I met a doctor socially the other day, and we had a very interesting conversation about his practice. He has published a website with the help of Plus91 Technology’s Website For Doctor's initiative , and we were discussing the merits of a doctor using the Internet for reaching out to patients.
His first worry was: doesn't this amount to advertising? Because a website is personal digital real estate, he felt this was fine, but was very uncomfortable about using social media to reach out, because he felt this was unethical. I agree that flagrantly advertising and singing praises about yourself may be unethical, but not informing people about your services is also downright unethical ! Imagine a poor patient with a brain tumour who is forced to travel miles in order to talk to a good neurologist , just because the neurologist in his neighborhood doesn't bother to let anyone know about what he does!
Doctors in India are in short supply – don’t they have a responsibility and duty to let people know about their expertise, so that it can be used more efficiently ?
We then started talking about how his website has made a difference to his practice.
a. He now could interact with his patient via the site
b. He could easily give directions to his clinics and his timings by directing people to the site , which had all the information patients needed, including a google map. This saved his patients a lot of time and energy – and his staff did not have to keep on repeating the same directions to all his new patients !
c. The website did convey that he is a serious up-to-date professional, and his patients appreciates this.
Did it get him new patients? The ability of a website to do this depends directly on the web traffic coming to the site, and because his site was fairly new, the numbers were still small, so it was hard to say if this has had a significant impact. If he promotes his website effectively, it is common sense that it is bound to help him attract new patients ! It’s always hard to judge the return on investment ( ROI) on a website , since it takes time for a website to grow ! It needs to be nurtured carefully – and doctors who do this will find this a very cost effective option ! Even one new patient can help him to recover the cost of a year’s hosting ! However, he is reluctant to spend the money to promote his website ( using a search engine optimisation – SEO - firm) , so it’s possible that his website may not help him to grow his practice, making this a self-fulfilling prophecy !
His skepticism arose from the fact that in his experience, when patients search for a doctor, they usually ask a friend or a family member for a recommendation or a referral. Patients may do research online to find out more about the doctor, but not many patients in India today use the internet as a tool to find a doctor. , However , as time goes by, this is likely to change quickly, because many people change cities when they switch jobs; and few have a family physician they can trust. It’s becoming increasingly common for urban Indian patients to use the internet to select a medical specialist to help them get the best medical care.
Social media has a very important role to play, because it is the digital version of “word of mouth” marketing. Let’s take a doctor who specializes in arthroscopic knee surgery. If all his colleagues on twitter, facebook and orkut feeds know about this, they can create a lot of buzz for him. Anytime someone asks these people about knee surgery , they will be sure to say, “Hey , why don't you go in for mini incision surgery and avoid the big scar ? I know a guy who does this and his website is …..”. Here your website becomes a tool which allows others to refer their friends to you easily. If you have videos on your website displaying your surgical skills, as well as patient testimonials, this allows you to build your prospective patient’s confidence in your expertise, and helps to enhance your credibility !
Showing posts with label doctors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doctors. Show all posts
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Patient Safety
Few Sundays ago I was privileged enough to be invited by Dr. Nikhil Datar, a pre-eminent gynecologist and medico-legal expert to witness his premier talk on Patient Safety. It was hosted by IMA Dombivali and had a strong audience of over 40 doctors waiting to hear Dr. Datar’s talk. Dr. Datar had recently returned from UK where he attended a program organized by WHO on Patient Safety. Plus91 Technologies believes in making patient centric solutions which don’t just automate the clinic or hospital but also improve quality and service. Keeping this in mind, the presentation was interesting not just for the doctors but also for us.
The doctors were interested in the talk, intrigued by what new information can they hear. It started slowly but filled with practical examples the doctors soon were eager to know more. More than that they realized in their own practice they need to reflect and close loopholes so that they ensure patient safety. The doctors really got involved with questions, interactive cases and videos. I think they all walked out little bit wiser. As a software company involved in Healthcare, I think patient safety becomes a vital cog in what we are doing and it works at multiple levels. 1. Creating solutions which ensure and promote safety, 2. using the patient safety angle to promote such solutions which benefit the doctor in many more ways, but they finally see it as useful when something hard hitting as this is spoken about and 3. Increasing patient interaction and service allowing patients to feel safer and learn on how they should protect themselves too.
So what all does patient safety entail? It covers a lot of ground from something simple like washing your hands before a physical examination to something complicated as giving instructions during a high pressure surgery. They key learning was awareness that things can go wrong and improving communications and processes to prevent minor errors from becoming major issues. Simple techniques like reading medicine names allowed, using color coding on various instruments, storing patient records in a neat and systematic manner help provide better quality care to the patient. I think from hearing his talk, the biggest initiative one can take in improving patient safety is increasing ones awareness in their surroundings. Being aware of the possibility and the effects of your actions goes a long way in preventing mishaps that can happen. Some major inferences were: Out of the 3.7% cases, only 1% could be called as negligent, 50% of these are preventable and most notable – majority of them were not individual failures but the system failures.
I think a lot of good work is now being done in this field by numerous players. The ones which Plus91 Technologies is directly involved with include Dr. Nikhil Datar an epxert in the field, PIET (Patient Information and Education Trust) and NGO, PEAS (Patient Education and Awareness Series) who make wonderful videos and content driven education material, HELP (Healthcare Education Library for People) which have seminars weekly apart from the actual library initiative and Dr. Malpani who is organizing a conference in October in Mumbai exclusively dealing with Patient Safety. As technology pervades healthcare, I can already envision so many places where Plus91 can actively help improve patient safety standards. The possibilities are exciting not only in their scope and challenge but also because this is probably one place we can actually be able to claim we saved a life and that thought gives us a tremendous boost.
The doctors were interested in the talk, intrigued by what new information can they hear. It started slowly but filled with practical examples the doctors soon were eager to know more. More than that they realized in their own practice they need to reflect and close loopholes so that they ensure patient safety. The doctors really got involved with questions, interactive cases and videos. I think they all walked out little bit wiser. As a software company involved in Healthcare, I think patient safety becomes a vital cog in what we are doing and it works at multiple levels. 1. Creating solutions which ensure and promote safety, 2. using the patient safety angle to promote such solutions which benefit the doctor in many more ways, but they finally see it as useful when something hard hitting as this is spoken about and 3. Increasing patient interaction and service allowing patients to feel safer and learn on how they should protect themselves too.
So what all does patient safety entail? It covers a lot of ground from something simple like washing your hands before a physical examination to something complicated as giving instructions during a high pressure surgery. They key learning was awareness that things can go wrong and improving communications and processes to prevent minor errors from becoming major issues. Simple techniques like reading medicine names allowed, using color coding on various instruments, storing patient records in a neat and systematic manner help provide better quality care to the patient. I think from hearing his talk, the biggest initiative one can take in improving patient safety is increasing ones awareness in their surroundings. Being aware of the possibility and the effects of your actions goes a long way in preventing mishaps that can happen. Some major inferences were: Out of the 3.7% cases, only 1% could be called as negligent, 50% of these are preventable and most notable – majority of them were not individual failures but the system failures.
