| Medical software programs abound within the | | | | cost is one of the benefits - an electronic medical |
| healthcare profession and their various functions | | | | records package can start at $100 per month or, |
| and features can be confusing and complex to | | | | as an alternative, a pay per use paradigm |
| the unfamiliar. The chief aim of medical software | | | | beginning at $5 per patient. There are no other |
| programs is to ensure the efficient operation of a | | | | expenses at the outset other than what is |
| health care center and mechanize workflow. In | | | | already probably in existence - a PC with a |
| order to make intelligent decisions about the right | | | | standard web browser and a high speed |
| software to improve your practice, leading to | | | | connection. The great thing about these systems |
| enhanced patient care, it is necessary to have a | | | | is that you can hook up to them from anywhere |
| general understanding of its various uses and | | | | - whether at home, a clinic, a hospital,or anywhere |
| applications. There are hundreds of companies | | | | else where there is internet access. One risk with |
| competing for physicians dollars, offering clinical as | | | | a web based service is that if the vendor ceases |
| well as cash flow solutions. This article will focus | | | | to operate, there may be considerabe delay in |
| on the differences between web based versus | | | | accessing patient information. |
| local medical software programs and important | | | | It is wise to assume that there is no one perfect |
| information to consider for small practices. The | | | | medical software program for the small practice. |
| purpose is to assist health care practitioners to | | | | A number of factors need to be taken into |
| make the right choices for their operation. | | | | consideration which can only be answered through |
| Medical software programs serve a variety of | | | | careful evalution. Your practice, your personal |
| functions including organizing patient information, | | | | style, your budget, your purpose, and you your |
| tracking patient's accounts, diagnosing symptoms, | | | | level of risk tolerance are some of the |
| billing and insurance claims. There are two | | | | considerations, once thoroughly evaluated, will lead |
| methods of operating these system, local or web | | | | to an optimal decision . The features the software |
| based. Local medical software systems are either | | | | provides must be useful to you in the context |
| located on your PC or more often, a dedicated | | | | that it is used. For example there is no point in |
| server in your office. The other choice is to use a | | | | having a particular decision support tool for |
| web based system. BOth have their pros and | | | | diagnostics if it is not relevant to your practice. |
| cons. | | | | When choosing a program for a small practice, it |
| The cost of local medical software programs | | | | is always wise to remember - simple is better. |
| vary greatly depending on their function. For | | | | Something that is easy to use for office staff |
| example electronic medical records systems | | | | without unnecessary and extraneous features will |
| range from $2000 to $20,000 for a small | | | | always perform best for the practitioner and their |
| practice, in addition to the PC itself along with | | | | staff. |
| maintenance contracts which can be up to 30% | | | | Thousands of practices ranging from small sole |
| of the purchase price per year. The major | | | | paractices to large multi- care health care centers |
| advantage of these systems are your increased | | | | use medical software programs to manage their |
| ability to have control. There are no worries about | | | | billing, clinical and administrative functions. choosing |
| the connection being down. Faster response time | | | | the right medical software programs will require |
| can be accomplished with more advanced PCs. | | | | diligent research using available resources such as |
| consultants or the vendor can be utilizes to add | | | | The Healthcare Informatics Resource Guide, |
| customized features. It is noteworthy that running | | | | Health Information Management and Systems |
| locally, using available resources, does not exclude | | | | Review and Medical Software Reviews. This |
| the accessibility of the internet to gather valuable | | | | combined with a careful assessment of your |
| information. There is no doublt that these | | | | pracices needs and budget will bring you to the |
| systems have their drawbacks in terms of start | | | | ideal solution within your context. Above all, the |
| up cost and advantages in how you can | | | | desire to remain current in the ever changing |
| manipulate their usability. | | | | medical profession will be an absolute requirement |
| The other choice, web based systems also have | | | | and serve you well in all areas of the profession. |
| their relative upside and drawbacks. Low start up | | | | |