The Best Guide to Comparing Practice Management Software

How does Nookal compare to other practice management software?

You have a lot of options when it comes to clinic software, so it’s important to do your research and make the best choice for your business.

Sometimes that choice is Nookal, sometimes it’s not – and that’s ok, we’d rather you to have the perfect match.

We’re here to give you as much information as we can, so you can compare us with any other practice management system out there.

Our Comparison Guide to Nookal

Here’s our easy step-by-step guide to compare Nookal with other allied health clinic software.

First – Check your Sources

Above all else, remember that not all comparisons are created equal.

In the same way that this guide is written by us with our interests in mind, the same goes for information provided by other clinic management software.

We’ve tried to keep our comparison guide as unbiased and objective as possible for you.

Make sure your information is coming directly from the source, otherwise it could be subjective, outdated or skewed and one-sided.

Researching and Comparing Practice Management Software

Second – Do your own Research

As much as we’d like to give you the instant way to compare us with others, it’s just not that simple.

Your business needs are unique.

And there is only person who knows what those needs are… and that person is you.

But, keep reading – and we’ll do our best to guide you along the way to find your perfect match.

…like peaches and cream.

Third – Don’t be Afraid…

On this journey, we want you to level-up your knowledge and skills (if you haven’t already) and become more skilled in:

Topics like Encryption

Ok, so we know those topics can seem like they’re for the geeks… but you only need to understand the concepts so you can ask the important questions.

Spreadsheets and Tables

We know spreadsheets aren’t everyone’s favourite… but we promise that you will not regret making a table to compare your clinic software options.

❤️ Spreadsheet love takes time – but it will happen.

To be cloud-based or server-based?

That is the question. There are pros and cons either way.

The main ones are usually (to name a few):

Cloud-based software is normally accessible from anywhere in the world, on the majority of internet-connected devices. But it’s subject to internet outages.

Server-based software generally requires specific hardware in your office. But you have total control and management of your backup and security systems.

The Trickiest Triple Threat

Now, let’s kick this off with the show-stoppers…

Automatic Clinic Data Backups

Backups

Is your data backed-up?

How often are backups made?

How long are backups kept?

Secure Practice Management Software

Security

Where is your data stored?

How secure is that storage?

How do you move in the future?

Encrypted Practice Management Software

Encryption

How is your data encrypted?

Is it encrypted in-transit?

Is it encrypted at-rest?

Why are those show-stoppers?

Simple – your entire business relies on data.

And you are ultimately responsible to your patients for ensuring the safe transmission and storage of the data you’ve collected.

Therefore, if your data is compromised, it’s very possible that will lead to the end of your business.

So, pretty please, please, please:

Read about, and learn what you need to know about backups, security and encryption.
And then, if you can’t get good answers to those nine points above, just walk away.

Service and Support

So, let’s start with breaking down those key parts of both cloud-based and server-based solutions:

What are the uptime history and policies?
Who manages hardware, security and backups?
Who provides technical support?
What are the costs for each of the above?
What amount of time is involved for each?

…that’s some starting points for you.

Make your list – what steps do you take when a solution is unavailable?

Patient Management

Do the systems you’re comparing have all the tools to manage your patients and their experiences:

How do you acquire new customers?
What do you need to manage existing clients?
What data do you track for patients?
How do you retain patients?
How do you market to your demographic?

…those are just some ideas.

Make your list – what are all the steps within your patient’s journey?

Billing Private and Public Health Insurers

Third Party Management

How do the software packages you’re considering help you to bill and track referrals, insurers and payers:

Do you communicate with third-parties?
How do you bill third party payers?
What do you need to track for insurers?
How do you track valuable referrers?
How much time do you spend on billing?

…maybe some things to ponder.

Make your list – what are your workflow processes for referrals and billing?

Staff Management

Are you considering how comparable systems manage your providers, admin staff and managers:

How do you track staff activity?
What data do you need to pay wages?
Do you audit errors and recurring issues?
Should staff have limited access to your data?
How do you report on staff performance?

…that’s some food for thought.

Make your list – what tools and processes do you use to lead your team?

Financial Management

Take the time to sit down with your admin staff, accounts team, bookkeeper, and accountant:

How do you reconcile at the end of day?
What do you need for tax intervals?
Can you synchronise with accounting software?
What data is needed for your financial year?
Should you be auditing to prevent fraud?

…there’s a few starting points.

Make your list – how do you ensure financial growth and stability?

Marketing Management

Make some time to have a chat with your admin, marketing, and management teams:

What are your marketing strategies?
How do you communicate with your patients?
Which marketing tools do you use?
How do you track return on investment?
Can you save time with automation?

…that’s just some things to consider.

Make your list – how do you communicate with patients and keep them informed?

Practice Management

Think about the big picture with your short and long-term goals in-mind:

What are the biggest challenges you face?
How will you manage growth in your team?
Can you easily open new locations?
Which operational metrics do you use?
How do you report to your stakeholders?

…just some things to think about.

Make your list – where is your business heading now, and in the future?

Now… go get ’em!

So, by now you’ve got an epic table of questions, features, and ideas, which you can use to compare the world’s best practice management software and find the perfect match for your business.

All that’s left is to mark each item as ‘Must’, ‘Want’ or ‘Nice’ to-haves, so you can then apply an objective score for each solution.

Then, you’re all set to explore the wonderful world of clinic software.

We’d like to think that all the information you need to include us at Nookal in your comparison (if you think we’ve earned it with this guide) is easily found on our website.

But be sure to check out the menus at the top and bottom of this page (they’re a little different).

And, if you’ve still got some tough questions left over, our team is always happy to help. ☝️ Just don’t forget the First rule.

How to Compare Practice Management Software