Getting the Most Out of Medical Software

• By Daniel J. Cho, Emily Morgan
• Sep 01, 2005

Businesses in every industry have faced the same question at one point or another: Has my management software outlived its usefulness? It is, after all, one of the most frustrating concepts a company could face. Considering the investments involved in your software decision — time, resources and money — it should be expected that your medical management software evolve as your company does.

Many businesses fall into the trap of letting their software run them instead of them running their software. What may sound like double-talk is actually a symptom of complacency. Companies have simply become so accustomed to the way things are done that they ignore how things ought to be.

Just because you have established a good routine with the medical software that you have had for years doesn't mean you can't change your workflow processes. Software, by its very nature, can be adapted to match your requirements. And, more significantly, there are numerous features that you may not have realized were at your disposal.

So how do you go about finding these "hidden" features? Sure, user manuals, customer support lines and online vendor knowledge bases are good places to start looking. But how will you know what to look for if you don't know what functions the software should be able to perform?

Projecting Needs

It is critical for businesses to stay ahead of operational trends. Therefore, the most important question to ask is, "Does my software get the job done?" Though this may seem to be an obvious question, it's usually the obvious choices that get ignored.

The best way to answer this question is to create an information technology (IT) strategic plan that encompasses the current and future needs of your organization. Start by reviewing your organization's procedures as to what works best and to identify inefficiencies.

Unfortunately, there is no broad-based question set that can provide all the answers you need to create an IT strategic plan. After all, every company is operated differently. The following, however, are some examples of diagnoses that should be performed in order to maximize your software investment:

• How are the company's remote-access needs being handled for multiple locations or employees working outside of the office?
• Is there a lack of communication or coordination between various departments that seems to continuously arise?
• Is the company losing its focus or missing new opportunities as a result of maintaining the status quo?
• Are procedural tracking mechanisms in place? If so, what are they?
• How are you stopping errors before they happen?

Once your company's projected needs have been documented, it becomes easier to adapt your system to meet your company's current and future demands.

Meeting Demands

Software vendors refer to their upgrades as product enhancements for a reason. Upgrades are made in order to address some kind of issue or to provide an easier way to help run a business. But if companies don't read the accompanying documentation, how will they know what has been changed, added or improved?

This is the point where the IT strategic plan comes into play. There are many different kinds of product upgrades, including office procedural enhancements and those brought on by regulatory changes. The strategic plan helps categorize each of your needs in order to pinpoint the product feature that can address your requirements.

In addition to organizing a company's requirements, the plan can also be used as a blueprint toward future expansion. New opportunities lead to new ways of doing things. While it still may be possible to accomplish goals following the status quo, it rarely makes sense to pigeonhole the company just to fit a potentially outdated model.

Oftentimes, these new requirements can be met through custom programming. Rather than replacing the software, companies can contact the vendor to create enhancements specifically designed to address the new goals. This option is often less costly and can tie in with some of the features that had previously gone unnoticed.

Software Advancements

Among the most useful software enhancements are those related to system integration. At one time multiple applications were required to handle billing, inventory, patient management and A/R. Now medical software provides all-inclusive management systems, combining clinical and financial applications into one incorporated solution.

Information systems have taken on a more global perspective. Good clinical processes have been shown to lead to better financial results, and in turn move the health-care industry toward a greater degree of standardization. Many systems now incorporate A/R management functionality into the core design. And while accounts payable may be left out of some software systems, communication with external applications such as Peachtree or Quickbooks can be accomplished using the standardized HL7 interfaces.

Furthermore, recent advancements have been made to improve how software handles office workflow. Features focusing on simplifying tasks, automating operations and minimizing errors have helped increase office efficiency, while saving time and improving bottom-line cash flow.

Keeping Up

Software is ever-changing, and it is your company's responsibility to stay apprised of the latest enhancements. Ignoring product release notices or updated user manuals can cause companies to forgo several opportunities to advance their corporate goals or improve their business processes.

Some IT tasks simply must be performed. It's the manner in which they are handled that makes all the difference. Many vendors offer support contracts that include product upgrades, and as demonstrated above, the software enhancements can go a long way.

This article originally appeared in the September 2005 issue of HME Business.