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Why learning new software is like joining a gym

As Summer edges closer, a new swarm of people flood the treadmills, aerobics classes and weight machines of local gyms. Joining a gym is largely popular as we leave the colder months behind and want to feel fitter, healthier and happier! The problem is, with the end of the year and the holiday season up ahead, temptation to have a break kicks in and the gyms are deserted — only the few who persevere remain.

The more I thought about this, the more it dawned on me that learning a new software is like joining a gym. The reason you even signed up and downloaded the new software is because you’re ready for a change — whether that’s for a more streamlined workflow or a scalable system capable of empowering your fast growing business. For medical practitioners, adopting a different digital system could transform your private practice and equip your staff to better care for patients. Are you ready to make the switch?

 

Assessing cost vs. value 

Whether it’s a new gym or software, you’re likely to compare costs vs. value before you sign up. You want to be clear on upfront vs. ongoing costs.

Many medical practices are now choosing cloud-based medical practice management software because it lets them shed the ongoing expenses and inefficiencies of onsite or remote servers as well as lowering upfront costs. By opting for subscription-based software, clinics have the ability to amend their payment plans as they grow based on staff and doctor numbers, proving to be a much more cost-effective solution that is easily scalable.

 

Adopting the right mentality

The truth is making a big change is difficult. For new gym goers, everything seems unfamiliar — which machines, exercise, which muscles and what’s the etiquette?

This reaction is not too dissimilar in moving to cloud-based healthcare practice management software. You’re wondering exactly how the new features work, which tasks are performed by the clinical software and how to implement these across the practice without disrupting staff and patient experience. There are a two key points to keep in mind during the early days:

Allow time for transition

Learning a new software is a marathon, not a sprint. Like a sustainable gym routine, it often takes time to fully settle into new systems. Like some gyms, it's possible to trial the software before starting to use it to get a feel of what to expect.

The most time consuming and labour intensive parts of the transition are likely to be bringing your whole team onboard and adapting to new workflows. By allowing time for staff to learn about the software before use and setting up a process for adoption, you can turn yourself and your team into expert users over time.

Asking for help

Anyone on their fitness journey will tell you motivation doesn’t come easy and sometimes you need external support. Personal trainers are the go to people at every gym who’ve got a handle on how you can best achieve your goals. They’ll be able to help you find the rhythm and routines that work for you — and before long, it begins to feel natural.

When it comes to healthcare practice management software, your software specialists are the people to call. Most software on the market, including our own, come with training modules to equip specialists and support staff. In addition, our product team is also available and able to answer any curlier questions.

 

Pushing through the pain

The temptation with a big learning curve is to slip back into old habits when things get harder. After the excitement of a new fitness routine fades, the gym begins to look less appealing  — it becomes harder to get up and going. Missing the odd gym workout is a slippery slope, as you'll soon notice that you start to miss many more.

However, at this point, it’s crucial to keep remembering why you started — you saw a need and an opportunity, and you took the leap of faith and made a change. Often, the words “we’ve always done it that way” can be the most costly to your business and your own health. Gym goers know the benefits of regular exercise, just as innovative practices know the efficient and cost saving measures of a reliable practice management software.

Practitioners using spreadsheets to manually reconcile transactions spend large amounts of time on accounting functions. With Clinic to Cloud, invoices are automatically reconciled and sent directly to Xero without the need of any practice staff involvement. Less time and money wasted, more time and resources to provide excellent patient care.

At the end of the day, patients are also tech savvy and want to communicate with you in the means they’re most comfortable with. Depending on the functionality of your chosen software, patients can access their information (subject to allowance from the practice) in the cloud too. This communication with the patient is a new frontier, providing a better standard of care.

 

Seeing the results

Gym goers will eventually see an increase in their overall fitness level as they push through the initial strains on their body. Similarly, practices adopting a new practice management software will see tangible benefits for their business with time.

Improvements on efficiency will see more resources for patient care. Access to data on the cloud gives both practitioners and patients mobility and better patient health outcomes. A flexible subscription solution will mean that when your needs change, it’s easy to upgrade, downgrade or change subscriptions.

 

Over to you

The key to making a successful change is all in adopting the right mentality, preparing for challenges and remembering why you started. This is true for gym memberships, new software, the cloud and a whole lot more. 

For medical specialists opening a new practice, there are lots of decisions to be made alongside choosing a practice management software. We’ve put together a handy guide to walk you through the steps you need to take to set up your own medical practice.

 

Set up your private practice ebook

Clinic to Cloud does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for independent professional advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. See the Clinic to Cloud Disclaimer for further information.

Ready to transform your medical practice?
Rafael Niesten
I look after the day to day aspect of all things Clinic to Cloud, and enjoy working with our team to ensure we have the happiest clients in the world. In my spare time, I'm usually riding my bike, doing stand up comedy, jamming with my guitar or hanging out with my two girls.