduce administrative burdens, and focus on delivering exceptional patient care. Ready to transform your practice's revenue cycle management? We would love to talk with you about it. Schedule a meeting with one of our RCM experts today to discover how our tailored RCM services can streamline your billing processes, improve cash flow, and allow you to focus on what truly matters—your patients.
Many O&P practices run lean operations and have limited budgets to support the hiring of technical resources that are necessary to maintain today’s complex technology environments. To combat this challenge, many practices turn to “cloud” or “hosted” solutions that have the promise of alleviating these burdens. However, it is important for leaders to understand the differences in all of these terms that sound alike but can be deceiving to buyers. Native-cloud SaaS solutions, like Nymbl, bring a unique advantage to O&P practices who want to access the latest features and capabilities quickly but don’t have the IT resources or budgets necessary to do so. Continuous innovation and frequent delivery of new functionality are key advantages of SaaS applications that are natively built for the cloud from the outset. This approach allows for regular updates, maintenance, and feature releases without causing disruptions to the user experience, ensuring that the application remains secure, up-to-date, and responsive to user needs. Key Points to Know: Automatic Updates: SaaS applications are typically updated automatically, meaning that users always have access to the latest features, performance improvements, and security patches without needing to take any action. These updates are usually deployed in the background, minimizing or eliminating downtime. Minimal Disruption: Because the application is cloud-based, updates and maintenance can be carried out with minimal disruption to users. The architecture of a cloud-native SaaS application is designed to support rolling updates, where different parts of the system are updated incrementally without taking the entire application offline. Continuous Improvement: SaaS providers often operate on a continuous delivery model, where new features and improvements are released on a regular basis. This means that the application is constantly evolving based on user feedback, market demands, and technological advancements, keeping it competitive and relevant. Lower Maintenance Burden for Users: In a SaaS model, the provider handles all the maintenance tasks, including software updates, security monitoring, and infrastructure management. This significantly reduces the burden on the user’s IT team, freeing them to focus on other strategic initiatives. Contrast with Converted Applications: Complex Update Processes: Converted applications may not support seamless updates due to their legacy architecture. Updates might require significant downtime, manual intervention, or even temporary service interruptions, leading to a more disruptive experience for users. Infrequent Updates: Because of the challenges associated with updating converted applications, these updates might be less frequent or more time-consuming. This can lead to longer periods between updates, during which the application might become outdated or vulnerable to security risks. Higher Maintenance Costs: Maintaining a converted application can be more expensive and resource-intensive than maintaining a cloud-native SaaS application. This is because the provider may need to address compatibility issues, legacy code, or infrastructure challenges that aren’t present in a SaaS application designed for the cloud. User Downtime: With converted applications, users might experience more downtime during updates or maintenance windows, which can disrupt business operations and reduce productivity. Let’s talk ! With 12 releases each year, Nymbl’s native-SaaS solutions give O&P practices the ability to keep up with industry trends and access the latest capabilities without requiring heavy IT investments and resources.
