Software
Purpose of this guide
eHealth is an important concept that will simplify record management and facilitate communication between health practitioners.* To assist APS members make the best use of the technology available to them, the APS has reviewed a number of practice management software packages available in Australia that would be appropriate for the psychologist in a sole or group practice. Such packages may reduce the need for a variety of software applications and prepare psychologists for the transition to eHealth.
Many psychologists already use a variety of applications software such as word processing, spreadsheets and accounting packages to meet the variety of their private practice requirements. Increasingly, psychologists are choosing to adopt more complex practice management software. One of the key considerations in moving to an eHealth environment is compliance to national eHealth standards; that is, ensuring the appropriate level of security when transmitting patient information by using hardware and software that meets government industry standards. Access to eHealth‑compliant practice management software, for example, is required for psychologists to be able to communicate with other health providers using the My Health Record (previously known as the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record, PCEHR).
Process of developing this guide
The APS Professional Practice team investigated software packages designed for, or compatible with the needs of psychologists in private practice. Some of the software packages came to the attention of the APS via members. Other software providers were identified as members of the Medical Software Industry Association (MSIA) and were contacted, enquiring whether they had software appropriate for psychologists in private practice. A number of providers contacted the APS and a demonstration of the software packages was requested from each software provider. The APS then developed a list of software features required by psychologists in private practice and each software package was reviewed with these in mind.
Contents of this guide
The guide contains:
• A list of the software packages reviewed and the industry provider.
• A tabulated list of the APS nominated features of software applicable to a psychology practice, and an indication as to whether each package includes these features.
• A brief description of the areas important for psychologists to be aware of when considering software packages and IT solutions for their private practice.
The software packages have been reviewed against the list of features developed by the APS. Neither the list of software packages reviewed, nor the list of features recommended, are exhaustive. The aim of this guide is simply a resource for APS members to consider when choosing to implement or change the software utilised in their private practice. Members are strongly encouraged to also make their own thorough enquiries when choosing to implement a software package in their private practice.
* For a fuller explanation of the current context of eHealth and electronic facilities see the eHealth section of the APS website www.psychology.org.au/practitioner/ehealth
and: http://nehta.gov.au/get-started-with-ehealth/what-is-ehealth/who-is-using-ehealth/software-products-using-ehealth
Software
The list of software and providers reviewed is in alphabetical order, not in order
of preference
Product Name: CleverPsych
Website: www.cleverpsych.com.au
Contact: Sonia Simons
Phone: 0418 112 593
Software Type: Desktop
Product Name: Cliniko
Website: www.cliniko.com.au
Contact: Joel Friedlaender
Phone: 1800 987 645
Software Type: Web‑based
Product name: coreplus
Intracore Online Solutions Pty Ltd
Website: www.coreplus.com.au Contact: Steven Whittington
Phone: 1300 668 988
Software type: Web‑based
Product name: Cutting Edge Software
Website: www.cesoft.com.au Contact: Lee Shayler
Phone: 0410 578 210
Software type: Web‑based
Product Name: Direct CONTROL
Website: www.directcontrol.com.au Contact: Robyn Peters
Phone: 0427 493 192
Software Type: Desktop and web‑based
Product name: eReferral
SecureDome Pty Ltd
Website: www.securedome.com Contact: Zoran Ovuka
Phone: 0412 780 009
Product name: Front Desk Practice Management System
Smartsoft Pty Ltd
Website: www.smartsoft.com.au Contact: Business Care
Phone: 1800 181 820
Software type: Desktop and web‑based
Product name: Genie
Genie Solutions Pty Ltd
Website: www.Geniesolutions.com.au Contact: Sales
Phone: (07) 3870 4085
Software type: Desktop
Product Name: Health Kit
Website: www.healthkit.com Contact: Alison Hardacre
Phone: 1800 984 334
Software Type: Web‑based
Product name: Master Care MHAGIC
Global Health
Website: www.global‑health.com/mhagic Contact: Kye Cherian
Phone: 1300 723 938
Software type: Desktop
Product name: MED4i
JAM Software Pty Ltd
Website: www.JAMsoft.com.au Contact: Anthony Zavaglia
Phone: (02) 9799 1888
Software type: Desktop and remote desktop
Product name: MyClientDiary – Practice Management Software
Newdor Consultancy Pty Ltd
Website: www.myclientdiary.com Contact: Geoff Gordon
Phone: (02) 8313 9397 or 0413 619 993
Product name: NetPsych Practice Management Solution
NetworkLogic Health Systems Solutions
Website: www.networklogic.com.au
Contact: Gabriella Di Lorenzo
Phone: 1300 763 226
Software type: Desktop and remote
Product Name: Power Diary
Website: www.powerdiary.com.au
Contact: Damien Adler
Phone: 1300 755 184
Software Type: Web‑based
Product Name: PP/INFO V6, Apex IT Pty Ltd
Website: www.ppinfo.com.au
Contact: Reneta Sanderson
Phone: (02) 9712 0600
Software Type: Desktop
Product name: PPMP®
Professional Practice Management Program
Website: www.ppmp.com.au Contact: Matt Kemp
Phone: 1300 784 908
Software type: Desktop and remote
Identified components of the software
Table 1 refers to a selection of software features that, at this stage, seem to be the most relevant for psychologists in private practice. This list is not an exhaustive one and does not represent all of the features available for each software program. A discussion of some of these components and others relevant to psychologists in private practice follows Table 1.