I think a lot of good work is now being done in this field by numerous players. The ones which Plus91 Technologies is directly involved with include Dr. Nikhil Datar an epxert in the field, PIET (Patient Information and Education Trust) and NGO, PEAS (Patient Education and Awareness Series) who make wonderful videos and content driven education material, HELP (Healthcare Education Library for People) which have seminars weekly apart from the actual library initiative and Dr. Malpani who is organizing a conference in October in Mumbai exclusively dealing with Patient Safety. As technology pervades healthcare, I can already envision so many places where Plus91 can actively help improve patient safety standards. The possibilities are exciting not only in their scope and challenge but also because this is probably one place we can actually be able to claim we saved a life and that thought gives us a tremendous boost.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Improved Patient Safety Using Software
Patient Safety is a vital aspect of healthcare. With a fairly large number of indirect deaths and also potentially life threatening situations resulting directly from lack patient safety it becomes a vital cog in the healthcare machinery. Software products are introduced in any setup to increase efficiency and accuracy, both important factors when trying to improve safety. I am going to highlight some basic examples how inherently as well by actual design patient safety measures can be improved through normal Electronic Medical Records or Practice Management Software.
1. Prescriptions and Medications: The most common errors are seen when doctors write prescriptions on paper and the patient or the chemist misread the prescription. This is a common occurrence and a printed prescription generated from software with already present Drug Data is the safest bet against such a mishap. Other errors which can be prevented include, mistakes made by doctors in writing the dosage or strength, which in software can be fixed to prevent wrong entries, also a check on concomitant medications interfering the drug can be done. These features are already present in the Plus91 clinic package Clinkare. Ensures no errors happen due to differing writing styles or hand writing.
Another neat feature is sending reminders to the patients/nurses to take the appropriate medication at the correct time via SMS. This ensures no missed dosage which could have lead to problems. This feature is available in ClinION the hospital management solution from Plus91 Technologies.
2. Patient History: Doctors in a hurry, if patient comes without papers can prescribe the wrong treatment in case the data is not properly documented. It is vital to know previous visit experiences which can help the doctor make a better decision. Almost all softwares allow storing overall patient and current complaint history which helps doctors make better and more accurate decisions thus ensuring patient safety. This feature ensures that reliance on memory is less!
In the new age software patient history can also be coupled with Clinical Decision Support systems to help the doctor make his or her decisions in a better and more accurate manner.
3. Patient Data Entry: This is an exclusively software based point. Accurate entry in the system can be ensured by various validation measures and checks. This may slow down the process but a good process ensures the software protects the basic problems that can happen. Some key examples are: a. Validated fields which take only certain values and anything outside throws an error, b. Every time a new page is opened or traversed the patient name is popped up to double check the correct patient data is being filled in, c. Two person check entries at very vital and critical data entry points (used often in clinical trial data management), d. SMS or Email alerts in case of a vital sign going outside normal range at the ICU
4. Consent Checks: A patient must know what procedure they are undergoing, the risks and also most importantly dos and don’ts. A software can for all the procedures ensure that the consents are filled using a reminder / validation system to ensure the patients have been given the once over either by the doctor as a series of questions and answers which are entered in the system or using a video/presentation format with a consent thumbprint or electronic signature taken at the end. This is vital so that the patient does not make mistakes because of not knowing he or she had to come empty stomach for a procedure.
Plus91 softwares automatically allow you to link vital consent forms to various tests, procedures and consultations and remind you to get them filled.
5. Check lists: The Indian Born adviser to the American President on Healthcare issues is Dr. Gawande just released his new book “The Checklist Manifesto”. A checklist is the doctor and hospital staffs most trusted friend. Often negligence cases leading to patient safety mishaps happen because proper procedure was not followed. Many types of software come with check lists which need to be marked as complete before the next screen of tasks can be accessed. This ensures that all important steps are carried out and in order.
Checklists can be determinate that is fixed in nature like an inventory for a particular type of surgery. Some check lists can be flexible, like an in house patient prescription check list or schedule followed for an entire ward. Using software both can be checked and managed without a fuss.
6. Improved analysis: Software allow us to collate all sorts of medical data, this data can now also be analyzed to make future decisions better. Knowing what kind of patients react to which medication, or which months cause more complaints of a particular type of disease or maybe information on which doctors have better recuperation rates vis-à-vis their treatment methods all allow the healthcare system to better prepared for future patients.
1. Prescriptions and Medications: The most common errors are seen when doctors write prescriptions on paper and the patient or the chemist misread the prescription. This is a common occurrence and a printed prescription generated from software with already present Drug Data is the safest bet against such a mishap. Other errors which can be prevented include, mistakes made by doctors in writing the dosage or strength, which in software can be fixed to prevent wrong entries, also a check on concomitant medications interfering the drug can be done. These features are already present in the Plus91 clinic package Clinkare. Ensures no errors happen due to differing writing styles or hand writing.
Another neat feature is sending reminders to the patients/nurses to take the appropriate medication at the correct time via SMS. This ensures no missed dosage which could have lead to problems. This feature is available in ClinION the hospital management solution from Plus91 Technologies.
2. Patient History: Doctors in a hurry, if patient comes without papers can prescribe the wrong treatment in case the data is not properly documented. It is vital to know previous visit experiences which can help the doctor make a better decision. Almost all softwares allow storing overall patient and current complaint history which helps doctors make better and more accurate decisions thus ensuring patient safety. This feature ensures that reliance on memory is less!
In the new age software patient history can also be coupled with Clinical Decision Support systems to help the doctor make his or her decisions in a better and more accurate manner.
3. Patient Data Entry: This is an exclusively software based point. Accurate entry in the system can be ensured by various validation measures and checks. This may slow down the process but a good process ensures the software protects the basic problems that can happen. Some key examples are: a. Validated fields which take only certain values and anything outside throws an error, b. Every time a new page is opened or traversed the patient name is popped up to double check the correct patient data is being filled in, c. Two person check entries at very vital and critical data entry points (used often in clinical trial data management), d. SMS or Email alerts in case of a vital sign going outside normal range at the ICU
4. Consent Checks: A patient must know what procedure they are undergoing, the risks and also most importantly dos and don’ts. A software can for all the procedures ensure that the consents are filled using a reminder / validation system to ensure the patients have been given the once over either by the doctor as a series of questions and answers which are entered in the system or using a video/presentation format with a consent thumbprint or electronic signature taken at the end. This is vital so that the patient does not make mistakes because of not knowing he or she had to come empty stomach for a procedure.
