Excellent! You have made a great choice to use clinic software for practice. We will make an effort to guide you through this process of selecting clinic software. Have a clear understanding; whether you would want to use a system without Internet access or with Internet? Each of these systems provide advantages and disadvantages over one another. We will explore these options.
Requires a continuous internet connection. Fast internet, good access. Slow internet, slow access. No internet, no access.
Software usually comes as a service. Which means, you will have to pay monthly or yearly subscription fee for access.
If you stop paying subscription fee, you may not be able to access the system. Vendors may have different ways to deal with this.
Allows you to access data from multiple devices like tablets/laptops/phones. Access allowed from anywhere you get internet access.
No worry of data loss as your data is held in the cloud.
SMS reminders for appointments and follow-ups are sent from the cloud server directly.
Subscription fees can range from Rs. 4000 per year to Rs. 12000 per year.
You also need to account for the internet charges you would incur to function using such a system.
Does not require internet. Works completely offline.
Works directly from your computer. Works faster compared to internet based systems.
Danger of data loss if your computers crash since the data is stored on your computer.
There is still a danger of data loss with offline backups. Your external hard drive or USB might get corrupt.
Usually comes as a paid product and then with some annual maintenance charge.
SMS reminders are sent using an additional device provided by vendors.
Charges are usually from Rs. 12000 for the product. Annual maintenance from next year depending on vendors.
Most vendors allow you to use the software even if you stop paying the AMC. You would not get their updates and support.
We believe in a new category, Hybrid. It tries to marry the benefits of online and offline software. Here is how it works.
Installed on your Windows laptop, it runs fast because it is an installed software. This works best for Doctors who have high load of patients to address, like Physicians, Pediatricians, Gynecologists
You can operate the software completely without internet. You can connect your laptop to internet say once in a day from home or hospital to sync your data to MyOPD cloud server. Automatic backup of your data happens once a day keeping your data safe and recoverable in an event of a crash. This is an advantage over an offline software.
Smartphone access, currently android based, allows you to see limited patient information downloaded from MyOPD cloud server on your phone. Downloaded information is accessible on your phone without internet. You can check patient details right on the phone.
SMS reminders are sent from MyOPD cloud server. MyOPD cloud server has details about your appointments if you keep connecting to internet once a day or once every two days. So it just works.
Great value product, with low annual maintenance charge. If you stop the maintenance, you can still use the offline software. All your data is with you and no one stops you from using it. However, you lose updates, support, SMS and smartphone access.
Professional prescriptions printed in local language that even my grandmother can understand. Currently available in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Bengali, Odia, Malayalam, Urdu, Arabic. View Sample Prescriptions printed using MyOPD Clinic Management Software with instructions in various languages to get an idea.
In addition to these points, you also need to consider the device on which you would use this system. Would it be PC, Mac, Android phone / tablet, iPhone / iPAD. This article will guide you further.