Table 1:
Some relevant features included in the software programs reviewed.
Featur es r elevant to psychologists Clever Psych Cliniko cor eplus Cutting Edge Dir ect Contr ol eReferral Fr ont Desk Genie Health Kit MasterCar e MHAGIC MED4i My Client Diary NetPsych Power Diary PP/INFO V6 PPMP
1. Appointment scheduler Scalable to suit any sized practice
✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Multiple site appointment scheduling
✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Daily , weekly , practitioner , location views ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Dif fer
ent appointment lengths
✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Colour coded appointment types
✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Move, delete, copy & cancel appointments
✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Sear ch featur es for appointments ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 2. Client r ecor
ds and data administration
Letters
‑ User definable templates
✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Separate ar
eas for each psychologist
✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Report generation ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Recor
ding and graphing of statistical info
✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ some ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ graph ✓ can output to spreadsheet format
✓
✓
✓
✓
Connect to electr
onic patient handouts
✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Post codes database
✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Can use billing items/type of appointment
✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ SMS or email r eminders to patients ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ A detailed patient r ecor
d and data bases
✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Maintain r eferr
er information and type
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Encryption of documents and r
eports Disk based ? ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ some ? ✓ next r elease ✗ Secur e messaging Limited ? Partial ✗ ✗ Limited ✗ ✓ ✗ Expanding connectivity Limited Next r elease ✗ Argus provided thr ough W or d plugin next r elease ✗
3. Billing options Invoicing and r
eceipts ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Options for details of private health funds, Medicar
e items etc ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Healthfund only ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ and next r elease ✓
Ability to support electr
onic billing including
Medicar
e, DV
A, etc. as well as private
health funds Medicar e only ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ V7 due 2015 ✓ Contacts database/addr ess book ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
A variety of practice, financial, management & statistical r
eports ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓ ✓
Featur es r elevant to psychologists Clever Psych Cliniko cor eplus Cutting Edge Dir ect Contr ol eReferral Fr ont Desk Genie Health Kit MasterCar e MHAGIC MED4i My Client Diary NetPsych Power Diary PP/INFO V6 PPMP 4. Har dwar e Requir ements: Compatibility W indows PC ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Br owser based ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Mac ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ Can if
emulating Windows envir onment ✓ W eb based version W ith W indows VM or hosted ✓ Br owser based ✗ ✓ ✓ Can if
emulating Windows envir
onment ✓ (via V irtualisation Softwar e) Single user ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Multi ‑user (network) ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 5. Softwar e Package Receive softwar e updates ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ * ✓ ✓ ✓
Time delay explanations of buttons
✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ Some ✓ ✓ Some ✗ Ye s ✓ ✓ ✗ Dr
op down menu windows
✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ W eb ‑based softwar e ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ Add on featur e ✓ ✓
Hosted/ Data available over broadband
✓ ✗ ✓ next version ✓ PC based softwar e ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ Automated backup File backup ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Network version ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Demonstrations available Demo + videos ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 7. Focus of System Allied health Allied health Allied health Allied health All health Psych/Med Allied Health Medical All health Psych All health Psych Psych Allied health Psych Allied health
Note: Psych = Psychology
, Med = Medical or Specialists
1. Appointment scheduler
An appointment scheduler for psychologists must be scalable to suit any sized practice. Psychologists work in a variety of settings including the sole practitioner and large group practices, thus the software of choice should cater for a range of needs, including having sections for each individual psychologist and an option for unlimited practitioners. Multiple site appointment scheduling is useful for those who work from a number of locations.
