Healthcare Practice Management Software

As a healthcare provider, providing quality care is at the very heart of what you do. But when you run your own practice you need to wear many hats - from calendar management and record-keeping to clinical notes and telehealth consultations. Having a solid practice management system is key to delivering a continually good service.

According to a recent report by Software Advice, only 40 per cent of practices use medical software, 24 per cent use manual methods only and 16 per cent have no system in place whatsoever. 

Small healthcare practices can often keep afloat using manual, paper-based systems, but those that use software have significant advantages over those that use other methods - or none at all. 

Source: Software Advice 

What is practice management software?

Practice management software helps health professionals run their practice more efficiently and can significantly improve the workflow across the whole business. It can be used by private practices, health centres and community care facilities and larger care organisations. Practice management software gives you the tools to manage all of the tasks that come with running a clinic in one place. It also works as an integrated hub for important information such as client contact details, medical notes and billing history so that there’s no need to scramble around dusty filing cabinets to pull records.

Some of the most popular practice management systems in Australia include:

• SimplePractice
• CareCloud, Eclipse
• E-practice
• Cliniko
• Vcita
• Adracare
• NextGen
• Healthcare
• TheraNest
• athenaOne
• NueMD

According to the report, the top reasons practices purchase software is when they open a new practice, to go paperless and improve their organisation and streamlining their billing process for better customer experience.

Source: Software Advice 

What are the benefits of practice management software?

Practice management software gives you the tools to better coordinate your team and processes by automating tasks, improving your workflow and increasing the efficiency across various operations. Streamlining your workflow in a busy practice has a direct impact on your ability to provide better patient care.

Other benefits include:

• Save time
• Save costs
• Centralised and integrated recordkeeping
• Better client experience
• Grow your practice

How does practice management software work?

With so many practice management solutions on the market today it can be hard to know what to look for. Here are the top product features for small health clinics:

• Billing: Software keeps billing simple with automated updates and notifications from Medicare and clients’ health insurance providers.
• Digital health records: Electronic health records are more secure than traditional recordkeeping and they also make it fast and easy to find and share information with authorised professionals.
• Clinical notes: Keep all historic clinical records safe and access with ease.
• Patient correspondence: Track all correspondence with patients and associated health professionals.
• Test result notifications: Get automated test results.
• Calendar management: Schedule appointments and manage patient booking more efficiently.
• Automatic reminders: Send automatic reminders to clients to minimise no-shows and maintain your fixed appointment schedule.
• Telehealth: Arrange telehealth consultations and set up treatment plans and progress notes in a client portal.

How do I choose practice management software?

Here are some key considerations to choose the right practice management software:

• Which tasks take up most of your time?
• Do you need every feature listed in a product?
• Is it scalable in case your practice expands?
• Does it integrate with other software?
• Will you need any training?
• Does the provider offer good customer support?
• What is your budget?

How much does practice management software cost?

Healthcare practices usually purchase practice management software on a monthly subscription basis. Monthly subscriptions are tiered and may be more expensive depending on the number of users you want and any add-on features. Some providers may offer you a freemium or trial plan to do a test drive and see whether it works well for your practice.

Take advantage of these offers to improve efficiency and provide a high-quality service to your clients. With reliable reviews and recommendations, you can shop safely for the best offers for your business.