5 things to consider when choosing practice management software

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Let’s face it: Choosing practice management software is a daunting task. There are many choices and at the end of the process, you’re greeted by a software installation with plenty of question marks.

Choosing the right software doesn’t have to be difficult, though. By closely considering just five things, you can find answers to your questions and get excited about your new practice management software.

Where to start?

These five factors can be useful in helping you evaluate a new system to maximize your practice’s success, whether your practice has a single location or operates over multiple offices.

Functionality

Your goal as a dentist is to provide the best possible patient experience. The functionality of your practice management solution is vitally important to helping you do so. Think about what you want, and where you have room for improvement, while weighing your software options. Keep in mind that you’ll want a solution that matches your future plans for your practice.

Consider:

• Clinical workflow

• Ease of scheduling

• Billing and accounting features

• Cloud-based vs. server-based

Integrations

Consider all the varied technologies you use in your practice to determine which you’d like to integrate with your new practice management software. For many dental teams, this includes important clinical and business functions like digital imaging and marketing tools. Ensuring that your practice management software integrates fully with your digital imaging equipment, for instance, can mean a great deal to practice efficiency. Consider:

• Digital imaging

• Patient communication and marketing

• How information is shared between systems

Reporting

Most dentists didn’t pursue their careers with the intention of focusing on reports. Fortunately, the right practice management solution can help you provide excellent patient care while making savvy business decisions with robust reports that give you an  in-depth look at what’s happening in your practice in just moments. If you have multiple locations, you’ll want to give special consideration to cross-location reporting ability. Consider:

• Variety of reports

• Usable data - ability to sort and filter within reports

• Actionable insights

User experience

The user experience ties together all the other factors of a software by ensuring that your team understands how to use it. Your practice management system will be even more effective if your team members are able to learn and master it quickly and with little oversight. Think about how each team member will use the software and you will have an even better idea of which software is right for your practice. Consider:

• How and where each team member will use the software

• Convenience of using the software

• Ease of use and mastery

Support

A new practice management system is a major adjustment for the entire team. Partnering with a practice management system provider that supports you every step of the way makes it easier. Identify which support options are most important to your practice and choose a software solution that you can trust will accommodate your needs. Consider:

• Reputation and track record of software provider

• All-staff access to support resources

• Training methods

• Transition support

Turn your apprehension into excitement by doing your research ahead of time. You’ll find the solution that fits you best, and you’ll be confident that the company you’re purchasing from will be there to help you make the most of it.