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Criteria for Selection

By Dr. Gary L. Bode MSA, CPA, LLC

Both research and experience reveals an often confusing, complicated world of claims, features, and upgrades, a wide array of technical architectures, and an even wider array of pricing structures when it comes to choosing Physician [Customer] Relations Management [PRM] software.

For me – as a medical practice management consultant – critical criteria for selection includes the following features.

Scalability:

In a young medical practice, a scalable marketing program and PRM infrastructure should be flexible enough to accommodate specialty trends effortlessly and seamlessly without crushing your marketing infrastructure or its’ people, patients or processes. A scalable PRM infrastructure should allow a new channel, a new patient segment, a medical product or service-line seamlessly and with minimum incremental effort or cost.

Interoperability:

You may need an authoring tool today to develop your collateral data, and so select a simple MSFT Word® program. Later, you may want to conduct campaigns to re-introduce your practice or gauge satisfaction among current patients through an online survey. The software you build or purchase for individual activities should be able to co-exist and talk to each other. The software you purchase does not have to be monolithic, but it needs to be modular and work together incrementally.

For example, your e-mail campaign software, CPOESs [computerized physician order entry systems] and e-prescribing functions should work with your authoring tools and eMR.

In today’s complex and fast paced evolution of PRM products, newer technologies need to co-exist with older legacy technologies, and futuristic eMR systems; so interoperability is one of the critical criteria for PRM technology selection.

Ease of Use:

As a young medical practice, pulled in different directions, it is important to have a PRM solution that is easy to use and does not necessitate extensive user training.

Cost structure:

Remember, all PRM software comes with obvious costs as well as hidden costs. Ask the right questions and find out the hidden costs for systems implementation, integration and user training.

Assessment

• www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com
• Physicians Buying Securities On Margin

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OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:

• PRACTICES: www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com
• HOSPITALS: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781466558731
• CLINICS: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439879900
• ADVISORS: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org
• FINANCE: Financial Planning for Physicians and Advisors
• INSURANCE: Risk Management and Insurance Strategies for Physicians and Advisors
• Dictionary of Health Economics and Finance
• Dictionary of Health Information Technology and Security
• Dictionary of Health Insurance and Managed Care

Filed under: Experts Invited, Information Technology | Tagged: CPOE, CRM, customer relations management, EHRs, EMRs, Gary Bode, patient relations management, PRM |