When a software application is developed as a native SaaS solution from the beginning, cost efficiency is a core consideration throughout the design and implementation phases. This focus on cost efficiency manifests in several ways, primarily through optimized resource utilization, multi-tenancy, and operational cost savings. Key Points to Know: Optimized Resource Utilization: SaaS applications are built to leverage cloud infrastructure effectively, meaning they can scale resources up or down based on demand. This dynamic scaling ensures that the application only uses the resources it needs at any given time, reducing waste and lowering costs. For instance, during periods of low activity, the application can automatically reduce its resource consumption, thereby cutting costs. Multi-Tenancy: A major cost-saving feature of many SaaS applications is multi-tenancy. In a multi-tenant architecture, a single instance of the software serves multiple customers (tenants). This shared infrastructure allows for more efficient use of computing resources, as the same hardware, storage, and processing power are distributed among several users. Multi-tenancy reduces the overhead costs associated with maintaining separate instances for each customer, leading to lower operational costs for the SaaS provider, which can translate into lower prices for customers. Operational Cost Savings: SaaS applications built for the cloud inherently avoid many of the costs associated with on-premise solutions, such as maintaining physical servers, managing software installations, and performing manual updates. By automating many of these processes in the cloud, SaaS providers can pass these savings on to customers. Additionally, SaaS customers typically pay a subscription fee, which covers ongoing maintenance, updates, and support, providing predictable costs without the need for large upfront investments. Reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): The total cost of ownership for a SaaS solution is often lower than for on-premise applications, particularly when considering the full lifecycle of the software. SaaS applications eliminate the need for expensive hardware, reduce the burden on IT staff, and lower the costs of upgrades and security management. This makes SaaS solutions an attractive option for organizations looking to manage their budgets more effectively. Contrast with On-Premise Applications Converted to the Cloud Legacy Cost Structures: Applications that were originally designed for on-premise environments may carry over cost inefficiencies when converted to the cloud. For example, they might require dedicated resources or maintain separate instances for each customer, which can lead to higher operational costs compared to a native multi-tenant SaaS application. Inefficient Resource Use: Converted applications may not be able to take full advantage of the cloud’s dynamic resource allocation capabilities, leading to resource inefficiencies. For instance, a converted application might need to be provisioned with more resources than necessary to handle peak loads, resulting in higher costs during periods of low demand. Higher Maintenance Costs: Converted applications might require ongoing maintenance and support to address compatibility issues, security concerns, or performance bottlenecks. These additional maintenance needs can drive up the total cost of ownership, negating some of the cost benefits of moving to the cloud. In summary, SaaS applications built from the ground up for the cloud are inherently more cost-efficient, benefiting from optimized resource utilization, multi-tenancy, and lower operational costs. As a cloud-native SaaS application, Nymbl is able to take advantage of these efficiencies and deliver more enhancements and features to its customers rapidly. In fact, Nymbl deploys new product releases 12 times a year. This ensures users always have access to the latest features, improvements, and security enhancements. Releasing innovation frequently allows Nymbl to respond to user feedback and continuously improve the platform. Additionally, since the platform is a cloud-native SaaS platform, customers are not required to take action when new releases occur. To learn how Nymbl’s cloud-native SaaS solution can help your practice be nimbler and more cost efficient, schedule a call with one of our Nymbl experts today.
When a software application is natively built as a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution from inception, security is embedded into its architecture and development processes from the ground up. This foundational approach to security ensures that the application can meet modern security standards and adapt to evolving threats effectively. Key Points to Know: Security by Design: A SaaS application developed with cloud-first principles incorporates security measures into every layer of its architecture. This includes data encryption, access controls, identity management, and secure coding practices. The security design is not an afterthought but a core component of the application’s infrastructure. Data Encryption : SaaS solutions designed for the cloud typically include robust encryption protocols for data both at rest (stored data) and in transit (data being transferred). This ensures that sensitive information is protected from unauthorized access or breaches. Encryption methods are usually compliant with industry standards, such as AES-256 for data encryption and TLS for data transmission. With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated, it’s crucial to shift the focus from merely preventing