Nowadays it is necessary for a medical practice to get Practice Management solutions in order to stay competitive and operate more effectively. A Practice Management Software helps to deal with the daily workflows of medical practice. The software helps to manage tasks like appointment scheduling, billing, and other administrative work.
Medical Practice management software automates patient scheduling and billing procedures to improve productivity and efficiency by going paperless. Advanced practice management software may also process claims and generate reports that provide comprehensive data.
A Practice Management Software has robust features of E-prescribing (e-Rx), financial management, internal messaging, inventory management and a built-in lab information system (LIS).
Standalone Practice Management software or PMS and EHR?
There are two options available for the buyer either he/she can purchase a standalone PM Software solution or can go with an Electronic Health Records Software which also has Practice Management solutions. There are many standalone vendor options available like Kareo and CureMD. Many software vendors also sell an integrated PMS and EHR software solution. For Example;
Which type or option is the best?
If a provider is currently dissatisfied with the existing EHR or hasn’t adopted an Electronic Health Records (EHR) software solution then implementing an integrated solution makes more sense as this will eliminate any gaps in functionality and interfacing issues. It is also advised that the buyer makes sure that the features of the EHR and PM software do not duplicate.
A Practice Management software solution can be cloud-based or on-premise
There are both cloud-based software vendor options and on-premise Practice Management software solutions available in the market. It depends on the user’s need, requirement and preference whether to go for a cloud-based or an on-premise solution. A cloud-based PM solution offers greater stability and continual updates. However, it turns out expensive in the long run. On-premise systems are generally easier to modify and is seen as a much safer and secure option. In the end, it depends upon the needs of the medical practice, if they want flexibility and easy accessibility they would be more inclined towards a cloud-based solution. For Example;
athenahealth EHR Software
Greenway Health PrimeSUITE EHR Software
Conclusion
The best Practice Management Software solution will offer complete features to automate financial and appointment scheduling procedures. It is also necessary that the medical PM Software provides document management and support for imaging with PACS or a RIS interface.
