Digitalizing my medical practice: where do I start?

The time has come. You’ve decided to make the digitalization of your medical practice a reality. You’ve got ideas, plans and motivation – but where do you actually start? It’s said that “every beginning is difficult” – but perhaps a little less so with our article.

Make an overview of the digitalization of your medical practice 🔎

It’s easy to think that, with the technological advances of recent years, there’s always something to do. You might even think that there’s no end to digitalization. That one can always be more “digital”. If this might be true, digital solutions are often simple to implement and result in real time savings!

In any case, it’s always a good idea to look at your current digital situation, so as to be able to plan ahead and adopt a pragmatic approach to implementation. Ask yourself: where exactly do I stand in the digitization of my practice? Once you’ve determined where you stand digitally, the path to your goal will be obvious.

In concrete terms, you may be thinking about your website and social networks, but digitalization doesn’t stop there! Perhaps you’re using equipment in your practice, or you’re offering video consultations and online appointment booking to your patients, or you’re using an electronic health record … All this is part of digitalization, and as you can see, you are probably already in the thick of it!

Stay up to date on medical digitization 📰

Whatever you want to implement for your practice when it comes to digitalization – it’s important to stay informed and stay on the cutting edge. Innovation and technological advances in the healthcare sector are fast and have been massively boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic. So it’s worth keeping a regular eye on the latest industry news (by following our latest news, for example).

You can also visit trade shows – such as Quadrimed, where you can find OneDoc every year! Our team is always ready to welcome you with exclusive offers and a lively stand!

Clearly inform about digitalization 📣

Digitizing a medical practice affects many people, from staff to your patients. It must therefore be communicated accordingly. People don’t like to be surprised by changes. Informing them as early as possible (or when enough concrete data and information are at hand) helps them prepare for the changes. Think about who will be affected by the planned changes and optimizations – even in a minimal way – and inform them in a transparent way.

Similarly, it’s important not only to describe the changes themselves but also the reasons behind them and the benefits they can bring. Imposing a change without involving employees in the process will get you nowhere. Experience shows that people react more positively and with greater commitment to change (and also participate more actively in the process) when they are told the reasons for and expected benefits of the changes. The goal is to create a “win-win” situation for everyone.

Planning the digitalization of your practice 🧭

As with many aspects of life, solid planning also simplifies the process of digitalizing your practice. Use your analysis of the existing situation to forge a digital transformation plan tailored to your needs and ambitions. A clear step-by-step plan will help you avoid uncertainties. You’ll have a reference point and be able to actively inform those involved of the process.

Promote a digital culture 📶

The technologies that accompany your digital transformation are real tools. But their usefulness is initially only perceived by the people in charge who decided of the change. Experience shows that digitalization must therefore also take place at a cultural level. In concrete terms, this means that the corporate culture must enable and encourage the optimization and effectiveness of digitalization (for example, by analyzing and interpreting data or training your team in the new tools). This sometimes means adapting a more flexible philosophy and temporarily departing from traditional hierarchies.