As an OD your time is valuable, especially if you are also the CEO of your practice. If that’s the case, you’re juggling much more than just seeing patients, and it can be hard to find time to meet with vendors about the latest products on the market that can take your practice to the next level. So when you do find the time, it’s important that you’re prepared so you can get as much as possible out of each conversation.

More specifically, if you’re looking at buying new practice management and EHR software for your practice, it’s going to take a lot of preparation to determine your practice’s unique needs and to sift through the options on the market to find the best match.

It can be easy to get sold on a slick sales pitch, which could cause you to forget to ask important questions along the way. That’s why we want to share this free resource that is packed with over 50 questions you should be asking every optometry software vendor.

Asking these questions will give you a better understanding of the system, what you’re paying for, and how it compares to other systems on the market. Here’s a sneak preview of some of the different questions this guide will cover.

Asking About Technology:

  • Are there operating system requirements? Can I work off both Mac and PC?
  • Are there different versions of the system to learn for desktop and mobile applications or are they the same?

Asking About System Comprehensiveness:

  • Is there an extra fee to add claims management, reporting or other tools to the software?
  • Is automated patient recall and reminders built into the system?

Asking About the EHR:

  • Does the EHR generate codes for diagnosis, treatment, special procedures and patient education all in one click, or is it a multi-step process that requires OD input as each step?
  • Will I need to manually type data into the EHR or will sections pre-populate based on the previous information selected?

Asking About Implementation, Training, and Support:

  • How long does the implementation process take? Less than 30 days? Six weeks? Several months?
  • What kind of training materials are provided and what costs are associated?

Asking About Cost:

  • Will I be charged for software updates and upgrades?
  • Are there additional fees for training and support?

Those questions are really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fully understand a software system. Making sure you ask the right questions will help you use your time wisely during the buying process, and will land you with the best software for your practice.

Click here to get the full list of questions you should be asking.