Foji — Implementation Playbook (DSO)

Executive Summary

Foji is a revenue-cycle automation platform that intelligently routes patient payments, optimizes denial management, and accelerates accounts receivable collection through AI-driven workflows integrated directly into practice management systems. For Dental Service Organizations (DSOs), Foji unlocks consolidated visibility across multi-location networks while standardizing revenue processes that typically vary across independent practices.

DSOs benefit uniquely because they operate at the intersection of centralized oversight and distributed operations—Foji bridges this gap by creating uniform revenue standards across locations without requiring practices to abandon existing workflows. Early DSO implementations show 18–24% improvement in days sales outstanding (DSO) and 12–16% uplift in net collection rates within 90 days.

Expected Timeline to Full Deployment: 16 weeks (2 weeks pre-implementation + 4-week pilot + 10-week scaled rollout).

Pre-Implementation Checklist (Weeks 1–2)

Technical Requirements

• Practice Management System Compatibility: Confirm all practice locations run supported PM systems (Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Curve, or Dolphin). Document version numbers and custom integrations.
• Network Infrastructure: Verify bandwidth capacity at each location; Foji requires minimum 5 Mbps upstream for real-time payment reconciliation.
• Single Sign-On (SSO): Confirm your DSO's identity provider (Okta, Azure AD, or Google Workspace) supports SAML 2.0; enable this before go-live to reduce onboarding friction.
• Data Integration Testing: Execute a 48-hour sandbox sync with your PM system's API using anonymized test data; confirm patient demographics, insurance eligibility, and account balances transmit with <2-minute latency.

Stakeholder Alignment

• Executive Sponsor Identification: Designate a DSO-level executive (typically Chief Financial Officer or VP of Operations) as executive sponsor; they own go-live decisions and escalation authority.
• Cross-Functional Steering Committee: Assemble representatives from:
  • Revenue cycle leadership (billing managers from 2–3 practices)
  • Clinical operations (practice managers)
  • IT/Systems team
  • Patient communication/front desk
  • Finance/accounting
• Kickoff Meeting: Present timeline, roles, expected disruption (minimal if done correctly), and success metrics; address concerns about job displacement directly—Foji augments staff, not replaces.
• Pilot Location Buy-In: Secure commitment from 1–2 practice leaders who will champion the tool and dedicate staff to training; avoid locations experiencing staffing turnover or major operational stress.

Baseline Metrics to Capture

Establish a 30-day snapshot before Foji launch:

Document these in a shared DSO scorecard; they become your 30/60/90 comparison point.

Pilot Wave (Weeks 3–6)

Location Selection Criteria

Choose one primary pilot location (max two) based on:

1. Revenue Volume: Select a mid-to-large practice ($15k–$30k monthly collections) large enough to generate meaningful data but not mission-critical if issues arise.
2. Staff Readiness: Prioritize locations with engaged front-desk and billing staff; interview the team to gauge openness to new tools.
3. PM System Standardization: Avoid locations with custom modifications or legacy integrations that may complicate API connectivity.
4. Leadership Support: Practice manager should actively participate in configuration and training; schedule weekly check-ins.
5. Network Connectivity: Ensure stable, high-speed internet and redundant backup (4G failover).

Configuration and Setup

Week 3: System Onboarding

• Conduct Foji environment setup call with your dedicated implementation specialist.
• Map your DSO's patient communication preferences (email, SMS, patient portal link); configure templates for common scenarios (payment reminders, insurance follow-ups, balance notifications).
• Set business rules for payment routing:
  • Example: Insurance payments → auto-apply to claim; patient payments → intelligent matching to oldest outstanding balance (by date of service, not claim).
  • Example: Payments under $50 → flag for review; payments over $5,000 → escalate to manager.
• Configure denial workflows: route denials by reason code (e.g., "missing pre-auth" → auto-generate request; "timely filing" → escalate to clinical leadership).

Week 4: Data Migration & Testing

• Execute full sync with practice PM system; validate 100% of active patient accounts, open claims, and aged A/R load correctly.
• Run parallel testing: process 50 real transactions (patient payments, insurance EOBs) through Foji and your existing workflow; compare outcomes for accuracy.
• Test integrations with downstream systems (accounting software, patient communication platforms).

Week 5: Staff Training

• Role-Based Training Modules:
  • Front Desk: Payment entry, patient communication prompts (30 min, hands-on).
  • Billing Staff: Denial management, claim follow-up workflows, reporting (2 hours, scenario-based).
  • Practice Manager: Dashboard interpretation, team performance analytics, escalation protocols (1.5 hours).
  • DSO Leadership: Multi-location reporting, benchmarking, compliance oversight (1 hour).
• Delivery Method: Live Zoom sessions with 8–10 participants; record for asynchronous access; follow with self-paced modules in Foji's learning management system.
• Success Criteria: Staff completes quizzes with ≥80% accuracy; practice manager signs off on readiness.

Week 6: Soft Launch & Monitoring

• Deploy Foji in read-only mode first; staff see recommendations but continue existing workflows, allowing them to validate AI accuracy without operational risk.
• Run side-by-side for 3–5 business days; compare Foji's recommendations against staff decisions.
• If accuracy exceeds 95%, activate full automation for payment posting and denial routing.
• Daily check-in calls with practice manager; monitor error logs and patient payment receipt confirmations.

Scaled Rollout (Weeks 7–16)

Wave Planning

Wave 2 (Weeks 7–10): Deploy to 3–4 additional practices. Use lessons learned from Pilot to refine configuration templates; reduce implementation time per location to 2 weeks.

Wave 3 (Weeks 11–14): Roll out to remaining locations in cohorts of 4–6; stagger launches by 2–3 days to prevent IT support bottleneck.

Wave 4 (Weeks 15–16): Full DSO deployment; enable cross-location dashboards and centralized reporting; decommission legacy denial management processes.

Change Management

• Weekly All-Hands Updates: 15-minute DSO-wide call highlighting early wins ("Practice A reduced DSO by 3 days in Week 5"), answering FAQs, and addressing concerns.
• Peer Champions Program: Identify an early adopter (billing staff member) at each location to mentor peers; offer small incentives (gift cards, professional development credits).
• Resistance Mitigation: Proactively address fears:
  • "Will the AI make mistakes?" → Show pilot-phase side-by-side accuracy data.
  • "Will I lose my job?" → Clearly communicate that staff will handle higher-value tasks (complex denials, patient outreach) while Foji automates routine posting.
  • "How do I use this?" → Provide step-by-step guides, video walkthroughs, and a dedicated Slack channel for questions.

Support Infrastructure

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