Issue 10 - August 2003

Team tips by Susan Hoy
Buying practice management software?
Think long term

In my “first life” as a computer sales and training associate, I learned a lot about computer hardware and software and how it could make office life easier.

In my “second life” as an office manager for a chiropractic clinic, I had practical, hands-on use of both hardware and software.

And now, in my “third life” as a consultant, I am able to join together insights about office technology from my other two “lives” and share them with you.

One thing I can tell you: Perfect technology does not exist. What pleases one person frustrates another. With that in mind, here are some things to consider as you make your purchases:

• Hardware. Saving money is important, but “buying cheap” will cost you more in the end. Buy quality hardware that meets or exceeds the recommended requirements of the software manufacturer.

Speed (measured today in GHz) is crucial. Buy a fast processor and make sure you have plenty of internal memory and a big hard drive.

• Software. Irecently saw an ad for software that read, “Only a rich doctor can afford cheap software!” Changing software is never easy. Aside from technical problems, you may face downtime and lost data. Choose software that will grow with you, even if you don’t need all of the “bells and whistles” presently. Ask about the frequency (and cost) of updates.

Ask for references from the vendor — and check those references. Some good reference-checking questions are, “On a scale of 1 – 10 (10 being perfect), how would you rate this software? What would make it a 10?” “What do you like most about the software? What do you like least? Why?”

• Installation. Another way to waste money is to choose a vendor strictly on the basis of price! Select a vendor who has been around for some time and has a good reputation for service with other chiropractors, if that is possible.

Some advice: Don’t trade services with a patient who professes to know a lot about computers! This could cost you in down time and money, and if the “deal” goes sour, you may also lose a patient.

Your best bet: Hire a technician certified in the installation of the software you have chosen. That way you won’t be lost in the no-help zone, where the hardware dealer tells you it’s a software problem and the software dealer tells you it’s a hardware problem. The no-help zone is a very lonely and costly place to be!

• Support. One of the most important criteria in purchasing software is the quality of the support you will receive.

Questions to ask: Which days of the week and hours of the day is support available? What is the response time? Get the answers — and get them in writing.

You will need substantial software support for a while, so purchase the support package and don’t be shy about using it!

• Training. Concerning the training issue, two things to avoid are inadequate training resources and too much front-loaded training.

Training on software must be an ongoing process in order to avoid information overload and should include basic usage as well as advanced-features usage. The vendor should also be able to provide training for newcomers to your staff, preferably on-site.

My recommendation: Buy a training package if it is offered. You’ll get your investment back by reducing the learning curve required to master the software.

Additional considerations
Once you have bought your hardware and software, assign one staff person to be the hardware/software manager. That person should be responsible for getting help for systems problems and performing data backups, training and support. The hardware/software manager should also log support questions and answers as well as response times from the software-support vendor.

New users are notorious for under-utilizing software. Don’t be afraid to try out the different menus and print out sample reports. Tinkering is a good way to discover the capabilities of the software. Your software may be able to do much more than you realize.

Keep a wish list! Your software may be able to do everything you want. But, you may find that it could be improved “just a bit.” Software developers are always looking for suggestions on how to make their software better. So, don’t be afraid to tell them what you want.

If you have chosen a program that can grow with your practice, then by all means start growing. In this particular case, more is more. Don’t be the victim of cheap, poorly written, and poorly supported software. Do your homework!

For help with your selection, Chiropractic Economics has put together a software roundup that highlights features and benefits of the most popular practice management software. You’ll find the roundup on here.

Susan Hoy is an award-winning team trainer and consultant. She can be reached at 215-674-0130; suzzhoy@aol.com; or through her Web site at www.beefitupnet.