Plus91 softwares automatically allow you to link vital consent forms to various tests, procedures and consultations and remind you to get them filled.
5. Check lists: The Indian Born adviser to the American President on Healthcare issues is Dr. Gawande just released his new book “The Checklist Manifesto”. A checklist is the doctor and hospital staffs most trusted friend. Often negligence cases leading to patient safety mishaps happen because proper procedure was not followed. Many types of software come with check lists which need to be marked as complete before the next screen of tasks can be accessed. This ensures that all important steps are carried out and in order.
Checklists can be determinate that is fixed in nature like an inventory for a particular type of surgery. Some check lists can be flexible, like an in house patient prescription check list or schedule followed for an entire ward. Using software both can be checked and managed without a fuss.
6. Improved analysis: Software allow us to collate all sorts of medical data, this data can now also be analyzed to make future decisions better. Knowing what kind of patients react to which medication, or which months cause more complaints of a particular type of disease or maybe information on which doctors have better recuperation rates vis-à-vis their treatment methods all allow the healthcare system to better prepared for future patients.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
How technology helps doctors save time!
The basic underline need to incorporate technology and innovation in any field is to increase efficiency and improve accuracy. The same goes for healthcare where non standard processes have lead to an increasingly slow and painful integration of technology into that sphere of business.
However let’s take the case of an everyday Doctor, for this example say Dr. Thakkar. Now Dr. Thakkar is open to technology but is still unsure how exactly it will benefit him. So let’s list down the different applications, instruments and gadgets which can help Dr. Thakkar.
1. A website and Email Id
2. A Mobile Phone
3. A pen drive
4. A laptop or PC with Internet
5. An EMR solution
We have now listed down 6 common everyday solution used by doctors in their daily activities. Now let us go in depth and see how they actually benefit Dr. Thakkar.
1. Website and Email Id:
a. Contact Information with a map is readily available and hence it will save him time and give him peace of mind by not having to talk to his patients on phone about directions and numbers
b. Important information captured on the website: Dr. Thakkar likes each patient to fill in a comprehensive form before he sees them, this causes long lines. Now he can ask his patients to fill this form online and it comes to him as an email which he can read just before the patient comes in. Time saved, more patient seen.
c. Patient across the country or travelling abroad can now easily email their queries to Dr. Thakkar. This can help him provide service remotely to his patient improving his service levels and connectivity with his patients
d. Dr. Thakkar does procedures where he needs to give instructions to his patient for pre-procedure protocols. Often patients forget and keep calling him in the middle of consultations. Now he can re-direct them to his website where it is written down in detail and with proper explanations in multiple languages!
2. Mobile Phone:
a. Dr. Thakkar can now check his daily schedule on a mobile phone. The latest phones come with many calendar features and schedulers with alarms. Also by using Google Calendar or innovative EMR solutions get reminder SMSs on the phone for appointments and operations.
b. Dr. Thakkar will be able to access Email on his GPRS enabled phone which can let him see the latest blood report of his patient and take decisions quickly. All image files of low size can be easily seen on the phone helping him stay in touch with the patients vitals.
c. The latest phones also come with high quality cameras, now store all X-Rays and reports as images at the click on a phone button. Dr. Thakkar can now easily store 3rd party patient X-rays and Usg reports or Lab tests which he can access later on his phone. The latest Emr Solutions allow you to directly attach these images to patient records also!
d. The phone also comes in built these days with GPS navigation systems. Now find your way easily and be on time for the operation. Dr. Thakkar can get where he wants to go quickly and safely, especially if he is doing a house visit to the patient.
3. Pen Drive: A pen drive is a small and low volume file storage system.
a. Dr. Thakkar can carry all his patient report soft copies and word documents in his pen drive, hence he no more lug around a suit case to all the hospitals.
b. Dr. Thakkar can plug his pen drive into any PC and access his notes and presentation on the go. This saves him time in burning CDs or carrying and going through papers. All neat and put into folders.
4. Laptop or PC with Internet
a. Dr. Thakkar can actually maximize the use of all above technology by having his own PC or better still a laptop. Now all his data can be soft copy, easily transferable, viewable, and most importantly searchable with ease!
b. Dr. Thakkar can now access his emails and patient documents quickly and anywhere on his laptop. No need to go searching in the Folder closet.
c. Dr. Thakkar sometimes has queries on new medicines and procedures. Now he doesn’t needn’t wait for the MIMs books or a CME conference, he can simply go onto the internet and search and read about the same information. Why wait when it can all be at your fingertips. Saves time and also treat your patient with the latest knowledge!
d. Dr. Thakkar need not wait for hard copies of patient reports and test results. Now he can have the soft copy emailed to him so he can check them in his office or on his laptop on the move. This saves him time later when he would have to look at all together or make the patient wait for a diagnosis.
5. EMR solution: A software which helps him with his patients and clinic
a. Saves Dr. Thakkar time and improves accuracy in data retrieval of patient reports, statistics on his clinic and medical data, accounts, inventory and even referral management. No time spent auditing or searching in the clinic!
b. Email reports and send SMS reminders to patients and directly from the software to see that you and the patient are up to date on latest developments. Now Dr. Thakkar is always on time and so are his patients. No time spent waiting.
c. Dr. Thakkar likes to send his case reports to fellow doctors and writes to papers and makes presentations. Now he can do it quicker and faster with EMR softwares reports and stats modules. He can also instantly email the report to his associates. No more wasting time on post, fax or even scanning documents.
These are just some inputs on how technology can help you as a doctor get quicker and better on your feet. To know more how we help you with your pain points visit www.plus91.in
However let’s take the case of an everyday Doctor, for this example say Dr. Thakkar. Now Dr. Thakkar is open to technology but is still unsure how exactly it will benefit him. So let’s list down the different applications, instruments and gadgets which can help Dr. Thakkar.
1. A website and Email Id
2. A Mobile Phone
3. A pen drive
4. A laptop or PC with Internet
5. An EMR solution
We have now listed down 6 common everyday solution used by doctors in their daily activities. Now let us go in depth and see how they actually benefit Dr. Thakkar.
1. Website and Email Id:
a. Contact Information with a map is readily available and hence it will save him time and give him peace of mind by not having to talk to his patients on phone about directions and numbers
b. Important information captured on the website: Dr. Thakkar likes each patient to fill in a comprehensive form before he sees them, this causes long lines. Now he can ask his patients to fill this form online and it comes to him as an email which he can read just before the patient comes in. Time saved, more patient seen.
c. Patient across the country or travelling abroad can now easily email their queries to Dr. Thakkar. This can help him provide service remotely to his patient improving his service levels and connectivity with his patients
d. Dr. Thakkar does procedures where he needs to give instructions to his patient for pre-procedure protocols. Often patients forget and keep calling him in the middle of consultations. Now he can re-direct them to his website where it is written down in detail and with proper explanations in multiple languages!