breaches to minimizing the damage they can cause. This means implementing robust security measures that limit the exposure of sensitive data, ensuring that when an attack does happen, the footprint hackers leave behind is as small as possible. By constantly evolving security strategies and using advanced technologies, companies can stay resilient, protecting both their assets and their reputation in an increasingly hostile environment. Identity and Access Management (IAM): From the outset, SaaS applications often integrate with modern identity and access management systems, allowing for fine-grained control over who has access to specific data and functionalities. This includes features like multi-factor authentication (MFA), single sign-on (SSO), and role-based access control (RBAC), which are crucial for maintaining security in a multi-tenant environment. Compliance with Regulatory Standards: SaaS applications are often designed with compliance in mind, adhering to regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, GDPR, or SOC 2 from the beginning. This proactive approach ensures that the application can serve industries with strict compliance needs, like healthcare or finance, without needing extensive modifications. Continuous Monitoring and Threat Detection: A native SaaS application built for the cloud is usually equipped with continuous monitoring and automated threat detection capabilities. These features are integrated into the cloud infrastructure, providing real-time visibility into potential security threats and vulnerabilities. Cloud-native SaaS solutions often leverage advanced tools like AI and machine learning for threat detection, anomaly detection, and automated responses. Resilience to Attacks: Because security is a fundamental part of the design, SaaS applications are generally more resilient to attacks. This includes distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, where the application can leverage cloud-native defenses such as traffic filtering, load balancing, and autoscaling to mitigate the impact. Incident Response and Recovery: Cloud-native SaaS applications are designed with robust incident response and recovery mechanisms. This includes automated backups, disaster recovery plans, and failover systems that ensure minimal downtime and data loss in the event of a security breach or failure. Contrast with Converted Applications Retrofitted Security: When an on-premise application is converted to a cloud-based model, its security features are often retrofitted. This means that the original application may not have been designed with cloud-specific security threats in mind, leading to potential vulnerabilities. Adding security features after the fact can be complex and may not fully integrate with the application’s existing architecture. Legacy Vulnerabilities: Converted applications may carry over vulnerabilities from their on-premise versions. These vulnerabilities can be more challenging to address in a cloud environment, where the application is exposed to different kinds of threats. For example, an on-premise application might have relied on perimeter security (e.g., firewalls) that doesn’t translate well to the cloud, where the security model is more distributed. Compliance Gaps: Applications that were not originally designed for the cloud may struggle to meet modern compliance requirements. Retrofitting compliance features can be difficult and might require significant re-engineering, leading to delays and increased costs. Additionally, ensuring ongoing compliance might be more challenging in a cloud environment if the application was not designed with these requirements in mind. Limited Monitoring and Detection: On-premise applications that have been moved to the cloud may not have the same level of monitoring and threat detection as cloud-native SaaS applications. Implementing continuous monitoring, automated threat detection, and response systems can be more difficult and may not integrate as seamlessly with the converted application. Increased Attack Surface: When an on-premise application is moved to the cloud, its attack surface can increase due to the broader accessibility of cloud environments. Without cloud-native security measures in place, the application may be more susceptible to attacks, such as data breaches, unauthorized access, or DDoS attacks. In summary, a native SaaS application built from the beginning with cloud security in mind is designed to protect data, ensure compliance, and adapt to evolving threats. This proactive approach results in a more secure, resilient, and compliant solution compared to applications that have been converted from on-premise systems, where security might need to be retrofitted, leading to potential vulnerabilities and challenges. Nymbl is committed to elevating its security standards by pursuing HITRUST certification, with the goal of achieving this significant milestone within the next two years. HITRUST is recognized as one of the most stringent security frameworks, ensuring that organizations meet the highest levels of information protection. Achieving HITRUST certification places Nymbl in the company of industry leaders like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Epic Systems, all of whom have earned this prestigious certification. This initiative underscores our dedication to safeguarding our clients’ data and maintaining the trust they place in us. For more information about Nymbl’s powerful approach to keeping your practice and your patients’ data secure, visit www.nymblsystems.com or schedule a call with one of our Nymbl experts today.
