3 min readChoosing software
Questions to ask before choosing practice software
A short guide to checking how your week would run, the real monthly cost, how information is handled and what happens to your existing records.
A long feature list does not tell you whether a system suits your practice. A useful demonstration starts with an ordinary job you recognise and the information you need to make a decision.
Follow one appointment all the way through
Ask to see an appointment entered, a reminder previewed, a note written, an invoice prepared and a payment recorded. Use fictional details. Check what is saved and what is sent at each stage.
Look at both sides of the process: the work you do and the information a client receives. Familiar UK dates, appointment times and currency help, but the details matter too. Check how recurring appointments behave when the clocks change and where a client’s reply goes.
Make a monthly cost example
Describe a normal month: your number of appointments, reminder messages and any video sessions. Ask which features are included, which have usage allowances and what happens when an allowance runs out.
Ask about payment-processing charges, additional phone numbers, setup help and any VAT that applies. A text message count may differ from its billable units because of its length and characters. Get the total for the way you intend to work, rather than relying on the headline plan price.
Ask specific data-handling questions
“UK-first” is not the same as saying every part of a service processes data only in the UK. Read the privacy information and ask about the features you intend to use.
- Where are the main account and client records stored?
- Where are files, recordings and video sessions handled?
- Which providers deliver messages, or help with optional features such as note drafting?
- How can you manage access, obtain records and ask a privacy question?
Agree the start and the exit
Find out what can be imported from your current system. Contacts, clinical notes, attachments, appointment history and financial records are separate categories. Ask for the supported scope and checks before assuming that everything will move together.
Ask what help is available, its hours and cost, and how you would export information if you later leave. Keep a list of open questions. A clear answer about a limitation is more useful than a promise you cannot check.