So, you’re starting your own alternative medical practice, and have probably been seeking advice from a variety of sources. Your research most likely led you to this article, and that’s a good thing. Here we will provide you with some considerations for building a practice in today’s age of technology, and can hopefully save you from putting a lot of time, effort and money into systems and processes that will need to be converted a little further up the road. And, it is just a �little’ further up the road, as the reasons for the use of technology in today’s medical practice are moving away from the voluntary and towards the mandatory. It makes sense, then to start where you know you will have to eventually end up.
Because you are starting up a new practice, you most likely have recently completed a business plan, and that plan probably lays out nicely the functions of your proposed practice. Pull out your business plan and take a look at those functional areas. Think about which of them can be implemented through technology rather than a paper-driven system. Make a list of the functions for which there exists computerized programs that will drive each of them. Your list may end up looking something like this:
� Electronic Medical Records
� Electronic Medical Billing Software
� Medical Scheduling Software
� Calendaring Software
� Medical Office Management Software
� HIPAA Compliance Software
� Invoicing Software
� Dispensary Inventory Software
Once you have your list compiled, you can begin the process of researching the different products on the market. After you have looked at several, you will have an idea of the cost of getting started and can set a realistic budget for yourself. Look at products that offer all or most of the functions you need in one package. Purchasing them together offers several key benefits: (1) you will only have one vendor to deal with; (2) they will be more likely to work in concert with one another; (3) it will save you money over purchasing several programs from different vendors.
When comparing different products against one another, there are some key points to keep in mind. While it is important to review the products themselves, you will also want to closely review the product vendors and select one that is run by individuals who truly know your business and offer a level and method of customer service and technical support that will not leave you high and dry after you’ve made a purchase of their product.
Starting your practice with the benefit of technology � with the best medical billing software, the most intuitive electronic medical records interface, and the quickest and most efficient medical scheduling software � will definitely increase your chances of building an efficient alternative medical practice. A medical practice that will allow you to do what you really want to do, and that is to provide quality patient care!