From the Beginning: SaaS applications are inherently built to scale dynamically with user demand, leveraging cloud resources efficiently. When a software application is built as a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution from the beginning, scalability is a core consideration in its design. Scalability in this context refers to the ability of the software to handle an increasing number of users, data, or transactions without compromising performance or requiring extensive manual intervention. Key Points to Know: Dynamic Scaling: SaaS applications designed for the cloud are built to scale dynamically, meaning they can automatically adjust their resource usage based on current demand. For example, if user activity spikes, the application can automatically allocate more servers or processing power to handle the increased load. This is often achieved through cloud-native features like auto-scaling groups, which automatically adjust the number of active servers (or instances) depending on the current workload. Horizontal vs. Vertical Scaling: In cloud architecture, scalability is often achieved horizontally rather than vertically. Horizontal Scaling (Scale-Out): This involves adding more instances of the application (such as more servers) to distribute the load. SaaS applications are typically designed to support horizontal scaling easily, allowing them to handle many simultaneous users by simply adding more instances as needed. Vertical Scaling (Scale-Up): This involves increasing the resources (like CPU or memory) of an existing server. While this is also possible, horizontal scaling is generally more efficient in cloud environments and is a core strength of SaaS applications. Load Balancing: SaaS applications built with cloud-native principles use load balancers to distribute incoming traffic evenly across multiple servers or instances. This ensures that no single server becomes a bottleneck, and it helps maintain high performance and reliability even as the user base grows. Elasticity: Elasticity is a specific form of scalability where the application can quickly expand or contract its resource usage based on real-time demand. SaaS applications are designed to be elastic, meaning they can scale up to handle peak loads (like during a sale or an event) and scale down during quieter periods to save costs. This elasticity is crucial in optimizing cloud resource usage and costs. Multi-Tenancy: Many SaaS applications are built with a multi-tenant architecture, where a single instance of the software serves multiple customers (tenants). This architecture is inherently scalable because it allows the provider to serve many customers efficiently with shared resources, while still isolating data and configurations for each customer. Contrast with On-Premise Applications Converted to the Cloud Legacy Architecture: Applications that were originally built for on-premise environments typically rely on vertical scaling, where increasing capacity involves adding more resources (like CPU or RAM) to a single server. This approach has limitations and can quickly become expensive or impractical as demand grows. Limited Scalability: When these on-premise applications are converted to the cloud, they often struggle with scalability because their architecture wasn’t designed for the distributed nature of cloud environments. For instance, they may not easily support horizontal scaling, making it difficult to add more instances to handle increased load without significant re-engineering. Manual Scaling: Converted applications might require manual intervention to scale. For example, adding more servers or resources might involve manual configuration changes, which can be time-consuming, error-prone, and less responsive to sudden changes in demand. Performance Bottlenecks: Due to the limitations in how they scale, converted applications may experience performance bottlenecks when demand increases. This can lead to slower response times, downtime, or even system crashes during peak usage periods. Resource Inefficiency: Because these applications weren’t designed with cloud resource efficiency in mind, they may use more resources than necessary, leading to higher operational costs and lower overall efficiency. In summary, SaaS applications designed from the outset for the cloud are inherently scalable, allowing them to grow and contract dynamically with user demand. This scalability is seamlessly integrated into their architecture, enabling them to handle large numbers of users or transactions without sacrificing performance. In contrast, applications converted from on-premise setups often face challenges in achieving the same level of scalability, as their original architecture may not be well-suited to the flexible, distributed nature of the cloud.
Native SaaS Software vs. Converted On-Premise Software This is a multi-part blog series on the important differences between software applications that were designed as SaaS solutions from inception vs. on-premise applications that are converted to SaaS. What Every O&P Practice Should Know Building software applications as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based solutions from inception offers several advantages over those that have been converted from an on-premise application to a cloud-based model. Welcome to Nymbl Systems’ multi-part series of educational blogs that are designed to help O&P practices understand the important differences between its practice management solution and other solutions that are available in the market. As other vendors attempt to convert their antiquated solutions into SaaS-based applications, it is important for practice leaders to understand the potential flaws and gaps in this approach. And because there are so many, we’ve chosen the top 10 topics to explore in separate