2. Mobile Phone:
a. Dr. Thakkar can now check his daily schedule on a mobile phone. The latest phones come with many calendar features and schedulers with alarms. Also by using Google Calendar or innovative EMR solutions get reminder SMSs on the phone for appointments and operations.
b. Dr. Thakkar will be able to access Email on his GPRS enabled phone which can let him see the latest blood report of his patient and take decisions quickly. All image files of low size can be easily seen on the phone helping him stay in touch with the patients vitals.
c. The latest phones also come with high quality cameras, now store all X-Rays and reports as images at the click on a phone button. Dr. Thakkar can now easily store 3rd party patient X-rays and Usg reports or Lab tests which he can access later on his phone. The latest Emr Solutions allow you to directly attach these images to patient records also!
d. The phone also comes in built these days with GPS navigation systems. Now find your way easily and be on time for the operation. Dr. Thakkar can get where he wants to go quickly and safely, especially if he is doing a house visit to the patient.
3. Pen Drive: A pen drive is a small and low volume file storage system.
a. Dr. Thakkar can carry all his patient report soft copies and word documents in his pen drive, hence he no more lug around a suit case to all the hospitals.
b. Dr. Thakkar can plug his pen drive into any PC and access his notes and presentation on the go. This saves him time in burning CDs or carrying and going through papers. All neat and put into folders.
4. Laptop or PC with Internet
a. Dr. Thakkar can actually maximize the use of all above technology by having his own PC or better still a laptop. Now all his data can be soft copy, easily transferable, viewable, and most importantly searchable with ease!
b. Dr. Thakkar can now access his emails and patient documents quickly and anywhere on his laptop. No need to go searching in the Folder closet.
c. Dr. Thakkar sometimes has queries on new medicines and procedures. Now he doesn’t needn’t wait for the MIMs books or a CME conference, he can simply go onto the internet and search and read about the same information. Why wait when it can all be at your fingertips. Saves time and also treat your patient with the latest knowledge!
d. Dr. Thakkar need not wait for hard copies of patient reports and test results. Now he can have the soft copy emailed to him so he can check them in his office or on his laptop on the move. This saves him time later when he would have to look at all together or make the patient wait for a diagnosis.
5. EMR solution: A software which helps him with his patients and clinic
a. Saves Dr. Thakkar time and improves accuracy in data retrieval of patient reports, statistics on his clinic and medical data, accounts, inventory and even referral management. No time spent auditing or searching in the clinic!
b. Email reports and send SMS reminders to patients and directly from the software to see that you and the patient are up to date on latest developments. Now Dr. Thakkar is always on time and so are his patients. No time spent waiting.
c. Dr. Thakkar likes to send his case reports to fellow doctors and writes to papers and makes presentations. Now he can do it quicker and faster with EMR softwares reports and stats modules. He can also instantly email the report to his associates. No more wasting time on post, fax or even scanning documents.
These are just some inputs on how technology can help you as a doctor get quicker and better on your feet. To know more how we help you with your pain points visit www.plus91.in
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tweaks and applications to make your PC experience better!
Today a lot of Indian Doctors are waking up to using the computer, maybe to surf the net, or they own a website or better still have an EMR solution. Below are some tips to help you make your time spent on the PC better. These include some mundane ideas and thoughts and also some personal insights in what works best. So make your PC experience a good one, because it’s going to last you a life time.
a. Use the Internet: Today almost every PC is bought with the thought of going online. However for those who are hesitant, it is important to remember the usage and experience far outweighs the ghost of virus attacks and vulgar content. From the EMR software point of view, maximum benefit can be derived from our packages by those who have the Internet to send SMSes, Emails or get support directly online.
b. LAN connection in a clinic: For any clinic which is not a single doctor no receptionist, it is ideal to get a LAN connection with another PC to help manage the work. The efficiency of handling patients and workload multiples manifold by the simple move. Creating a LAN is simple enough and your local computer guy will be able to have it running within minutes. Wiring may take some time if it is elaborate or you can go the wireless way. Our EMR solution works best when used with a LAN connection, clearly dividing the workflows for doctors and receptionists/nurses who can handle the non clinical transactions.
c. Syncplicity: This is a personal favorite of mine. This little software is simply fantastic. Most of us have nightmare about viruses and PCs crashing and losing all our information! Now with syncplicity that can never happen. Select which folders, drives and PCs you would like to back-up, this software automatically syncs it to a virtual representation of your folders online. These can now be downloaded or accessed with a password by you anytime. The whole solution is secure and does not need a huge bandwidth. Now the real goodies: 1. It auto-syncs any change instantly running in the background, 2. Auto-sync multiple PCs at the same location, 3. It has versioning – which means you can see older versions of the same document whenever you wish (Yes even when you changed a “a” to “the” it stores it separately!)
d. Virtual memory: Most computers use not just the RAM but also some part of the hard disk space as memory to run applications. This is called virtual memory as it is an extension of the RAM space into the hard disk. Lot of times your PC may appear slow despite having a decent RAM or gives a pop up saying Virtual Memory Low. For application that use caching, paging and other virtualization techniques they require adequate virtual memory space. Ideally your Virtual Memory should be set to 1.5*RAM.
The following procedure is based on windows XP Professional.
1. Go to right-click My Computer and choose Properties.
2. In the System Properties dialog box, go to Advanced tab.
3. Click Settings button that is from the Performance frame.
4. Once the Performance Options shows up on the screen, go to Advanced tab.
5. Under the Advanced tab, click the Change button from the Virtual Memory frame to access to the Virtual Memory setting.
Then the Virtual Memory dialog box appears on the screen. In there, you are able to check how much the Virtual Memory you set. If you would like to modify the size of Virtual Memory, follow the procedure that is shown below.
1. In there, select the drive letter that is used to install the Operating System.
2. Choose the option that says, "Custom Size:"
Once you choose that option, the setting for Initial Size and Maximum Size become available for you to set. Initial Size (MB) means the actual size of Virtual Memory, and Maximum Size (MB) means the maximum size of Virtual Memory that is allowed to use.
e. Clean Up the Temp Folder: A large section of your hard disk gets blocked over time by the Temp Folder where, partially downloaded files, applications in progress, copy pasted data is stored in parallel.
C:\Documents and Settings\dell\Local Settings\Temp, clear this Folder out from time to time. A similar exercise can be carried out with the Temporary Internet Files located in the Windows Folder.
f. System Restore – Another handy little service that can get your computer back up and running sometimes, but again takes up a lot of extra space that is not needed is System Restore. But System Restore only recovers Windows files, not any of your data. So having System Restore enabled on any other drive other than your C drive (where Windows is installed) is completely useless. Hence keep it turned off.
