The paperless office may not yet be a reality, but business management software can help to make your practice more efficient, and may just spell the end of the road for that dog eared diary. Automation is one of the key benefits of installing a dedicated software package - so instead of you filling out prescriptions or trying to work out when you can squeeze in another client - the clever little program does it all (well, most of it) for you! In smaller practices this means more time with clients, with larger businesses able to significantly reduce the time spent on shuffling paper. Practitioner software can help you expedite a range of time-dependant tasks and transform your client relations, offering:
- Enhanced time management
- Automated tasks
- Increased productivity
- More time with patients; and
- Professional client relations
Software to Suit
Selecting a software package will ultimately be determined by your needs, based on the size of your business. Basic packages will comfortably handle multiple customer bookings, send automated text appointment reminders and give you the ability to customise mail outs to patients on your customer database. More complex versions can manage patient records, take care of stock management, print intelligent labels and even offer diagnostic tools with symptom management as part of their feature set. Other small touches, which can make all the difference, include automated birthday alerts to ensure you make clients feel extra special on their big day!
Online Ease
Automated reminders have many benefits. They've been shown to reduce no-shows and last minute cancellations, which is very important to any practice's profitability. Having the system on-line, as opposed to installed on your computer network, also means there is no complicated software to install and maintain – and the system can be managed via the mobile internet too.
Consider the following features when researching the right software solution for your practice:
- Appointment management – ensure clients are not double booked, reschedule conveniently and generate automated text reminders
- Patient records - easily accessible searchable patient database with records of appointments, prescriptions and billing info
- Stock control – efficient stock management with automated low stock warnings
- Symptom management - match the ideal prescription to the patient’s symptom group
- Health appraisal – a database that gives you access to an extensive directory of treatments, diets and supplements
So, consider ditching the diary for practitioner software to help your business become more productive. To view products see practitioner software.
Originally published on Jul 01, 2010
