3 Questions Every Hospital Owner Must Ask Before Buying Practice Management Software

More Healthcare Administration Articles

3 Questions Every Hospital Owner Must Ask Before Buying Practice Management Software

Buying hospital management software should not feel like a trap. But for most practice owners, it does.

You sit through the demo. The dashboard appears to be clean. Your sales rep assures you that this sales practice management software can save you 10 hours a week. You sign. Next month, three comes round. You have line items in your invoice that you are not familiar with. The paper is still in use at your front desk, even though the electronic one is too slow.

1. What Will This Practice Management Software Actually Cost You?

The price on the website is just the door fee.

Inside, it’s time to pay the bills. Patient reminders? Extra. The patient portal? A separate module. Data migration? Another line item. A PM software vendor tells you that the price of their software is $300 per month. At that point, you realize that SMS reminders come in at an additional $80 per month, the portal at $50, and reporting is $75, and your onboarding was only free for the initial 10 users. Now, with your real bill, you will pay $600 for each month. The majority of practices are getting a better price than the quoted price, between 40–60% higher.

It is no coincidence. It’s a business model, catch you with the cheap hook and then sell you by the piece. Organizations that have implemented hospital management software across a wide range of healthcare facilities have identified common implementation challenges that often emerge during the first 90 days.

2. Can You Get Your Hospital Management System Data Out?

You own your patient records. But some vendors make it painfully expensive to leave.

They secure your files in a manner that can be read by their system only. They have very large exit fees. You will have a better system 2 years from now. You request your patient information from your existing clinic software company. You request patient information from your current clinic software company. They email you all these PDF files that aren’t arranged in any order. They offer to pay $5,000 for “exporting and sanitizing. This is referred to as Data Lock-In. It’s the most costly shock you never receive any warning about.

For certain vendors, images and lab results are stored in separate silos. So if you request your data, you will only receive the patient list and not any attachments.

3. Will Your Team Actually Use This Hospital Management Software?

A shiny feature is useless if your front desk ignores it.

Far too many practices purchase costly clinic software but then discover their staff is taking notes on the paper versions or exporting their data to a spreadsheet, as the inherent reporting function is too cumbersome. Imagine a Monday morning. People are waiting in the waiting room. So you should be getting automatic appointment reminders from your new practice management software. However, three patients didn’t attend, as the reminder message was sent to spam, and it’s unclear how to see the delivery logs. There are only phone calls at your front desk. The “smart” report you were promised requires 12 clicks and even then fails to display the numbers you need, so your billing staff rummages around in Excel.

Make the Right Choice

The practice management software should also expand without pitfalls, whether you currently have a single clinic or are looking to expand into a complete hospital information management system. There is no right system that goes about covering up costs, locking up your data, or overlooking your staff. When the three questions below are asked, you will find the answer. Demand clear answers. Be sure to receive the full price in writing. Ensure you have the data export provision in writing. Have an adoption plan written. It’s important to your budget and your patients.

When evaluating a hospital information management system, look for transparent pricing, accessible data exports, and features that your staff will actually use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do practices switch hospital software vendors?

The majority of users switch after being hit by hidden charges or locked data. They signed for a low price and found a bunch of modules, exit fees, and workarounds that their staff did not care for. The right platform gives you all the costs up front, and you’ll get your data for free any time.

Can a small clinic afford the same software that big hospitals use?

Cloud platforms have expanded to cater to any size. Do not pay for a hospital system that you don’t need, and don’t outgrow your clinic management software when you grow. Search for pricing that is appropriate for your current volume and functionality that grows with the addition of locations.

How fast can you get your data out if you are unhappy?

With the right vendor, it’s down and running in one click, in a standard open format… for free. A vendor who doesn’t have an answer to this is preparing to add a fee later. Before committing, always test the export process.

Will staff actually use the new practice management software?

Out-of-use software is a form of costly decoration. Real adoption occurs in training weeks 4-12, not in the first training session. Be sure to find an affiliate that keeps track of usage by department and resolves friction post go-live.

How long does implementation really take?

It takes 6-12 weeks for most mid-size practices, with data cleaning and actual training. Anyone saying 2–4 weeks is talking about the demo, NOT the migration. Request the longest experience that a similar client has had as the client.

What should I ask during the software demo?

Avoid having the vendor conduct the demonstration. Take 3 real jobs from the real week: Schedule a patient for an exam on a certain insurance, run a monthly revenue report, and review a returning patient’s history. The nice dashboard is useless if the vendor can’t actually do your real work in real time.