Moving toward a chiropractic practice management system

Chiropractic offices have a variety of different practice management vendors to choose from, but you should choose a vendor who is experienced with chiropractic care.

Your practice deserves software that understands your needs and how your office serves patients. By choosing chiropractic-specific practice management software, you can help your business stay on-track.

Software customized to your specialty is adapted to the typical workflows and needs your practice regularly encounters. You want to be sure your vendor understands how your office will use practice management software and what functions your employees expect from it.¹ ²

Pre-programmed functions

Unfortunately, generic software may not have the right information that chiropractors need. Because chiropractic appointments are different from standard medical appointments, you need to choose a system that is ready with the correct terminology and processes. Without this feature, you may be spending more of your time customizing and entering information. ¹ ²

Vendor knowledge and experience

Your vendor plays a key role during implementation and helps with ongoing support. If your vendor lacks experience working with chiropractic offices, you may struggle to get the help and advice you really need. While having prior experience is certainly not a guarantee of future performance, it does show that your vendor is probably somewhat familiar with chiropractic care.

They may have references to share and may already understand some of the successes, problems and challenges that may decide to show up during the implementation phase. ¹

When shopping for vendors, do ask companies you are considering about their experience with helping chiropractic clinics. If possible, ask for the contact information of a clinic who successfully implemented that vendor’s product and is willing to recommend it. Having candid conversations with these references may be eye-opening and can provide additional ideas you could use as you shop and make your decision.

Skip unnecessary features

Another reason to choose chiropractic-specific software is the opportunity to skip features and information you never use. Chiropractic offices are unlikely to need all-in-one practice management and EHR that includes e-prescribe features, for instance. Likewise, a smaller practice may not need software that is optimized for large offices with multiple providers. Because you probably will not need it, there is no reason to pay for it, either.

Software that is not customized to chiropractors’ needs may include a lot of other things chiropractic offices have little use for. The costs of these included features are likely hidden in the total price you pay, whether your system is software-as-a-service (SaaS) or purchased and installed in your office. You may be paying more for innovative or complex features that chiropractic care does not need but allopathic physicians regularly use.

Ask prospective vendors about any hidden or bonus features. If a product includes a lot of extras, figure out if they are really necessary and if the software’s more costly because of this added functionality.

Chiropractic-specific software and vendors

Basically, you need to ask plenty of questions and carefully vet the vendors and software you are considering. Your investment in a new system is too important. You may save your clinic considerable waste and stress by finding practice management software that understands your needs and appropriately solves your problems.

As you interview vendors, find out how much they know about the unique challenges of running a chiropractic office. Ask for references, testimonials, or stories of successful implementation experiences. Tell them what your needs are and ask them to explain how their product is unique.

Doing your own research ensures that your questions are answered upfront before you begin investing time and money on your software.

 

References

1. Medical Mastermind, “How do I choose the right EHR for my chiropractic practice?” Medical Mastermind blog. https://medicalmastermind.com/blog/how-do-i-choose-the-right-ehr-for-my-chiropractic-practice/. Published: August 2014. Accessed: June 2017.
2. Uzialko, A. “How to Choose Medical Practice Management Software.” Business News Daily. http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8787-choosing-medical-software.html. Published: February 2017. Accessed: June 2017.