Electronic Health Reporter

As technology continues to develop, it becomes necessary to upgrade your equipment or select new software to help run your practice or clinic more efficiently. Periodic updates are often helpful, but they might come with a few challenges. For instance, how can you know which software or equipment are best for your office? Are there new tools you should bring into your clinic, knowing that you’ll have to train your employees in their use and foot a higher bill?

Deciding when and what to upgrade can be tricky for even experienced administrators. Let’s break down what you should do to make smart choices when selecting medial tech and equipment and their vendors.

Determine what your practice needs

First, it’s a great idea to do a full inventory of your practice or clinic. Figure out what you want, what your goals are, and what frustrations your staff and patients are currently experiencing.

Is your patient scheduling software simply too slow and clunky for comfort? In that case, maybe upgrading that software or buying different software entirely is a good idea. Alternatively, maybe your practice will benefit from redoing your computer systems or upgrading the terminals throughout your rooms. Figure out what you need before purchasing anything so that every dollar you spend provides the most value.

Don’t skip your due diligence

You’ll also want to perform due diligence regarding software and equipment vendors. It’s an excellent idea to research a vendor or company’s history, past clients, and reputation to figure out if they’ll be a good match for your service. Check if a given vendor is a secure vendor, given that vendors are the weak link for healthcare security in many cases.

Don’t have the time to do an investigation yourself? Hiring a firm to do domestic investigations might be an alternative solution. These companies can dive deep into vendors or potential business partners and tell you if they’re hiding anything before you make a deal.

Don’t rush a purchase

There’s no reason to buy the first software or equipment that catches your eye. Take your time and do lots of research. Build a relationship with a client or vendor before making a long-term commitment.

Selecting technology and equipment vendors can have long-term implications for your practice. Plus, you’ll need to see if a given vendor has a good implementation timeline for your needs. Some offices and practices take longer to integrate new technologies – double check to see if a vendor is willing to work with you regarding scheduling before signing on the dotted line.

Make a choice and stick with it for a while

Lastly, once you make a decision, stick with it. New technology and equipment can take a little bit to become a real part of your office or healthcare organization, especially once you consider training and acclimation for your employees.

It’s disastrous to switch vendors and equipment right after integration. If software or technology doesn’t seem like it’s working out initially, give it some time. In many cases, new technologies just need to settle in to your practice before becoming another functioning part of your office.