Things I look for myself when evaluating new software
(make a copy to edit and make your own)
Walk through each and every available setting to learn what is possible and trial setting up a test practice/patient
use a dummy email to create a new patient and walk through what things look like from both physician and patient side
These are not recommendations for everyone, just a run through of what I personally look for to best fit my particular needs
My must haves (can and should very for everyone):
General:
Transparent pricing on website (not after a “demo”)
BAA for HIPAA compliance
Ability to open new patient chart as new tab
*if you are told "it is on our roadmap", do not expect to have this feature in anytime soon
Scheduling:
2-way Google calendar sync
Patient online self scheduling
Automatic and customized form sending by appt type
Ability to allow certain appt types on certain days
Schedule landing page > embedded website scheduler
Patient email and ideally SMS reminders (ability to customize these)
Patients able to cancel or reschedule themselves via portal or app
Forms/questionnaires:
Easily build/edit your own (I.e. google forms, survey monkey) (They “do it for you” = run the other way)
Capturer signature for consents
Some form of data mapping for form data = note template
Ability to choose which forms which with appt type to auto send
Rich text editor for ability to hyperlink within a form so patients can easily click on links if needed.
Note Templates:
Easily create/edit templates
Map patient generated form data
Repeat prior data (and ideally along with new form data)
Ideally manage meds, labs, supplements, coding in encounter
Easily share a portion of your note to the patient portal (instructions)
Billing:
Stripe integration for me (I am ok with managing on stripe dashboard)
Way for patient to update credit card on file
Ability to share a “super bill” for visits
Option to charge or collect CC when patients schedule
Tele:
Ideally Zoom integration (with your own account) so you can utilize one static link to your waiting room.
Screen share + white boarding
Tele link easily available on their portal/app and email/sms reminders (if editable, can hyperlink your own zoom waiting room link)
Patient Portal:
Patient able to:
Self schedule/reschedule/cancel
Message (threaded ideally)
See shared sections of notes (visit summaries/instructions)
Update their CC on file directly
Easily complete forms/consents/questionnaires
Be notified of new items or things to complete
Launch Tele from scheduled appts
Mobile responsive (easy to navigate from mobile browser without horizontal scrolling or having to zoom in /out
Patient dedicated app ideally
Push notifications
Ability to do the same things as above
Nice to haves:
Zoom integration for tele
Stripe integration for billing
EPCS (otherwise I still use RCOPIA externally)
Fullscript/Wellevevate integration for supplement refs
Lab integration (otherwise still use external ordering)
Patient app with push notifications and facial ID login
Ability to run calculations on form data (I.e. sum to calculate rating scale scores and then be able to map to chart/note template)
Rich text editing in as many sections as possible to make things standout better and for easy Hyperlinking
Things I personally don’t care about:
a. Company selected user reviews/shills
B. Having to schedule a demo to actually see the product
C. “Psychiatry specific” - Well designed software that focuses on customization and workflow trumps any given “specialty specific” one size fits all approach
D. Generic descriptions of features without any video or at least screen shot to back this up.
E. Personally, if I see any large institution or hospital system listed or their logo affiliated with the product I can assume that this product is not for me and I will be ripped off and my time wasted looking any further
F. Anything about “they will create your forms for you” and not you as the user being in control. Much more time and $ efficient when you can be in control of such things. No one knows better what you are looking for than yourself.
When actively trialing:
A. Go immediately to the “settings” section and walk through each and every one of them as if you were setting up a practice to learn what is possible and how features may work.
B. Use a dummy email to set yourself up as a patient and walk through things from the patient perspective.
how do emails received look
What can you do on the patient portal
How do forms/consents/messaging/scheduling look (will have to set some of these up first)
C. Once your “dummy patient” schedules and completes given forms/questionnaires/etc, how do they look on the practice side.
D. How would you:
Search for and find a new patient (do they open “in line” or “in a new tab”?)
Start an encounter
Utilize the form data in your note template
Order medications/labs/etc if doing so in the EHR and not separately
Clean up your screens to remove items that are not of use to you