posts over the next six days. Everything from system architecture, scalability, and security to productivity and user experiences will be covered. We hope you will join us on this six-day journey. If you aren’t sure about what SaaS-based software vs. cloud-based, you may want to check out one of our recent blogs on this topic first. Let’s start with the most fundamental difference: The Architecture When a software application is built as a SaaS solution from the very beginning, its entire architecture is intentionally designed to take full advantage of cloud environments. This means that every component of the software—from data storage and processing to networking and security—is specifically engineered to work efficiently within a cloud infrastructure. Key Things to Know: Cloud-Native Design : A SaaS application is built with a cloud-native mindset, meaning it leverages cloud services, tools, and best practices right from the start. For example, the application might use distributed databases, microservices, and containerization, which are all tailored for the cloud. Performance Optimization : The architecture is crafted to handle the demands of cloud computing, such as managing large volumes of simultaneous users, ensuring low latency, and providing high availability. By being cloud-native, the application can dynamically allocate resources based on demand, ensuring consistent performance even during peak usage times. Scalability : A SaaS application designed for the cloud can scale horizontally with ease. This means that as more users or data are added, the system can simply add more instances or services to handle the load without significant reconfiguration. In the fast-paced world of SaaS, technology evolves so rapidly that even systems designed with future scalability in mind just five years ago may now seem outdated. Autoscaling, once a cutting-edge approach, has become a necessity to handle today’s growing demands, especially with the advent of AI. As AI applications generate and process massive amounts of data, the ability to automatically adjust resources in real-time is crucial for maintaining efficiency and performance. Staying ahead requires constant adaptation, leveraging the latest technologies to ensure that systems are not just scalable but also optimized for the challenges of tomorrow. Reliability : Cloud-native SaaS solutions are typically built with redundancy and fault tolerance in mind. This means that the system is designed to continue operating smoothly even if some components fail. For example, data might be replicated across multiple geographic locations to prevent loss during an outage, and services can be automatically rerouted to avoid downtime. Contrast with Converted Applications Legacy Constraints : On the other hand, applications that were originally built for on-premise environments often come with legacy constraints. These applications might rely on a monolithic architecture, where all components are tightly coupled and interdependent. This can make it challenging to adapt the application to a cloud environment, where flexibility, modularity, and distributed computing are key. Performance Bottlenecks : Because converted applications were not originally designed for the cloud, they may encounter performance bottlenecks. For instance, a system that was built to run on a single server might struggle to perform well when distributed across multiple cloud servers, leading to inefficiencies. Resource Utilization : In a cloud environment, efficient resource utilization is critical. SaaS applications built from the beginning with cloud in mind are designed to optimize how they use computational power, storage, and networking. In contrast, converted applications might be less efficient because they weren’t originally designed to scale or operate in the dynamic environment of the cloud. In summary, when an application is designed as a SaaS solution from the start, its architecture is optimized for the unique demands and opportunities of cloud computing, leading to better performance, easier scalability, and greater reliability compared to applications that were later adapted from an on-premise setup. To see Nymbl for yourself, schedule a call with one of our Nymbl experts. .
In the rapidly evolving world of software solutions, the term "SaaS" (Software as a Service) is often thrown around, sometimes without a full understanding of what it truly means. As more software vendors attempt to transition to cloud-based models, it's crucial for O&P practitioners to differentiate between genuine or native SaaS solutions and hosted software that is simply marketed as SaaS. Unfortunately, some companies are muddying the waters by promoting their hosted solutions as SaaS, leading to widespread confusion. This blog aims to clarify what SaaS really is and why it’s more than just a monthly subscription fee. Understanding SaaS: A True Cloud-Native Solution Let’s start by defining what SaaS truly means. SaaS is a software delivery model where applications are hosted in the cloud and provided to users over the internet. Users access the software via a web browser, and all the underlying infrastructure, including servers, databases, and networking, is managed by the SaaS provider. Here are the core characteristics of true SaaS solutions: Cloud-Native Architecture: SaaS applications are built specifically for the cloud environment from the ground up. This means they are designed to leverage cloud infrastructure, enabling seamless scalability, high availability, and robust security. Multi-Tenancy: A key feature of SaaS is multi-tenancy, where a single instance of the software serves multiple customers (tenants). Each tenant’s data is securely isolated, but they all share the same underlying infrastructure. This approach maximizes efficiency and