To fix this one, right click on My Computer and choose Properties. Click on the System Restore tab, you will see all the drives on the computer, if you have a C and a D drive, turn it off for D drive. For system restore, a value between 2% to 4% will be fine in terms of space. The default 12% wastes loads and loads of space!
g. Use a Local Mail Option: Use a local mail option like Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, Eudora to sync your mails offline from multiple sources so you access them at any time. Even Google Mail provides this option now. Just go to the Offline Tab in your settings and read up about it.
h. Clean with CCleaner: CCleaner is a tool used to clean your PC. IT description on its site is given below – “CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!” So download it today and get your PC cleaned for free.
i. Out with the toolbars: Usually most people end up having numerous toolbars on their application windows. This is most common in browsers, but also tends to happen in Office applications where all the various tools are now on an ever descending bar. The user experience is diminished if half your seeable and workable space is cluttered with objects which take up your attention and are not even used. So my suggestion, for browsers uncheck all the external toolbars from Yahoo, Google and what not, these not only take space but also cause pop-ups and headaches. In case of MS Word or MS Excel, stick to the basic tools on the window, remove the unnecessary, they can be accessed any time anyway. These extra toolbars also cause delays in loading the software or browser.
j. A Free Desktop: Keep a neat clean desktop. It slows down start up and makes you and your PC sluggish to have uncountable number of items on your desktop. My suggestion is create a folder called Desktop items in your documents and create a shortcut on the desktop and dump everything in that. This is if the habit it too hard to shake off. I find it much easier and quicker to work if the Desktop is clean or at least cleaned once in a week to make it fast and simple.
k. Use Bookmarks: Use bookmarks, stars, favorites and other such little programs to make your life on the net simpler. Even our softwares are bookmarked for easy access on the PC as they run on browsers. Why run around to search for the pages already found or remember the long URL which you never will. Just a single click to bookmark them and they are stored forever.
a. Use the Internet: Today almost every PC is bought with the thought of going online. However for those who are hesitant, it is important to remember the usage and experience far outweighs the ghost of virus attacks and vulgar content. From the EMR software point of view, maximum benefit can be derived from our packages by those who have the Internet to send SMSes, Emails or get support directly online.
b. LAN connection in a clinic: For any clinic which is not a single doctor no receptionist, it is ideal to get a LAN connection with another PC to help manage the work. The efficiency of handling patients and workload multiples manifold by the simple move. Creating a LAN is simple enough and your local computer guy will be able to have it running within minutes. Wiring may take some time if it is elaborate or you can go the wireless way. Our EMR solution works best when used with a LAN connection, clearly dividing the workflows for doctors and receptionists/nurses who can handle the non clinical transactions.
c. Syncplicity: This is a personal favorite of mine. This little software is simply fantastic. Most of us have nightmare about viruses and PCs crashing and losing all our information! Now with syncplicity that can never happen. Select which folders, drives and PCs you would like to back-up, this software automatically syncs it to a virtual representation of your folders online. These can now be downloaded or accessed with a password by you anytime. The whole solution is secure and does not need a huge bandwidth. Now the real goodies: 1. It auto-syncs any change instantly running in the background, 2. Auto-sync multiple PCs at the same location, 3. It has versioning – which means you can see older versions of the same document whenever you wish (Yes even when you changed a “a” to “the” it stores it separately!)
d. Virtual memory: Most computers use not just the RAM but also some part of the hard disk space as memory to run applications. This is called virtual memory as it is an extension of the RAM space into the hard disk. Lot of times your PC may appear slow despite having a decent RAM or gives a pop up saying Virtual Memory Low. For application that use caching, paging and other virtualization techniques they require adequate virtual memory space. Ideally your Virtual Memory should be set to 1.5*RAM.
The following procedure is based on windows XP Professional.
1. Go to right-click My Computer and choose Properties.
2. In the System Properties dialog box, go to Advanced tab.
3. Click Settings button that is from the Performance frame.
4. Once the Performance Options shows up on the screen, go to Advanced tab.
5. Under the Advanced tab, click the Change button from the Virtual Memory frame to access to the Virtual Memory setting.
Then the Virtual Memory dialog box appears on the screen. In there, you are able to check how much the Virtual Memory you set. If you would like to modify the size of Virtual Memory, follow the procedure that is shown below.
1. In there, select the drive letter that is used to install the Operating System.
2. Choose the option that says, "Custom Size:"
Once you choose that option, the setting for Initial Size and Maximum Size become available for you to set. Initial Size (MB) means the actual size of Virtual Memory, and Maximum Size (MB) means the maximum size of Virtual Memory that is allowed to use.
e. Clean Up the Temp Folder: A large section of your hard disk gets blocked over time by the Temp Folder where, partially downloaded files, applications in progress, copy pasted data is stored in parallel.
C:\Documents and Settings\dell\Local Settings\Temp, clear this Folder out from time to time. A similar exercise can be carried out with the Temporary Internet Files located in the Windows Folder.
f. System Restore – Another handy little service that can get your computer back up and running sometimes, but again takes up a lot of extra space that is not needed is System Restore. But System Restore only recovers Windows files, not any of your data. So having System Restore enabled on any other drive other than your C drive (where Windows is installed) is completely useless. Hence keep it turned off.
To fix this one, right click on My Computer and choose Properties. Click on the System Restore tab, you will see all the drives on the computer, if you have a C and a D drive, turn it off for D drive. For system restore, a value between 2% to 4% will be fine in terms of space. The default 12% wastes loads and loads of space!
g. Use a Local Mail Option: Use a local mail option like Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, Eudora to sync your mails offline from multiple sources so you access them at any time. Even Google Mail provides this option now. Just go to the Offline Tab in your settings and read up about it.
h. Clean with CCleaner: CCleaner is a tool used to clean your PC. IT description on its site is given below – “CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!” So download it today and get your PC cleaned for free.
i. Out with the toolbars: Usually most people end up having numerous toolbars on their application windows. This is most common in browsers, but also tends to happen in Office applications where all the various tools are now on an ever descending bar. The user experience is diminished if half your seeable and workable space is cluttered with objects which take up your attention and are not even used. So my suggestion, for browsers uncheck all the external toolbars from Yahoo, Google and what not, these not only take space but also cause pop-ups and headaches. In case of MS Word or MS Excel, stick to the basic tools on the window, remove the unnecessary, they can be accessed any time anyway. These extra toolbars also cause delays in loading the software or browser.
j. A Free Desktop: Keep a neat clean desktop. It slows down start up and makes you and your PC sluggish to have uncountable number of items on your desktop. My suggestion is create a folder called Desktop items in your documents and create a shortcut on the desktop and dump everything in that. This is if the habit it too hard to shake off. I find it much easier and quicker to work if the Desktop is clean or at least cleaned once in a week to make it fast and simple.
k. Use Bookmarks: Use bookmarks, stars, favorites and other such little programs to make your life on the net simpler. Even our softwares are bookmarked for easy access on the PC as they run on browsers. Why run around to search for the pages already found or remember the long URL which you never will. Just a single click to bookmark them and they are stored forever.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
10 Reasons for Doctors to be IT friendly and go paperless (well almost)
Healthcare is a business which requires the noting down of large amount of information, transfer of data and making decisions which are again to be captured. So, I guess it is safe to assume that it is a very paper and pen intensive domain, where patient information, reports and daily interaction all happen on paper. Looking at just this one aspect, it becomes clear that IT can play a major part in driving Healthcare if done right.
