Practice management Software

Re: Practice management Software

John Flynn — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 14:39:41 GMT

Stability and speed.

Number of button presses required to put through a simple consult (prefarably one-handed) [one installation of Rx works in a practice I worked in required 13 button presses and the system was slow also! Often I could hear a client the otherside of the consulting room door saying to receptionist "Oh, it's OK, I'll come back to pay later" as I tried to hammer it through as fast as humanly possible...]

An avoidance of the necessity of using a mouse.

Effectively, if I have 10min consult slots, then I want less than 5-10% of that time to involve computer-work

The ability to search for a patient file based on a) anything (e.g. the term "amputation" used in the clinical notes) and b) multiple terms/restrictions (e.g. the term amputat$ for any cat over the age of 1 year old since 2005).

Simple to use once familiar with system (I don't really care whether takes quite a while to get used to or not as don't use locums and keep the same staff).

Re: Practice management Software

Ian Mostyn — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 13:01:03 GMT

Stability, stability, stability. I want a PMS that doesn't crash regularly (to be fair, Teleos is very stable), is simple to use the basic functions but that we can drill down data analysis without having a PhD in sql. Not bothered about the cloud, in fact I prefer a non-cloud offering that I can control. Good built-in back up systems (automated off-site using fibre broadband), simple hardware requirements, ideally a stable debian / redhat or derivative server rather than a buggy & expensive Microsoft server.

Vet-XML integration is a must in a new system, ability to link to a PACS server, ideally link into a VOIP phone system like Asterisk but I am getting greedy now. Email, SMS integration is nice but I don't use SMS functionality at the moment. Staff intranet for news / CPD courses etc. Ability to scan documents straight into clinical records.

Basically, it has to be stable and simple to use for 95% of users. The partners / practice manager will want more data but most of the time we just want it work keep records and print labels.

Ian

Re: Practice management Software

Sarah Cochrane — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 12:03:59 GMT

I'm going to apologise profusely in advance for this in case it's inappropriate for the forum, but i have a sort of request for help on this subject. I'm an ex vet, now working in I.T. We're actually developing a new PMS, that tries to address many of the criticisms of existing systems - so things like being able to get data out in a meaningful way, making it easy to have different systems talk to one another and being able to run practice-level analytics. We're building in the cloud, so can be accessed anywhere.

On the nerd front, we've just been through a start-up accelerator called Techstars, so we have investment to get this right. My question to the floor is what does "right" look like? What does the perfect system do that existing systems don't? Is the cloud really a selling point? What are the things that make you, as vets, nurses and practice managers want to launch your computer through a window (just PMS related - I can't fix Microsoft, sorry!)

In case it helps, this is us: http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/29/vetcloud-hopes-to-unlock-the-dormant-data-in-veterinary-clinics-around-the-world/ and that's me pulling that rather pained expression...

Again, apologies for the post - i'm trying not to advertise/spam while at the same time give context for why I'm asking!

Re: Practice management Software

Rachel Brown — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:37:19 GMT

Sorry to hijack the thread but have any Irish Vets any experience with Vetscope or RxWorks in mixed practice? I don't think there are any others in the Irish market. The one we currently use is great but possibly no longer supported. Wondering about usability, support and of course price. Thanks Rachel

Re: Practice management Software

Andy Elliott — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:15:51 GMT

How long have you had vet-one installed and how is it going so far?

Re: Practice management Software

Bob Russell — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 10:35:56 GMT

Some of the EzVetPro people are lacking in conventional sense of humour! I genuinely don't think they mean to be rude (perhaps a little OCD?). I quite understand how this impression comes across though!

I would like to see them offer a 'cloud' system which I expect would be just as rock solid as their present system. All the standard systems are going to struggle if they cannot go down this route IMO.

If you want a solid system that will never fail I would still consider EzVetPro. The only issues we have had have been hardware problems. Not once has the software failed us!

Re: Practice management Software

alphavet — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 22:31:42 GMT

EzVetPro was ok, but clunky and too inflexible for my needs. I terminated my contract early because the "support" guys were unhelpful, patronising, rude and chauvinistic. Switched to vet-one (the cloud systems are great!) They were able to transfer everything fairly smoothly and could tailor the system to my requirements. All for less money :)

Re: Practice management Software

Bob Russell — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 10:48:17 GMT

We have Ezvetpro. Inexpensive to introduce, rock solid if unexciting. Fairly expensive for support, especially as it is very rarely needed but everyone needs to make a living.

Good, safe if rather boring.

I have used a lot of PMS and have no intention of changing from this.

I would like it to evolve a bit, perhaps to allow us to get aways from Dell black boxes but these are still under warranty so I would not change yet.

I suspect I should be using the reports much more but nobody has explained that part of running a business clearly to me but that is my fault not theirs!

Re: Practice management Software

Alan Tevendale — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 10:38:16 GMT

I've always been a Verifac fan and currently using Evolution - their latest software. Reps are always very impressed with the data that I can pull off the system for them for analysis. Obviously it does all the usual stuff you would expect.

Re: Practice management Software

Anthony Todd — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 09:03:48 GMT

PMSs are like wives. The one you've got you try to keep 'cos changing them is a real pain and costs a fortune.

You learn to love those irritating foibles......

We used Clientrax for years, and didn't upgrade to new versions thus avoiding doing the developers alpha beta gamma and delta development and bug-fixes!

Also avoids the bloody learning curve when they move things around the screen for no reason except that they can!!

Cheap bulletproof and the second most popular program in the US as far as I know.

No expensive and constrictive ties to the software providers either, so you can do all the changes in prices etc. for free.

We only used a fraction of it's capabilities [like most programs on computers!]

Re: Practice management Software

Mark Rowland — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 23:57:02 GMT

just switched to vetIT. cloud based. brilliant!

Re: Practice management Software

John Flynn — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 23:34:49 GMT

I'd score EzVetPro highest out of those suggested - I actually rather liked this software (to my surprise!)

Teleos is fine but fails to excite me.

I passionately dislike RxWorks (but like most things it's the set-up in the clinic rather than the software that may be to blame...)

If starting from scratch, I'd be very tempted to investigate one of the more basic offerings or open-source projects, though I have no direct experience of any of these:

http://www.openvpms.org/demonstration

http://netvet.biz/

http://www.newfreedownloads.com/find/veterinary-management.html

http://www.capterra.com/veterinary-software/all? lists some free software also I think

In general I'm a fan of opensource projects - on a site like this I'm sure there must be some users - any reviews?

Re: Practice management Software

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 22:38:48 GMT

We use Teleos.

Overall happy. Windows based so very easy and instinctive to use. We own the tech and just pay for software and support. Support good and very quick to sort problems. Very easy to customise and change text in forms etc.

The problem is getting the info back out. Can be rather challenging and requires you to write your own little rules. Teleos support good and will make them for you.

Quite happy with it. 8/10

Re: Practice management Software

Mark Hedberg — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 21:07:12 GMT

I used RxWorks in Saudi, worked a treat. Premvet in UK - stable but has since been replaced by RoboVet (which I haven't used.)