DB Consultants, Inc.

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DBC Products

Software Evaluation

All practice management systems are not created equal!

Selecting a practice management system is an important decision for any clinic. No matter what system you choose, you will have to go through a learning period. You will have to enter lots of data. Hopefully, the system you choose will grow with your practice and your staff as your needs change.

Some Important Questions to Consider

On what platform should the software work?

Today, nearly everyone would agree that it would be foolish to purchase anything other than a system created specifically for Windows.  DOS is dead.   Today, there can be no doubt  Microsoft Windows Operating Systems are the preferred systems for now and for the future.  Unix is an expensive, less flexible alternative that is not compatible with Windows and not the preferred system of choice today.

Warning Signs!

The reason that the Windows operating systems have become so popular is that they present a consistant interface to the end user, no matter what application the user is running. The idea is that you learn one interface, and only one interface!  Further, Windows removes the burden and complexities of file and printer management, as well as many user interface elements (message boxes, etc.) from the software vendor and includes the tools for these items right in the operating systems. However, some vendors choose to ignore these standards and create systems that deviate considerably from what Microsoft had in mind when it designed Windows.

Here are some things to look out for when evaluating software systems:

1 - Do they use the Windows print engine and spooler?

Some systems, under the facade of "improving performance", bypass the Windows print engine and send printer output directly to your printers. You, the user, pay the price by losing the compatibility that Windows  worked so hard to provide for other software running on your system. You lose all of the technical advantages of Microsoft's built-in printer support, including spooling!

2 - Is their Help system consistent with the Windows standard?

The F1 key is reserved for context sensitive help. If you are on a field in their patient file (or any other file), press the F1 key. You should be taken directly to a help screen that deals with the specific field or dialog box you were on. Some lesser, and non-compatible, software systems take you to their HELP "CONTENTS" when you press F1. Clearly, this is an inferior system; and the programmers have not provided you with a context sensitive help system!

3 - Do they support OLE, Cut and Paste, and other standard Windows behaviors?

OLE is what allows software systems from different vendors to "talk" to each other. It is the very foundation of flexibility and one of the major reasons for the popularity of Windows!  If your vendor supports OLE, you should be able to link directly to your own word processor (Microsoft Word, Word Perfect, Amipro, etc.) from your practice management system's internal files. DBC's patient note files offer a beautiful example of OLE at work.

Users can create and edit/print their DBC patient notes with any Windows word processor of their choice -- and the connection is automatic. Click on any notes icon in DBC's software, and the user's word processor is loaded with that specific patient's notes!

There are lots of other Windows standards that you can check to see if the system you are considering is really up to snuff. Load a patient note file. Highlight any piece of text with your mouse or cursor keys. Press CTRL+B, and the text should change to bold. Press CTRL+I, and it should change to italics. Press CTRL+U, and it should become underlined. Press CTRL+C, and the text should be copied automatically to the Windows clipboard. Move your cursor, press CTRL+V, and the text you just copied should be duplicated beginning at the new cursor position.

If any of the above items do not work as they should in any Windows application, you are being had! Steer away from this software!

4 - Does the system work transparently with the Windows networking system?

Windows Operating Systems all have built-in networking; and all compatible systems should use this capability. Ask the vendor if they support normal record and file locking under Windows.  Make sure that they do not require you to load SHARE or some other "special" file locking system. This should not be necessary if they have designed their system to work with the standard Windows networking engine.

5 - What languages were used in developing their software?

There are lots of computer languages out there today. But, there are only a few really popular ones that have (and will) survive the test of time. These are "C++" (not "C"); Delphi; Visual dBase; and Visual Basic. If you get a song and dance about some "4th or 5th GL" special high-tech language, you know you are being had! Stick with the most popular platforms, and your system will survive. Watch out for older, or less popular technologies such as COBOL, FORTRAN, FOXPRO, and many, many others. These simply do not have the performance and following that are necessary for your system to survive!