ThePractitioner is a client record and billing program originally
developed for our physiotherapy practice, but suitable for many service provider
businesses including general practice, chiropractic, dentistry, occupational
therapy, podiatry and psychology.
It records client details, including guarantor and referrer details where
required, client histories and user notes. Accounts and receipts for services
are produced on custom designed stationery and all payments received are
recorded in a separate banking file. Suppliers can be tracked with a full
inventory control system accommodating goods sales, and in our practice covers
sales of books, strapping tapes and the like. A full listing of features is
provided with the trial disk, so rather than restate these, I will try and
provide more of a user's perspective.
This software has been in use in our physiotherapy practice, starting with an
early development version, progressing through to the current version now
covering over 15 years of full time use. It is our primary financial record and
provides for all our accounting needs.
The program is easily learnt, with new users able to become reasonably
proficient after a day of supervision. Basically it is self explanatory with
easily interpreted icons helping new users follow it through. Layouts are
logical as well as visually pleasant to use, with the colour interface a
definite advantage in following the functions of the package. There is an
on-screen help file, additional quick-reference screens, and contextual
assistance.
Clients, consultations and accounts provide the core around which the program
operates, consultations being a record of goods and services provided at each
visit, and accounts the financial record. The non-rigid structure of this
program allows excellent flexibility in use. It allows the user to enter the
same data into the program via a number of different procedures, depending on
the situation. For example, inputting data for a client can be via persons, via
consultations, or via accounts. This easy movement between the files is time
saving and allows quick additions or alterations to records. Accounts, receipts
or a combined account / receipt, can be printed after each consultation or
batch printed as required. Specific sub-groups of accounts ( e.g. Work Cover
accounts ) can be readily sorted for batch printing or analysis.
Tracking of accounts allows for posting to multiple bank accounts which can be
used to separate income types. With our main account at a credit union, a second
account with a bank is needed to accept bank card and similar card payments.
This feature could be used to set up an additional business with its own
account, if required.
Searching functions apply to all areas and are easy to use. By using the
preferences settings, it is possible to use two different search modes. One is
a non-computer (easy to request) mode suitable for most tasks while the other
uses a more powerful search layout allowing searching by user-determined
formulas. This latter option is very useful for more detailed data analysis.
An integrated, but optional, multi-user appointment function is included. The
input screens for Medicare, Veterans' Affairs and Work Cover are as intuitive as
their real-life counterparts and while Medicare forms can be printed
automatically, we like the ability to choose doing them manually. Our business
does not use Bulk-Billing, but it is as simple as choosing a menu item which
collects all relevant forms and generates the claim form.
A range of standard reporting functions are provided, with strong emphasis on
financial analysis and account control, while additional customized reports can
also be added and saved, making the program very adaptable. An additional
feature found to be useful is that reporting can be made time specific using a
date range option in the report request screens.
Preferences are user specific and stored for later use. This is excellent for
insuring newer users are not left with a program in which preferences are set on
inappropriate options such as multiple record deletions. A comprehensive
password system can control who can access various features of the system, but
we do not use this facility to a great extent.
Reliability to date has been excellent, there being no time when a back-up of
the data has had to be used to reinstate lost or damaged records. Inappropriate
data entry by new users is guarded against by appropriate blocks and warnings.
In addition there are integrity checks for consultations and accounts to ensure
all consultations have been accounted and where necessary, receipted. In fact,
the system is very protective of data entry control, validity checking, and
general fool-proofness. This certainly helps us feel very confident about new
staff members using the system quickly.
Perhaps just as valuable is the fact that we can grow with the system,
developing customized reports and some additional functionality as we come to
more fully understand our own needs. We are currently considering an additional
file of client exercise notes coupled with graphic illustrations.
When we first went looking for suitable software, we found there were very few
suitable programs available for the Macintosh. Most generalized programs ( eg.
MYOB ) are goods orientated, a specialist physiotherapist program we looked at
lacked functionality, and an existing medical program was too specialized, with
no access for tailoring to our needs, and due to cost, was not a viable option.
Conclusion
With ThePractitioner we have a locally developed product and it's great
to see something coming out of the AMAQ that matches up to and even exceeds the
quality and performance of other commercially accepted packages. We have found
it to be exceptionally reliable, able to be customized further to suit
differing uses, and has excellent backup support. Constant awareness of future
technology changes in automating the medical industries will undoubtedly keep
this product up to standard. Overall we have found the program easy to use,
and provides us with all the functionality required. It is certainly worthy of
close scrutiny by anyone looking for software in any professional service
providing business.
Requirements
According to the developer, the package runs on all computing platforms and it
has been optimized for presentation on a standard 13" colour monitor. The MacOS
running on a Motorola 68030 or better, any of the PowerPC computers or a
WindowsNT server, and the package can be scaled up to the latest technology.
The customization and localization of the program therefore includes a
compilation specifically targeted to your machine to ensure the best possible
performance. The package comes via a CD-ROM with free upgrades and support.
John James for Warwick Physiotherapy Centre. (07) 46615577.