allows the provider to deliver updates and enhancements to all customers simultaneously. Automatic Updates: SaaS solutions are continuously updated by the provider, with new features, bug fixes, and security patches rolled out seamlessly without any action required from the user. This ensures that customers are always using the latest version of the software without the need for manual installations or upgrades. Subscription-Based Pricing: While SaaS is often associated with a monthly or annual subscription fee, this pricing model is just one aspect of the overall SaaS experience. The subscription fee typically covers everything: software access, maintenance, security, and support. Elastic Scalability: SaaS applications are designed to scale dynamically with user demand. This means that whether you have 10 users or 10,000, the application can handle the load without compromising performance. The Misconception: SaaS Equals Monthly Subscription One of the biggest misconceptions in the O&P industry—and indeed across many industries—is that SaaS simply means paying a monthly fee to access software. This misunderstanding is often perpetuated by companies offering hosted solutions, which are fundamentally different from true SaaS, yet are marketed under the same banner. Hosted solutions are essentially on-premise software that has been lifted and shifted to a cloud server. While these applications might be accessed over the internet and paid for on a subscription basis, they lack the core benefits of a genuine SaaS model. Hosted Solutions: A Different Model Here’s what you need to know about hosted solutions and how they differ from SaaS: Legacy Architecture: Hosted solutions are often built on legacy architectures that were originally designed for on-premise deployment. These applications are then moved to a cloud server, but they retain many of the limitations and complexities of their original design. Single-Tenancy: Unlike SaaS, hosted solutions typically operate on a single-tenant model, where each customer has their own dedicated instance of the software. This approach can lead to higher costs, as resources are not shared, and it often requires more complex maintenance. Manual Updates: Updates in a hosted solution often need to be manually applied to each customer’s instance. This can result in delays, inconsistencies, and higher operational overhead. In contrast, SaaS providers can push updates automatically to all users at once. Limited Scalability: Hosted solutions might struggle with scalability. Because they weren’t originally designed to operate in a cloud environment, scaling up to meet increased demand can be challenging and may require significant re-engineering. Maintenance and Support: In a hosted environment, maintenance tasks such as backups, patching, and monitoring are often the responsibility of the customer or require additional services from the provider. SaaS, on the other hand, includes these services as part of the subscription. Cloud-Based vs. Web-Based vs. SaaS: Clearing the Confusion Another area of confusion arises when people use the terms “cloud-based,” “web-based,” and “SaaS” interchangeably. While these terms are related, they are not synonymous. Cloud-Based: This refers to any software, data storage, or service that is hosted in the cloud rather than on-premise. Both SaaS and hosted solutions can be cloud-based, but being cloud-based doesn’t automatically make a solution SaaS. Web-Based: Web-based software is accessed via a web browser. It could be a SaaS application, a hosted solution, or even an on-premise system with web access. The term simply refers to how the software is delivered to the user, not how it is architected or maintained. SaaS: As we’ve discussed, SaaS is a specific type of cloud-based software that is designed from the ground up to operate in a multi-tenant, scalable, and secure cloud environment. It goes beyond simply being hosted on the cloud or accessed through a browser. Why It Matters: The Real Value of SaaS Understanding these distinctions is crucial for making informed decisions about software investments. In the O&P industry, where accurate data, compliance, and seamless workflows are critical, choosing a true SaaS solution can offer significant advantages: Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): With SaaS, there are no hidden costs for hardware, maintenance, or updates. Everything is included in the subscription fee, providing a predictable and lower TCO compared to hosted or on-premise solutions. Better Security and Compliance: SaaS providers are responsible for maintaining the security and compliance of their software. They invest in advanced security measures, regular audits, and compliance certifications, ensuring that your data is protected and meets industry standards. Continuous Innovation: SaaS providers are constantly innovating, delivering new features and enhancements without disruption. This means your software evolves with your business, keeping you competitive in a rapidly changing market. Scalability and Flexibility: Whether you’re expanding your practice or adjusting to new regulatory requirements, SaaS solutions can scale with you, providing the flexibility you need to adapt without the headache of managing infrastructure. SaaS Is More Than Just a Subscription At Nymbl, we were “born SaaS,” which means our solutions take full advantage of all of capabilities mentioned in this post. We are firm believers in the value that this model brings to our company and to our customers, giving us the freedom to rapidly embrace modern technology innovations while maintaining the most scalable and secure environment for our customers. If you are interested in learning more about the advantages that Nymbl’s true SaaS-based solution brings to your practice, reach out and let us know .
