To be sure, shopping for medical practice software is confusing and frustrating. But physicians no longer have the luxury of avoiding the issue.

The payment process for reimbursements and co-payments from the myriad insurers is so complex that, without technology, it would be almost impossible to track payments accurately. At the same time that reimbursements from third-party payers such as Medicare and HMOs are decreasing, doctors are being pressured to be more efficient. Medical offices need a computer just to track where receivables might be falling through the cracks, and traditional accounting packages have never been sophisticated enough to accommodate all the third-party vagaries in the practice segment.

There are other benefits of technology in medical offices. The right software can boost efficiency and reduce duplication and errors by enabling both physician and staff to access the same information. This helps avoid discrepancies, and it allows transmission of both lab reports and payment information electronically.