Consumers are spoiled for choice today—but not necessarily for quality. There’s never been more options for products and services, but it’s hard to tell which ones are worth buying with the proliferation of phony online reviews and testimonials. And that’s without trying to parse the marketing-speak that makes every product sound like the greatest thing since sliced bread—even the ones that are more like the ends of the loaf.
So how can you tell which reviews are genuine, and which products are actually good? And how can the discerning rehab therapists find the best solution when choosing the right rehab therapy software for their practice? Here’s some guidance to help you in your buyer’s journey.
How can I find the right rehab therapy software?
Choosing the right rehab therapy software is a big decision, and one that you can’t afford to get wrong. It takes a lot of work to get everything up and running—particularly if you’re switching from another software. So how can you be sure you’re making the right decision from the start? Doing your due diligence on the options available—and not compromising on what you need to keep your clinic running efficiently—is key.
1. Take a look at trusted third-party review sites.
Every business is going to bill itself as the best—including yours, most likely. Which is fine; talking yourself up is a part of marketing, and chances are your competitors are doing the same thing. What’s important to remember is that there’s truth to how you’re selling yourself—and you should expect your rehab therapy software to have that same substance behind their sales pitch.
You shouldn’t take website copy as gospel. Instead, you can get to the truth by looking at review sites to see what real people are saying about a product. Third-party review sites like TrustRadius, Software Advice, and Capterra go the extra mile to attempt to verify users’ identities and ensure that every review posted is genuine. That means you can be certain that the reviews you’re reading—good and bad—are from real customers, and not the fabricated or paid-for praise you might see elsewhere.
2. Do some research into the product—and the people.
Of course, there’s no substitute for first-hand knowledge. When you’re looking at software options, you want to do a bit of digging on your own to get a feel for each product. It’s important to remember the “why” behind your decision to switch software in evaluating alternatives. What are the pain points and shortcomings that you’re looking to address? What goals and objectives you want to meet? Your ideal software should very clearly outline how they address each one of those points on their website and in their marketing. And they should be able to show you those solutions in action, with resources like demo videos or, better yet, demos offered by actual experts who can answer your questions in real time.
When it comes to a rehab therapy software, it’s also worth asking if the people involved are passionate about both the product and the industry. Are there rehab therapists involved in developing the product to make sure it’s suited to users’ needs? Are they committed to advocacy and thought leadership? Chances are, if you’ve got people on the inside who’ve made rehab therapy their life’s work, they’re going to work tirelessly to ensure their software is.
3. Have a list of required features.
Functionality is where rubber meets the road. You know what you need from your rehab therapy software—now you just need to find the product that offers most, if not all, of what you want. While your list of needs might vary based upon your practice and specialty, there are a few things that you shouldn’t compromise on.
Security
Security is important for just about every software, but it’s especially critical for healthcare providers, who need to stay compliant with HIPAA in addition to all the other cybersecurity concerns that exist in 2023. You want a software that makes security a top priority, investing significant resources to achieve not only be HIPAA-compliant, but also ISO 27001 certification.
Support
Making the switch to a new software comes with a few hiccups, and even after it’s set up, questions can pop up and issues might arise. Your software purchase has to be paired with top-notch support that helps make the onboarding process as smooth as possible and gets you set up for success. And it shouldn’t stop there; your software provider should be ready to answer any concerns or solve any problems you have with your EMR as soon as they happen. They should also provide additional training and educational materials to help your staff take the next step and become experts at navigating the software after they’ve mastered the basics.
Customization
Every clinic (and every patient) is different, and you need an EMR that can flex to fit around those needs. The best software for your practice is one that allows you to create advanced profiles for different types of patients, as well as customized templates for objectives based upon diagnoses to collect the information you need, and none that you don’t.
You also need software that’s going to grow alongside you—which means adding more providers, more specialties, and more locations as needed. And for the sake of cost-effectiveness, look for software that allows you to pay per user license, rather than patient chart.
Automation
You and your staff already have enough on your plate—so you want solutions that ease your burden, rather than creating more work. Your software should automate processes like scheduling, billing, and appointment reminders so that your front office staff can spend more time on providing your patients with exceptional service—and on the rest of the work that goes with keeping your practice running smoothly.
Integration
Managing all of the different software solutions your practice uses takes a lot of work. That’s why you want an EMR that integrates with your other software and makes your staff’s job a little bit easier. Otherwise, they’ll have to record information in multiple programs, or switch between screens to find what you’re looking for—which is a waste of time, and a headache you can do without.
Analytics
In order to run your practice efficiently and profitably, you need to be able to track how you’re performing across every aspect of your business. You need analytics that track patient volumes, payment rates, and cancellations and no-shows, as well as conversion rates from your marketing campaigns—which means you need software that’s giving you the reporting tools that allow you to make data-driven decisions about your business.
Don’t let effusive marketing language and some (possibly fake) positive reviews be the deciding factor in what software in choosing the right rehab therapy software. Dig into the details to find a quality product made by experts who know the industry—and know what rehab therapists need in their physical therapy software to be able to provide exceptional care.