So what is the downside to all this paper work? I mean haven’t people been doing it for donkeys years. Paper health records have been kept diligently since a century or more, but technology can not only improve the documentation and storage but also improve processes and speed in making, storing, accessing and using this information. So the 10 reasons why a medical setup should become IT friendly in the paperless space are:
1. Be eco-friendly: Less paper used = more trees saved. Extend your care beyond just your clientele.
2. Storage space: Save money on storage space for large number of records and paper based data. As technology improves cost of data storage goes down and that of physical space goes up.
3. Quick retrieval: Retrieve stored, archived data faster on your PC then from filing cabinet. That’s a straight forward challenge. However much data you may have, whatever the number of records, a simple search will help you access the record within seconds. No more walking down dusty aisles of records or browsing through a clutter of files in your cabinet.
4. All Information at your tips: Just today an orthopedic surgeon complained of not having information of the bone replacement he had done for a patient who needs to get it replaced. Certainly makes life tough for the doctor and risky for the patient. So why not go paperless, all your data on your PC, server, backed up at as many places till you feel safe. Information is valuable, and also how quickly can you get it, access information for a patient or an administrative report instantly on your software.
5. Sharing Data seamlessly: Communication is becoming the cornerstone of society. People travel, people use their phones and the internet and the crowd grows by the minute. Getting or giving information which will help make better decisions about a person’s health is a positive outcome of this boom. Its time you got on the band wagon too. Share your e-records with your peers and patients to improve service quality. Improve your productivity by sharing your administrative information and reports with your CA, vendors, pharmacies, pharma companies.
6. Less Chaos: A large setup usually has paper work flowing around the hospital or medical center, usually resulting in a flood. Imagine a place where there is no clutter. A clean and paper reduced office certainly improves the setup outlook. Not to mention more work gets done when you don’t have to sort through and find records.
7. Increased Capacity: A faster records access, storage and retrieval system gives you and your staff more time. It increases efficiency allowing you to spend more time with your patients, and if the word spreads how efficient your setup is, then maybe even see more patients.
8. Do More: Electronic information traditionally allows you to do more with the data you have. Run multiple reports; create informative statistics which help you improve your clinic. Learn how you can improve your business by using resources better. With paper there is only so much data you can sift through. Why work so hard to get what your PC will do for you in seconds. And give it a chance, trust me there are things which you can’t even imagine that your PC might be able to do.
9. Pay Less: Pay less, because what you spend on the becoming IT friendly is certainly less than what you would cumulatively spend on paper, staff, storage and decreased productivity over time.
10. Look Cool: Nice looking software, with some neat PCs, offering efficient service, quality time, and innovative solutions goes a long way in impressing patients. Also with the decreased paper work, the office looks neater and a place you wouldn’t mind spending time at.
So what is the downside to all this paper work? I mean haven’t people been doing it for donkeys years. Paper health records have been kept diligently since a century or more, but technology can not only improve the documentation and storage but also improve processes and speed in making, storing, accessing and using this information. So the 10 reasons why a medical setup should become IT friendly in the paperless space are:
1. Be eco-friendly: Less paper used = more trees saved. Extend your care beyond just your clientele.
2. Storage space: Save money on storage space for large number of records and paper based data. As technology improves cost of data storage goes down and that of physical space goes up.
3. Quick retrieval: Retrieve stored, archived data faster on your PC then from filing cabinet. That’s a straight forward challenge. However much data you may have, whatever the number of records, a simple search will help you access the record within seconds. No more walking down dusty aisles of records or browsing through a clutter of files in your cabinet.
4. All Information at your tips: Just today an orthopedic surgeon complained of not having information of the bone replacement he had done for a patient who needs to get it replaced. Certainly makes life tough for the doctor and risky for the patient. So why not go paperless, all your data on your PC, server, backed up at as many places till you feel safe. Information is valuable, and also how quickly can you get it, access information for a patient or an administrative report instantly on your software.
5. Sharing Data seamlessly: Communication is becoming the cornerstone of society. People travel, people use their phones and the internet and the crowd grows by the minute. Getting or giving information which will help make better decisions about a person’s health is a positive outcome of this boom. Its time you got on the band wagon too. Share your e-records with your peers and patients to improve service quality. Improve your productivity by sharing your administrative information and reports with your CA, vendors, pharmacies, pharma companies.
6. Less Chaos: A large setup usually has paper work flowing around the hospital or medical center, usually resulting in a flood. Imagine a place where there is no clutter. A clean and paper reduced office certainly improves the setup outlook. Not to mention more work gets done when you don’t have to sort through and find records.
7. Increased Capacity: A faster records access, storage and retrieval system gives you and your staff more time. It increases efficiency allowing you to spend more time with your patients, and if the word spreads how efficient your setup is, then maybe even see more patients.
8. Do More: Electronic information traditionally allows you to do more with the data you have. Run multiple reports; create informative statistics which help you improve your clinic. Learn how you can improve your business by using resources better. With paper there is only so much data you can sift through. Why work so hard to get what your PC will do for you in seconds. And give it a chance, trust me there are things which you can’t even imagine that your PC might be able to do.
9. Pay Less: Pay less, because what you spend on the becoming IT friendly is certainly less than what you would cumulatively spend on paper, staff, storage and decreased productivity over time.
10. Look Cool: Nice looking software, with some neat PCs, offering efficient service, quality time, and innovative solutions goes a long way in impressing patients. Also with the decreased paper work, the office looks neater and a place you wouldn’t mind spending time at.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Cool Applications for a Doctor’s Website
A website is many things to many people and organizations that have them. A visiting card on the world wide web, a squatting place on the ever connected information highway, a knowledge source for others to learn, and many more definitions come out of the woodwork after all these net enabled years. Today doctors, just like any other professional or organization are interested in getting their own website, either personally or for their clinic/hospital.
So what are the essentials a doctor’s website should have?
