Pounce on your purrfect software

When you're on the prowl for software solutions, it's easy to be distracted by information overload. I know, because I've been there. My wife and I just finished picking the practice management software for her new veterinary practice. This process—along with my 10 years as a computer professional spent troubleshooting projects from the planning stages through testing phases to, ultimately, releases—helped me to develop a foolproof plan of attack for choosing software. Here's everything you need to know—and ask—when shopping for your own practice management system.

Stake out your needs

It doesn't matter if you're already the biggest game in town or looking to become it; the right practice management software can help you organize and run your practice in the most optimal way possible. But what's right for you? To find out, write down all of the features and capabilities you'd like to have. Use your business model when creating the list to make sure the software will support your needs. For instance, if you offer different levels of boarding and daycare, will the software let you customize your scheduling and invoicing accordingly? Be sure to ask others involved in your practice, such as accountants, laboratory technicians, and front desk staff, for their input regarding software compatibility. Then sort your requirements into two columns: a must-have list and a nice-to-have list.

For each column, rank your requirements in priority order. For example, when creating our must-have list, my wife and I said our most important requirement was that the software store its data in a database. Then we said it must allow for concurrent editing of a client's record. Other column-toppers were an impeccable company reputation and compatibility with our existing machines.

Round up a posse

The software evaluation process will most likely take weeks or months, depending on how many systems you consider. It will also require some knowledge of advanced computer concepts, such as networking, databases, and data security, so if you're not technically savvy or don't have time to size up each system, ask someone knowledgeable to assist you. But remain closely involved in all decisions. Any choice you make about practice management software will have significant financial considerations, such as short- and long-term costs, additional licensing, and equipment choices. For example, if the system is compatible only with the company's own line of laboratory machines, or requires expensive software add-ons to become compatible with other companies' machines, you'll have no choice and may have to pay top dollar.

Stalk prospective vendors

Your relationship with a software company doesn't end with your purchase. You'll have further contact with the vendor when system updates and add-ons are released, and when you run into problems—which are inevitable with every technology and product. Make sure these future interactions are pleasant by paying special attention now to the companies' reputations for customer service and technical support. Look at news articles. Give company representatives a call. Your first interaction indicates how helpful a company will be if it gets your business. As you talk to representatives, keep track of their eagerness to work with you, their response time in getting back to you, their product and industry knowledge, and their ability to answer your questions. Also look into the companies' finances. If a business seems financially unstable or is in a state of transition, consider going with another vendor.

Close in on your options

With your must-have and nice-to-have lists in hand, start the search with your top prospects. As you assess each software system, check whether your important features are part of the main application or are available as add-ons. Hint: You can potentially lower your initial investment if you can delay the purchase of add-ons. If a system doesn't meet the highest priority of your must-have list, move on. Using a must-have list considerably narrows down your solutions. Out of the 10 possible systems I started with for my wife's practice, only four featured database storage. Out of those four, only three allowed concurrent editing of a client's record. As one of those systems belonged to a company with a poor history of customer service, we had two options to choose from. And only one of those was compatible with our line of laboratory machines.

Once you've identified some software packages that match the majority of your requirements, you're ready to start investigating. For a list of questions, click here.

Ready, set, pounce

Don't make a purchasing decision until you've tested the product yourself. First, ask for a demonstration so that you can do a detailed comparison of the systems you're contemplating. In some cases, you can see the system in use at a nearby practice. Take advantage of these opportunities. They provide you with valuable, from-the-trenches information about how the software works in real time. Be cautious about online-only demonstrations and companies that offer to send a laptop computer with a demonstration version installed. Vendors can conceal difficult installation and configuration procedures this way. To ensure the product fully meets your needs, ask for a trial copy to install yourself at your practice. When you experience the system firsthand, you gain a better understanding about the installation and configuration processes and overall usability. Plus, you might come up with more questions as a result.

Evaluate software systems carefully. Don't be distracted by bells and whistles. Focus on core functionality—what the product does and what it's intended to do. No matter what your exact needs are, you'll want a system that's robust and reliable, user-friendly, scalable to accommodate a practice with growing or changing needs, and secure to protect your sensitive client data. It should also provide redundancy options so you can back up client data and should possess an integrated maintenance program that you can schedule at your own convenience. Remember, practice management software is a big investment of time and money that you'll be living with for at least several years. So take your time, stalk and observe your prey, and when the moment's right—pounce! ?

Mark Ransom is a software security analyst in Massachusetts. He and his wife, Dr. Katherine Ransom, own Wachusett Animal Hospital, which opens in spring 2010. Send comments to ve@advanstar.com