Technology can make running your practice easier and more efficient for both you, and your clients. I am often asked what I use in the day-to-day running of my practice, so listed below are my top 5 must-have resources. I depend on these everyday to keep my practice running smoothly. Although I use other services as well that I will share in a different post, but these are the must-have resources for me.
CLINIKO.COM
I can’t say enough about how useful this software has been in my own practice. I have used it for the last four years and I can’t imagine running my practice without it. It handles my clinical calendar, my automated appointment reminders, invoicing, accounting and online client management. They also have the option of uploading your clinical notes so you can make your practice 100% digital. It also has bank-level encryption. They are constantly coming up with new features and my clients have loved how streamlined it makes their experience. If you want to try it out, they have a 30 day free trial and by signing up using this link here–> Cliniko we both will get a $50 credit. Everybody wins!
GOOGLE APPS FOR WORK
I use Google Apps for Work to manage my email and day-to-day calendar. It runs off the Gmail platform and integrates with my phone and computer and it’s really user-friendly and reliable. If you have gmail, it’s essentially the same thing. However, with the paid service ($5/month), it allows you to have your website as part of your email extension. For example, my private practice email is connect@constancelynn.com instead of constancelynn@gmail.com. This means when you give someone your email, they also immediately can find your website. I find it gives instant credibility and streamlines the process. Google Apps also offers the full range of google products that go along with email such as Google Calendar, Google Drive etc. The first month is free if you want to try it out here
DROPBOX
Dropbox is a cloud-based digital storage service that allows to to upload and access your files and documents from any computer or device as long as you have an internet connection. Although I won’t use it for client’s clinical files, I use it to store all my templates and business documentation, as well as handouts and client resources. It means you can digitally send files to clients instead of having to keep your whole library on hand, or can print handouts on demand when needed – no matter what office you’re located in. You also have the option to digitally share “folders” with other colleagues making project coordination simple. The free option gives you 2GB or pay for up to 1TB of online storage. If you use this link here –> Dropbox you can sign up for the basic version and will also get an additional 500MB of storage for free.
MEDIA TEMPLE WEB HOSTING
I have tried a few different hosting companies and after being very disappointed with poor service, I asked colleagues in the web development industry for recommendations. They pointed me in the direction of Media Temple. I figured if it is good enough for people who make websites for a living, it’s definitely good enough for me. Their grid hosting plan promises 100% no-down-time for your site and that has definitely been my experience. Additionally their customer service department is the best I’ve ever encountered. They are slightly more expensive than some of the better known hosting companies, however they focus on quality and customer service, instead of quantity and up-sells. For me it has been a great investment and well worth the extra few dollars a month for the peace of mind. You can check it out here –> Media Temple
LASTPASS
Lastpass is an online password generator and vault. It allows you to create complicated, hard-to-crack passwords for all of your online services and membership sites. If you are like me before, using two or three different passwords for everything, this software allows you to actually be secure online without having to remember 100 different passwords. You create one master password and LastPass manages the rest. There is a free version and if you use this link here –> LastPass you will get one month of the premium version at no fee.
Note: I only recommend products and services that I truly believe in, have found helpful and have personally used. Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small commission or discount on services if you choose to use them. If you do, Thanks! I hope they are as useful to you in your work as they have been in mine. So what systems do you use in your work? I would love hear if you have a must-have resource that keeps your practice running smoothly. Let me know in the comments.