PMA & EDI Comparison Tools

Practice management software (PMS) is a category of software that deals with the day-to-day operations of a medical practice. Such software frequently allows users to capture patient demographics, schedule appointments, maintain lists of insurance payers, perform billing tasks, and generate reports.

Yes, there are vast differences between the PMA products available to the South African healthcare industry. These differences are mainly technical differences but also include differences in pricing (fixed and variable charges), hardware requirements, specifications and feature levels, integration with EDI companies as well as third party integration and the ability of products to be used with certain healthcare professions and specialities.

The fees payable to the developers of Practice Management Applications vary as much as the costs associated with buying a motor vehicle. Some developers charge larger initial fees when the software is purchased, which results in lower monthly license fees, while other developers may charge lower initial fees with higher monthly license fees but may include technical support as part of the package.

When selecting a Practice Management Application it is very important to select an application that suites the technical as well as cash flow needs of your practice. Before going with the first available product, first obtain a detail quote and conclude on whether paying a larger initial purchase fee with lower monthly costs or a lower initial purchase fee with higher monthly costs best suite your cash flow forecasts.

It is also very important to note that some developers may already have included monthly technical support fees as part of your monthly license fees and others may not. When comparing the monthly costs of products ensure that you are comparing total variable monthly costs which include support and licensing fees.

The costs associated with the purchase of a new Practice Management Application can be divided into 2 categories:

1. Fixed Costs:

   The initial costs associated with the purchase of a PMA, which are payable as a once-off payment to the developer. This may include software as well as data conversion costs from your old PMA.

2. Variable Costs:

   Variable costs generally consist of licensing and support fees and are payable on a monthly basis.

Obtaining the right Practice Management Application, along with obtaining the right EDI product, is one of the most important investments that can be made by a healthcare practitioner. The PMA represents the core of a healthcare business and has a direct impact on the most important financial cycle - sales and receivables.

The sole revenue stream of a healthcare practice is the consultation of patients by practitioners and the realisation thereof to revenue through the submission of claims to medical schemes or the billing thereof to the patient. The billing process is directly affected by the ability and the claims processing efficiency of the PMA. In the event that integration between the PMA and the EDI is not optimal or the claiming process as managed through the PMA is not optimised for the nature of the practitioner's business, delays will occur in accounting for revenue.

The right Practice Management Application will speed up claims processing and the management of debtors. Many of the new PMA products currently available to the South African healthcare industry have been developed and expanded with the sole purpose to save practitioners time and money. Features such as electronic diaries, patient folders, recurring consultations and instant claiming are but a few features designed to assist practitioners in managing their practices.

Financial aging has also been expanded to help practitioners manage bad debt and improve cash flow forecasts through the realisation of accounts receivable to cash flow.

For a detail assessment surrounding the products of the developers associated with Medical Practice Consulting, please refer to the PMA comparison tool through registering a profile. Please note that registering a profile as well as the use of the PMA comparison tool is free of charge to all registered healthcare professionals.

No. It is very important to select a Practice Management Application that is supported by your current Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) supplier or medical Switching Company. Purchasing a PMA that is not integrated with your current EDI/Switching company will result in an accumulation of claims and have an adverse effect on the revenue as well as realisation of patient accounts to positive cash flow, as integration may be impossible.

For a detailed assessment surrounding the EDI/Switching products that are compatible with the PMA products currently available, please refer to the PMA comparison tool through registering a profile. Please note that registering a profile as well as the use of the PMA comparison tool is free of charge to all registered healthcare professionals.

No, certain developers supply products to selected medical professions and selected specialities.

For a detailed assessment for which PMA products are compatible with your medical profession and speciality, please refer to the PMA comparison tool through registering a profile. Please note that registering a profile as well as the use of the PMA comparison tool is free of charge to all registered healthcare professionals.

No, not all PMA products supply full audit trails that can be used as a sufficient financial system.

For a detail assessment of PMA products that can be used as a financial sub system and that provide an audit trial, please refer to the PMA comparison tool through registering a profile. Please note that registering a profile as well as the use of the PMA comparison tool is free of charge to all registered healthcare professionals.

Most PMA companies allow for the transfer of existing patient data from one system to the other. Patient names, medical scheme information, demographic data and dependent information can usually be copied to your new PMA database but the transfer of financial information and transactions is not recommended.

It is very important to note that care should be taken when selecting a PMA and that the selection should be based on your specific needs. No two individual's needs are the same and neither are the specifications of any two PMA products.

For assistance in obtaining a PMA product that best suit your individual needs, please complete the PMA questionnaire which can be obtained from the PMA comparison tool. Please note that registering a profile as well as the use of the PMA comparison tool is free of charge to all registered healthcare professionals.

In 2000 Microsoft^® declared DOS - based systems as obsolete and that Microsoft^® would no longer support DOS - based software products. This had resulted in much higher data management as well as data recovery costs for all users of DOS - based software and all DOS - based PMA products are only maintained by software owners but no longer developed.

For an assessment of Windows based PMA products available to the South African healthcare industry, please refer to the PMA comparison tool through registering a profile. Please note that registering a profile as well as the use of the PMA comparison tool is free of charge to all registered healthcare professionals.