Practice manager or Pabau? The real value of practice management software

What is it and why is it important to use practice management software?

Practice management software gives you the freedom and functionality to automate many of the tasks that would otherwise be handled by a practice manager or clinic staff. 

That way, you can free up your team’s time for other more important roles – like treating patients, instead of dealing with admin. 

Benefits of practice management software: 

• Automated tasks – Streamline and automate repetitive tasks like appointment scheduling, invoicing, information requests, booking reminders and treatment follow-ups to save time and reduce manual errors
• Reduced paperwork – Ditch the filing cabinets and complicated paper forms and save hours of admin work every week by going digital
• Easy file access – Find the patient records you need quickly and efficiently, pulling up medical histories in seconds to improve your quality of care and streamline communication
• Comprehensive performance reporting – Get instant overviews of every aspect of your clinic, from product sales to treatments booked, and uncover an accurate understanding of your current and predicted revenue
• Clear management insights – Uncover the patterns and trends of your practice operations to see how productive staff are, what treatments and services are most effective and where improvements need to be made. 

This is just a snapshot of the benefits you could expect from practice management software – our definitive guide shares six more real benefits for your clinic. 

But what about a practice manager? What could they bring to the table?

While practice management software is absolutely invaluable to the smooth and efficient operations of any clinic – big or small – could it replace an actual person? 

A practice manager is usually responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the practice, which can include managing staff, scheduling appointments, and handling financial tasks. They’re all tasks that can be handled by software. 

But a practice manager liaises with staff, making sure everyone is on the same page, happy and satisfied in their role. They bring additional value and insight to the way a clinic is run.

Benefits of a practice manager: 

• Real-world experience – Hiring someone who’s worked in clinics and knows how to run a busy practice brings real-world experience into your set-up. They provide a valuable perspective on your practice’s operations, making recommendations for improvements and identifying areas where the practice can be more efficient based on similar challenges and problems they’ve addressed previously.
• A problem solving ability – If you are running into operational snags, a practice manager can help resolve those issues and suggest new changes. Their critical thinking, coupled with their previous experience, can help fix problems before you even know about them. 
• The human touch – Your practice will always have clients visiting in person, and a  practice manager is someone who can interact with patients and staff in a way that software can’t – even if you have a personalised patient journey. A practice manager offers that personal touch to keep staff motivated and promotes a positive, welcoming environment for clients.
• Instant flexibility – Nothing stays the same for long in the healthcare industry, and in a busy clinic environment, there will always be new hurdles to overcome and new problems that need resolving immediately. A practice manager can think critically and act on the spot, changing procedures and processes to match any given moment or implementing new technologies and workflows to make life easier.
• On the ground leadership – That industry insight and real-world adaptability makes a practice manager an invaluable leader for your business. They’re someone on the ground, in your clinic every day, supporting and encouraging your team, improving coordination and driving your success. 

So should I hire a practice manager or get practice management software? 

Hiring a practice manager is an ideal way to get valuable perspective on your clinic’s operations. They will help make sure that every part of your practice is running smoothly, implementing new processes, addressing challenges and staying on top of all your team. 

Practice management software can do much of that too. It automates many of the tasks that would otherwise be handled by a practice manager. It provides valuable insights into how you run your clinic, it implements new, streamlined processes and it delivers oversight of your team’s productivity.

But you’ll need someone to interpret reports and insights, someone to set up and guide your software to do the tasks you want it to. That could be you, as owner operator, or it could be your practice manager. 

Your practice manager will need something to help them run your clinic too, whichever way they choose to approach it. They’ll need software to generate reports and insights and improve operational efficiency. 

Great software makes great practice managers

Effective practice management software like Pabau can be used to both replace the need to hire more staff and help practice managers do a better job. It automates and streamlines, freeing up their time for other important management roles. 

Those that require a human touch or an on-the-ground presence, that can’t be done by software. 

Practice management software and practice managers are not mutually exclusive. They work together to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the practice. 

Ultimately, the decision to hire a practice manager or invest in practice management software will depend on the specific needs of your practice, your current setup and your available resources.

• If you’re still in the early stages of your business, you might not be in a position to hire a dedicated practice manager. Software can help reduce your admin so you can grow your business. 

• If you’re ready to expand your team, software can make sure you get the very best out of any manager you hire.

Either way, great software and great practice managers go hand in hand. 

And if you’re looking for highly effective practice management software – try Pabau today.