Viewing appointments or diary entries must be clear and simple. Often software has colour codes, symbols or descriptions available that provide easy identification of the client and type of consultation (e.g., assessment, organisational consultation). In addition, psychologists may need to vary their consultation times depending on the client and as such flexible scheduling such as length of time, cancelling, rescheduling or deleting appointments is helpful to keep a psychologist’s diary up to date.
Search features associated with client details are useful tools allowing psychologists to easily access client information such as referrer’s details, client, payment and appointment history.
2. Client records and data administration
A detailed client records database is essential for any psychologist in private practice. Managing private and confidential information such as contact details, personal Medicare information, reasons for referral, referrer’s information and payment details must be easily accessible and simple to use for psychologists.
Psychologists often undertake written communication with referrers or external bodies, therefore a client database that links to letter or report templates can be very useful in reducing the time required to complete any external communication.
Some software can also provide options for reminding clients of appointments by generating automatic mobile text messaging or emails to clients who have appointments scheduled.
Certain software packages also provide options for connecting electronic client handouts to client files, and can generate reports and information for individual clients or the client population on information including payments, lengths of session and reasons for referral. The electronic development of reports and graphing of statistical information can be very useful in determining the demographics and psychological profiles of a member’s client population. The issues of confidentiality and data protection are critical in the electronic era. Some encryption software is available for reports and client files.
3. Secure Messaging Delivery (SMD) and interoperability
Privacy of patient information is fast emerging as an area of concern for the general public. In response, the Australian Government is progressively strengthening the protection around disclosure of personal information.
SMD is a set of specifications developed collaboratively by the eHealth community and driven by the National E‑Health Transition Authority (NEHTA), Australian Federal and State Governments, Standards Australia, software vendors and secure messaging service providers. This set of specifications defines an approach to secure communication using widely supported IT industry standards.
The SMD specifications support the secure delivery of messages containing clinical documents and/or other information between healthcare organisations, either directly or through one or more messaging service providers.
Ensuring secure messaging delivery (SMD) should be a priority for all psychologists. However, a 2015 survey of APS members indicated there is a relatively low uptake of SMD among the profession. Only 6% of members in private practice reported using SMD, while a significant proportion of members (36%) reported that they are still using non‑secure messaging by email or fax.
It is important to recognise that secure messaging systems have developed, in many instances, quite independently of practice management software. Three of the major SMD providers used by GPs, for instance, are not connected with practice management software.
One of the major problems with secure messaging delivery is that software developers have been reluctant to allow other message delivery systems to interface with their own system. This interface is referred to as ‘interoperability’, which means that if the receiver of a secure message does not have the sender’s software on their computer, they cannot open its secure message. Some product developers have made reasonable progress with interoperability but no product currently on the market has total access to all secure messaging systems.
4. Billing options
Accurately invoicing, receipting and managing funds is clearly of great importance for the effective
management of a private practice. Software for psychologists must include flexible invoicing and receipting in order to cater for the many needs of psychologists such as different types of consultations, Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Items and Medicare Australia Provider numbers.
In addition, software that caters for online billing to private health insurers and that can connect to eftpos and credit card facilities simplifies management of funds within a private practice. A client database that interfaces with the billing functions of software packages allows psychologists to simply generate accurate invoices and receipts and track outstanding invoices.
Some software packages are able to generate a variety of practice, financial and statistical reports which ensures psychologists can easily track the financial income and expenses of their practice, calculate relevant GST and manage bank accounts more simply.
5. Hardware requirements
The hardware requirements for each software package reviewed varied greatly depending on the features of the software and the number of users. Psychologists should expect to have a reasonably up‑to‑date computer that is Microsoft or Apple compatible, with access to the internet. Each supplier will be able to provide specific information on recommended computer hardware requirements. If the internet is heavily relied upon for access, a broadband connection is recommended.
