Healthcare Industry in Focus: Using Software in Medical Practices for Inventory Management

What Software Is Available in Medical Practices and What Function Must It Fulfil?

Regardless of the speciality, software in medical practices of various kinds is needed in almost every instance. In most cases, the focus of the practice software providers varies. The installation statistics of the German community of health care providers (Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung – KBV) provide an indication of common software solutions.

Here, a breakdown is made into different medical specialisations. Under the keyword “Digital Practice”, the KBV also lists key digitalisation topics that should be included in a practice management software.  These include:

(The following abbreviations are used in Germany.)

-eDoctor’s letter: The electronic doctor’s letter enables the sending of diagnoses between health care facilities.

-eAU: The electronic certificate of incapacity for work (eAU) can be accessed digitally by employers.

-ePA: The electronic patient record (ePA) stores the medical documentation, consisting of findings, diagnoses and therapeutic measures, for a patient.

-eRezept: The electronic prescription is to replace paper prescriptions in the medium term.

The KBV has also standardised data exchange formats with different objectives under the abbreviation xDT. These include, for example, the billing data transfer (ADT interface), the treatment data transfer (BDT interface), the device data transfer (GDT interface) and the laboratory data transfer (LDT interface).

Inventory software for medical practice management adds an important function to the “Digital Practice”: the automated administration of medical equipment. This relieves the staff and reduces material-related difficulties in the daily routine of the practice.

Top 10 Software in Medical Practices: What Inventory Software Must Do

Even if software in medical practices is just used for medical device management, there are targeted requirements to be considered:

1. Universality:

It must be possible to record all inventory items. Timly offers flexible profiles that allow any asset, from furniture to medical diagnostic equipment, to be captured in a meaningful way.

2. Central storage location:

It must be possible to access the data stock from the practice in the same way as during a home visit or in the ambulance service. Timly therefore manages its data stock cloud-based.

3. Simple handling:

Use should be possible with existing hardware. Timly is designed as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) and works “out of the box” without installation.

4. Access with mobile devices:

In order to be able to call up or update data on site, access with mobile end devices should be possible. That is why Timly has designed an app optimised for smartphones and tablets.

5. Document management:

Test reports, operating instructions and other documents are available in different file formats. With Timly, these can be processed and saved as required.

6. Appointment management:

Medical equipment is subject to different inspection obligations. For this purpose, Timly provides each recorded asset with its own calendar, including a practical reminder function.

7. Consumables management:

Required materials must always be available in sufficient quantities. Timly offers a bulk item management with fill level control, which warns when a defined fill level is reached.

8. Allocation to different entities:

Equipment can be assigned to locations, persons or objects, such as an ambulance. With Timly, all variations are possible.

9. Service and support:

In case of questions and problems, quick help must be guaranteed. For this, Timly offers a competent service hotline.

10. Security:

Data in the medical sector is sensitive. Timly uses GDPR-compliant storage, secure encryption and a fine-grained authorisation concept. The separation from the practice network provides additional security.

Software in Medical Practices Cannot Be Implemented Free of Charge

Requirements such as a secure cloud connection, automatic updates and the availability of a trained support team cannot be implemented as a free offer. If employees want to use software in medical practices, it must function reliably and securely.

For this, it is necessary that the software provider permanently expands functions and fixes problems. Professional developers work for the inventory app Timly, who always respond to individual customer requests.

GPs Depend on Functioning Diagnostic Equipment

Online appointment management and online appointment booking are also making their way into medical practices. This makes the central coordination of testing and maintenance appointments all the more important. After all, appointments for examinations should not be offered if equipment is not available due to medical or safety technology checks.

The online appointment calendar provides a quick overview of when appointments are due and therefore when equipment is not ready for use. This is how software helps with appointment management in practice.

Universality: Psychotherapy and Other Specialities

Certain medical specialties require the procurement of less technical equipment and alternative commodities. Timly offers the advantage that the universal approach nevertheless does not require separate recording and management for such assets. The necessary parameters of an inventory item can be completely adapted to the requirements on site. As a result, software in medial practices, just like the stock management software from Timly, can be profitably used anywhere.

Modern Software in Medical Practices: Alternative Practitioners, Physiotherapists and Other Health Professions

In the entire health sector, it increases professionalism when software is used to manage the inventory in the practice. This way, those responsible always have a complete overview of all work equipment and consumables. The continuous documentation facilitates the necessary business decisions.

The scalability makes it possible to use Timly’s cloud-based practice software for healthcare facilities of all sizes. From small physiotherapy practices to hospitals with multiple locations.

Special Requirements for Software: Physicians and Nursing Staff With High Responsibility

Practice management software must meet special requirements. The KBV offers corresponding certifications. This is not yet provided for inventory software. Timly is already an established product in the health sector. Customers include the German Red Cross, the SOS doctors from Zurich and the pharmaceutical company Bayer. In the on-site software in medical practices comparison, Timly has already convinced several times.

Software in Medical Practices: Timly Offers Established Solution

Software is used for many tasks in a modern practice. Digital inventory management is the basis for functioning workflows. Medical staff, who are often stretched to the limit, do not have to spend valuable working time on activities that can be performed just as well or better by software in a medical practice.

With its inventory solution, Timly enables holistic and intuitive management for all items of medical supplies.