When you’re shopping for practice management software, Craig Bates, Information Technology director and director of practice development for the Idaho Eye Center and Idaho Eye Surgicenter, says to make sure that the software vendor has established an open systems architecture. This will allow you full access to all of your data, including patient demographic and financial information, and the intrinsic data that you capture in your electronic medical records for outcomes analysis.

Being able to access and report your data in any way that you see fit is of great benefit to your practice. For example, you may want to analyze trends, or search your entire patient base for a specific treatment pattern or diagnosis. You may also want to analyze utilization and outcomes data for managed care contracts.

The important point to remember is that you are the owner of your data.