Clinic management software buyers guide: your essential checklist

Finding the right clinic management software to support your growing practice is no easy task. 

Whether you’re just getting started with practice management software or looking to upgrade to a new, more effective provider, there’s a lot to think about and discover, such as:

• What you need to look for
• The benefits you should expect
• The pitfalls you might need to be wary of. 

If you’ve already considered software to help you streamline processes, automate tasks and reduce your admin, then you’ll be looking for help to make the right choice.

If you’ve realised you’re overwhelmed with admin and need support, you’ll want a quick, simple way to make the right decision. You’ll want to make sure you’ve considered all your options carefully. You’ll want to know you’ve checked all the pros and cons, weighed up all the features and done your homework. 

You’ll want to find the best clinic management software for your business… 

…which is why we’ve created this essential checklist. 

Our simple, handy checklist is designed to help you and your team make the right choice for your practice. 

1. Make sure you need clinic management software ✅ 

Is new practice management software a nice to have or a must have? Look out for the key signs you need help in your clinic. Whether you’re installing a platform for the first time or upgrading your existing systems, you’ll need clinic management software if you’re: 

• Overwhelmed with admin 
• Struggling to keep track of appointments and reminders
• Seeing too many double bookings 
• Getting too many missed appointments
• Still using paper consent forms and medical history questionnaires 
• Not collecting payments on time
• Unable to find the data or paperwork you need 
• Hearing staff complaining of high workloads 
• Finding your current system slows you down  
• Too busy to grow your clinic

If any of the above apply, it’s time to think seriously about new clinic management software.

2. Decide what key features you need✅ 

What do you want from your clinic management software? Ideally any systems and software that you’re looking at for your clinic should give you and your team the ability to: 

• Keep client records digitally
• Book appointments online 
• Schedule treatment rooms, staff and equipment
• Automate reminders and recalls 
• Store key medical history and consent forms
• Manage invoices, stock and aftercare 
• Process deposits and payments
• Comply with data protection and security 
• Report on all clinic metrics 
• Communicate with existing clients 
• Capture before and after images 
• Market your clinic with promotions and referral programs 
• Integrate with existing workflows
• Access via mobile/tablet app 

Select all that apply, and prioritise those which are most important to your practice. 

3. Do you need any specialist medical features for your clinic? ✅ 

If your clinic provides any medical treatments, you might need your practice management software to have additional features like: 

• Customisable patient journeys
• Integrated referrals
• Built in lab test results 
• Prescription sharing functionality 
• Image annotations

4. Look for the most suitable providers ✅ 

When you know what your software must have, you can start looking for suitable providers. Before you make a choice, make sure you:

• Search Google for key terms or specific features you need
• Visit trade shows relevant to your industry 
• Look through industry journals and publications 
• Check out software review sites like G2 and Capterra
• Ask colleagues for recommendations 
• See what your competitors are using 

5. Put your shortlist through its paces ✅ 

In order make sure clinic management software is suitable for your clinic, you need to test and review, so: 

• Take a demo 
• Ask sales reps key questions
• Try it out yourself 
• Check user reviews
• Ask for your team’s input 
• Look out for hidden costs or account limitations 
• Make sure it meets all your priorities.

6. Finally, double check your chosen clinic management software can deliver ✅ 

Before you sign off on your preferred new clinic management software, it’s worth reflecting on everything you’ve learned to be absolutely certain it ticks every box and can help you transform all your practice management, exactly the way you want: 

• Is it easy to set up and easy to use? 
• Can it do everything you need it to? 
• Does it support your existing workflows? 
• Can you access and use it from your phone / tablet? 
• Is good customer support available? 
• Is all your data safe and secure? 
• Does it reduce or eliminate those management pain points? 
• Does it reduce your time spent on admin? 
• Does it deliver a better experience for your clients?

All ticks? You’ve found the perfect management software for your clinic.

Pabau’s practice management software ticks all your boxes 

Designed specifically for practices like yours, Pabau’s all-in-one practice management software is packed with a wealth of features to help you reduce admin, automate tasks, minimise effort, save time and increase your revenue. Why not take a look? 

See how it works