Information about you and your setup, degree and professional details, contact information (with a map preferably), information about the services you provide and finally a query form for the curious ones who want to ask a question. Apart from this basic data some doctors have gone a step further and introduced many innovative tools and content on their website. Interactive patient forms, videos and animations, medical calculators that calculate your BMI and what not, forums, blogs, news feeds, etc. These are some of the things you will usually find on a doctor’s website.
So what else is there?
Well the tools and applications need not stop there. More can be achieved on your website by applications and widgets. They can make your website more interactive for the user and offer patients a lot more opportunity to learn, get serviced and interact with you! Some neat ideas can be implemented which can make a world of difference to your site; which from being a lost in the crowd visiting card on the Internet becomes a beacon of light in the chaos.
So tell me more about them?
A very basic need is appointment management, nothing which an Online Scheduler cannot handle. It comes equipped with an interface to fill in your timings as per your availability on a daily basis. It allows patients to take an appointment; which comes to you as an SMS alert. Go online or through your phone accept the appointment or reject it, triggering the appropriate SMS to the patient. It can be interfaced with Plus91 Practice Management Solutions.
Online EMR and e-Bills offers the patient the added benefit of viewing his/her record remotely along with the bill. This allows the patient to travel and still access the records. It also allows them access to download and print bills for insurance reasons at any time. Lastly, it saves the clinic time and the patient the added effort of collecting certain reports which do not need doctor interaction. Create Patient profiles on the website and allows access via a username and password. Upload report documents to the patient profile, SMS alert goes to the patient who can now access them with ease.
E-Prescriptions are the rage in the USA, companies like surescripts have made it into a completely new business model. Travelling patients will indeed be thankful the day you can start this service. There are multiple ideas in at work here.
a. A patient can send a query about a prescription to you via the website interface, which comes to you as a SMS and you can reply from the phone.
b. You can have a small gadget where patient fill in their prescription schedules or you upload from your software, and the website sends SMS reminders to the patient to take the tablet.
c. Lastly and this is big in the USA but not here, is actually sending across prescriptions from your software or the website to your local or requisite pharmacist, eliminating paper and making the prescription tablets harder to get. Now the patient simply goes to the pharmacy and his prescriptions are waiting.
Content Management Systems are present behind websites allowing the user to change the web content over time. A good content management system allows you to add, update, delete and modify various pages and files on the website from a single simple graphical interface. Making your website cool and up to date needs you to have a strong content management system behind it so you don’t waste your time updating information.
Doctor Connect is a simple concept; there are times in the day or in the week where you are relatively free. So why don’t you allow patients or people to interact with you real time without meeting you. You can consider this a stripped down version of telemedicine via your website. Allow users to come to the site and chat with you on a G-talk or other chat engines embedded in your website. They only see you when you are free and can sign in. Take it one step further by allowing them to SMS queries to you from the website.
News Aggregator, start a news aggregator for your field of medicine. This automatically picks up topics related to your field of medicine and shows it one a scrolling news bar, with links to the articles. These are sourced from across the internet from various health and news sites. Now become a single source of news not only for patients but also for your fellow colleagues, at no extra effort or cost from your side.
Map my Clinic, allows you to use the progress technology has made in navigation. Allow the patient or client to send an SMS of his location to a number which in turn comes to your website, here it computes the best case directions to your clinic using external service providers and sends SMS of direction back.
Allow your WAP/GPRS/3G enabled phone to capture and image and send it straight to your website where you can access it for further study or show it in a public gallery for others to see. These may be patient X-ray or chart images, surgery images, images of patient conditions, or just some cool thing you saw and want to share with your patients.
There is much more we can do with a website! I am sure if given an opportunity we can make it much more than just a visiting card on the internet. Coming soon, www.websitefordoctors.in by Plus91
So what are the essentials a doctor’s website should have?
Information about you and your setup, degree and professional details, contact information (with a map preferably), information about the services you provide and finally a query form for the curious ones who want to ask a question. Apart from this basic data some doctors have gone a step further and introduced many innovative tools and content on their website. Interactive patient forms, videos and animations, medical calculators that calculate your BMI and what not, forums, blogs, news feeds, etc. These are some of the things you will usually find on a doctor’s website.
So what else is there?
Well the tools and applications need not stop there. More can be achieved on your website by applications and widgets. They can make your website more interactive for the user and offer patients a lot more opportunity to learn, get serviced and interact with you! Some neat ideas can be implemented which can make a world of difference to your site; which from being a lost in the crowd visiting card on the Internet becomes a beacon of light in the chaos.
So tell me more about them?
A very basic need is appointment management, nothing which an Online Scheduler cannot handle. It comes equipped with an interface to fill in your timings as per your availability on a daily basis. It allows patients to take an appointment; which comes to you as an SMS alert. Go online or through your phone accept the appointment or reject it, triggering the appropriate SMS to the patient. It can be interfaced with Plus91 Practice Management Solutions.
Online EMR and e-Bills offers the patient the added benefit of viewing his/her record remotely along with the bill. This allows the patient to travel and still access the records. It also allows them access to download and print bills for insurance reasons at any time. Lastly, it saves the clinic time and the patient the added effort of collecting certain reports which do not need doctor interaction. Create Patient profiles on the website and allows access via a username and password. Upload report documents to the patient profile, SMS alert goes to the patient who can now access them with ease.
E-Prescriptions are the rage in the USA, companies like surescripts have made it into a completely new business model. Travelling patients will indeed be thankful the day you can start this service. There are multiple ideas in at work here.
a. A patient can send a query about a prescription to you via the website interface, which comes to you as a SMS and you can reply from the phone.
b. You can have a small gadget where patient fill in their prescription schedules or you upload from your software, and the website sends SMS reminders to the patient to take the tablet.
c. Lastly and this is big in the USA but not here, is actually sending across prescriptions from your software or the website to your local or requisite pharmacist, eliminating paper and making the prescription tablets harder to get. Now the patient simply goes to the pharmacy and his prescriptions are waiting.
Content Management Systems are present behind websites allowing the user to change the web content over time. A good content management system allows you to add, update, delete and modify various pages and files on the website from a single simple graphical interface. Making your website cool and up to date needs you to have a strong content management system behind it so you don’t waste your time updating information.
Doctor Connect is a simple concept; there are times in the day or in the week where you are relatively free. So why don’t you allow patients or people to interact with you real time without meeting you. You can consider this a stripped down version of telemedicine via your website. Allow users to come to the site and chat with you on a G-talk or other chat engines embedded in your website. They only see you when you are free and can sign in. Take it one step further by allowing them to SMS queries to you from the website.
News Aggregator, start a news aggregator for your field of medicine. This automatically picks up topics related to your field of medicine and shows it one a scrolling news bar, with links to the articles. These are sourced from across the internet from various health and news sites. Now become a single source of news not only for patients but also for your fellow colleagues, at no extra effort or cost from your side.
