You should do some research to find out what sort of technology is available for office management, including case management software. It is worthwhile to put some extra effort at the start of the process to carefully consider which technology you wish to use, and to develop a plan to take advantage of the technology best suited to the needs of your practice. There exists software designed to assist with financial management, document processing, case management, research, and communications. The time you spend considering the type of technology that is best suited to your style and practice, and understanding how the technology works will save you time in the long run and lead to a more effective practice.

 

Spending time at the beginning of the process to become familiar with the product you will use is important for several reasons.

 

Firstly, it allows you to understand the scope of what the product can do and how it may be customized for your needs. If you try to customize the product without first fully learning how it works, you may find yourself wasting precious time making frequent calls to a help desk to try to undo something you have done unintentionally. The investment of time you make in the beginning is intended to make you more efficient in your practice and at using the software.  If you are not comfortable with the new technology, you may also wish to consider the value of using consultants when installing the program.

 

Secondly, it is always easier to lay a strong foundation at the beginning of an enterprise than to constantly revisit and tinker with the foundation as problems arise.  Charging off into the unknown without a vision, a purpose, and a plan will likely result in wasted time and energy.

 

Finally, as you become proficient at using the software you eventually will choose, it will take less time to use it and free up time for billable client work. The advantage of practice management software is that it can manage a level of information far greater than you can contain in your memory, and alert you to important matters in a timely fashion, helping you to prioritize your work more effectively.

 

A critical part of implementing any new technology is training. Simply installing software on your computer is not enough.  At a minimum, take the time to learn how to use the software, and give serious thought to taking a training course to enhance your understanding of the product and to learn any limitations the technology may have.