6. Software Package
It is helpful for psychologists to receive a demonstration of the software they are interested in purchasing. This allows the psychologist to navigate their own way through the requirements that are most appropriate for their practice and provides opportunity to contact the software company with questions prior to purchasing the software. It is useful to enquire whether the cost of the software program includes software updates, training and online or phone support. Also, some software packages are modular based which allows the psychologist to purchase only the relevant sections of the software that would be useful for the needs of the practice. Automated back‑up is a helpful option for psychologists who do not have time to manually back‑up their data on a daily basis.
Personal preference is highly important in determining which software packages suit the individual psychologist. Some software packages have time delay buttons that explain each button on the desktop, others have drop‑down menu windows
7. Cost
The cost of software packages varies greatly depending on a number of issues including, but not limited to the number of software licences required, additional workstations, remote or clinic networking, the number of advanced features and any additional requirements the psychologists may need such as support or data transference.
The cost variations generally reflect increased options and the degree of complexity and sophistication of the product. Psychologists are advised to consider both what they are prepared to pay, as well as their practice requirements, in determining what product best meets their needs.
8. Focus of System
Some of the software reviewed has been specifically developed for psychologists in private practice while others have been specialist or medical software programs that have been adapted to suit a psychology practice. Reference to these programs is provided in Table 1. This is not reported as a negative or positive element but rather simply to ensure members are aware of the overall character of the product. All have been adapted to attend to the needs of psychologists.
9. Web‑based versus PC‑based
Some of the products considered as part of this report, are ‘online’ applications.
Benefits of web-based technology:
• Accessible from anywhere there is an internet connection (i.e. different rooms/offices) • Product is easily supported by the product supplier
• Upgrades and maintenance (including back‑ups), are managed by the supplier and are immediate • Remote telephone answering and appointment booking
Limitations of web-based applications
• Reliance on internet connectivity (broken internet = no software package) • Reliance on the IT infrastructure and system
• Security risks need to be considered.
Other considerations
Privacy and cloud computing
All psychologists need to be aware that practice management systems that utilise cloud computing must comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and other government legislation for the storage and transmission of personal information. Where psychologists are unsure about whether components of their software package and/or SMD use cloud storage they should check with their supplier as well as ascertaining its APP compliance. An APS August 2014 Inpsych article provides some guidance on this issue ‘How to: Navigate the world of online practice management systems and cloud computing’:
https://www.psychology.org.au/Content.aspx?ID=5962
Back-ups – Data back‑ups should be undertaken at regular scheduled intervals, usually each service day, and
verified for success. Having an uncompromising schedule of back‑up safeguards a practice for any unforeseen IT malfunctions, and aids in implementing a disaster recovery policy within a practice. This is not an issue for the web‑based systems as long as the user saves constantly.
Security – Security is becoming increasingly important for hardcopy material and electronic communications.
Hardcopy and electronic confidential information require different types of security systems to ensure business and client information is kept safe and members meet ethical and legislative requirements including the Federal Privacy Act and State or Territory Health Records Act.
The various packages have different ways of handling this issue. All of them are secure to some extent and all of them at least as secure as a locked filing cabinet. However, a number of the software packages offer encryption software as an option. This means that practice data is coded in a manner that only someone with a practice‑specific password can access and decode the files. This is normally an extra feature, and therefore would incur an extra cost.
If a psychologist’s practice software does not include security features some additional ways to manage electronic security are: create pdfs of reports; password protect documents and the computer; ensure restricted access to practice IT; and keep antivirus and anti‑spyware software up to date. Additional information regarding privacy is available for APS members from the Privacy Resources page of the APS website www.psychology.org.au.
Support – As certain software providers will only provide support for software‑related problems, it is useful
for members to develop a relationship with a local IT support consultant who will be able to assist them with general IT and hardware‑ based issues onsite. Also, where psychologists are not confident in their computer or IT skills and believe they require additional software support they should consider developing a personal software support contract with their provider.
For further information:
Professional Advisory Service Phone: (03) 8662 3308
Email: [email protected]