Map my Clinic, allows you to use the progress technology has made in navigation. Allow the patient or client to send an SMS of his location to a number which in turn comes to your website, here it computes the best case directions to your clinic using external service providers and sends SMS of direction back.
Allow your WAP/GPRS/3G enabled phone to capture and image and send it straight to your website where you can access it for further study or show it in a public gallery for others to see. These may be patient X-ray or chart images, surgery images, images of patient conditions, or just some cool thing you saw and want to share with your patients.
There is much more we can do with a website! I am sure if given an opportunity we can make it much more than just a visiting card on the internet. Coming soon, www.websitefordoctors.in by Plus91
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Top 10 reasons why doctors say NO
Doctors being in the business they are, are pretty straight forward people. So selling softwares to them can get interesting especially if they are not interested. The healthcare IT and medical software market in India is still very nascent. Doctors are just waking up to the fact that some thing exists. Also the ones who have taken up some softwares usually find themselves using products that do not satisfy their needs. The medical software market is slowly coming to terms with the complex work flows which needs to be displayed for quick entry while the doctor caters to a patient. Hence, there are issues there too which are sorting itself out albeit slowly.
So the top 10 reasons why Doctors say NO to medical softwares in India are:
1. I am not IT savvy and do not want to invest is buying and learning new stuff (Here is a good opportunity to actually make some one realize the potential technology can make)
2. I am too old or old fashioned to invest in a software now (Probably the toughest lot to convince, usually unless you see some hope during your interaction should be left alone)
3. I already have a software and I quite like it (Can be tough to convince if they are in love with their old software, but there are methods to convince especially if your product is better)
4. I bought a software but i wasted time and money, was of no use. (Require to prove your credentials through references, product demo, hand holding. A lot of my conversions have happened from this category)
5. I am not to keen to introduce a software in my work flow, do not have the time (Here its all about your software workflow and convincing power, the aim to prove that once settled this can make you see more patients, if your so inclined to your business we can actually improve it)
6. I do not think the software meet my requirements, I want more/less/something different (Well our paradigm is simple, each doctor is his own boss so they tend to want it their way, so how do we make this feasible, by letting our technology let us develop and modify quickly, so usually we say yes we can)
7. I do not want to meet you, as I am not interested (This is a tough one, because unless I can talk or show my demo its a zero percent chance, usually we leave behind video demos, brochures or cards, for later reference)
8. I prefer the cheaper or free option I am getting from my relative/pharma company/local provider. (Show them a feature, ease of use and cost benefit analysis vis a vis your product. Also offer them pre-determined discounts showing you care and understand where they come from. But keep a base level beyond which you do not compromise,tell them they have to pay for better quality and service. Show them you are better and confident about it, with respect comes a change of heart, well sometimes)
9. I like to use my writing pad (Tablet PCs, intelligent forms and voice transcription are here, and they are getting cheaper, pretty soon I know my company is going to render this excuse obsolete)
10. I do not have a PC (Offer them good deals through your vendor, hand hold them initially in case you see a glimmer of hope, because if they like you first time, they are your customer for life)
So the top 10 reasons why Doctors say NO to medical softwares in India are:
1. I am not IT savvy and do not want to invest is buying and learning new stuff (Here is a good opportunity to actually make some one realize the potential technology can make)
2. I am too old or old fashioned to invest in a software now (Probably the toughest lot to convince, usually unless you see some hope during your interaction should be left alone)
3. I already have a software and I quite like it (Can be tough to convince if they are in love with their old software, but there are methods to convince especially if your product is better)
4. I bought a software but i wasted time and money, was of no use. (Require to prove your credentials through references, product demo, hand holding. A lot of my conversions have happened from this category)
5. I am not to keen to introduce a software in my work flow, do not have the time (Here its all about your software workflow and convincing power, the aim to prove that once settled this can make you see more patients, if your so inclined to your business we can actually improve it)
6. I do not think the software meet my requirements, I want more/less/something different (Well our paradigm is simple, each doctor is his own boss so they tend to want it their way, so how do we make this feasible, by letting our technology let us develop and modify quickly, so usually we say yes we can)
7. I do not want to meet you, as I am not interested (This is a tough one, because unless I can talk or show my demo its a zero percent chance, usually we leave behind video demos, brochures or cards, for later reference)
8. I prefer the cheaper or free option I am getting from my relative/pharma company/local provider. (Show them a feature, ease of use and cost benefit analysis vis a vis your product. Also offer them pre-determined discounts showing you care and understand where they come from. But keep a base level beyond which you do not compromise,tell them they have to pay for better quality and service. Show them you are better and confident about it, with respect comes a change of heart, well sometimes)
9. I like to use my writing pad (Tablet PCs, intelligent forms and voice transcription are here, and they are getting cheaper, pretty soon I know my company is going to render this excuse obsolete)
10. I do not have a PC (Offer them good deals through your vendor, hand hold them initially in case you see a glimmer of hope, because if they like you first time, they are your customer for life)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Technology and Doctors in India: The love hate game
When a transition starts it’s always said to be a confusing and muddled place. In the Indian medical sector as technology and healthcare begin to mix in India at a grass root level this is seen by the demands and concerns doctors have in accepting technology.
Over the last 3 years I have had a pleasure of meeting a whole range of doctors, from various cities and expertise in multiple disciplines. I make and sell softwares to Indian Doctors. Without delving too much into the products they are simple, process oriented and with a lot of value-adds. So should I be selling well in this unstructured and nascent market? The answer is not really, the reason is the transition. As doctors come to grips with the fact that technology is now not replacing them but making them adhere to a new set of rules and processes which they never have followed before they resist accepting it.
A large part of the blame also falls on the original providers of software, a lot of it was not from the point of view of the doctor. Bulky and cumbersome process took away time from the doctors core business interest his patient. So whatever the software needed to do, it needed it to be done seamlessly and easily. Today with hardware and also software technologies this problem is finally being overcome. But the doctors, now once bitten are twice shy.
The second issue is that the Medical domain is a one of grey heads, ie the major professionals who can or require to invest in a software today are 35 and above. The younger lot is still studying or working in public/private hospitals where decision making is still not upto them. So largely, we are dealing with a set of doctors in India who aren’t exactly tech savvy. This does hurt the numbers in the overall scheme of things. Though it is not the 100% rule, it does take away sizeable chunk of the population. However there are ways and means in overcome this problem. Doctors are after all people and people like to put their noses everywhere, especially if it benefits them.
Today, about 3 years into my business I have formulated some game plans to counter the usual reasons for not going ahead for IT enabling one’s setup. For hospitals, chains or even polyclinic where there is management involved it far easier. The real challenge lies in convincing 400000 doctors who run clinics and small practices in India. Whoever convinces them first gets a big bonanza, because mind you once this lot starts they will not stop. Trust me, I’ve lived with two doctors all my life.
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