The drive for physical therapy practices to keep pace with the demands of the changing health care landscape has reached top speed, and shifting gears to an efficient practice management software system plays a big role in paving the road to success. Rehab Management conducted a nationwide survey of therapy professionals about what they value most in practice management software, including their preferences for features and functions.

To depict the outcome of this survey, we have provided pie charts that illustrate the multiple facets of practice management software. These include the top factors behind the decision to purchase or upgrade a practice management system, features therapists feel have most improved clinical operations, and the use of cloud-based practice management software.

A total of 73.9% of respondents reported they had no plans to purchase practice management software or upgrade their current system. Respondents who reported plans to purchase or upgrade their system noted that the addition of cloud computing in a practice management purchase or upgrade was “somewhat important” (45.9%).

Questions that delved deeper into the cloud computing vein revealed that 86.9% of practices did not use cloud-based practice management software, with one respondent pointing out that the decision to convert to a cloud-based system would rely on that application’s analytic ability.

Nearly half (43.9%) of respondents added that their confidence in the security of data stored in cloud computing systems directly impacted their purchasing decision of cloud-based practice management software.

A vast group of respondents, 70%, also indicated that their existing practice management software system allowed them to connect wirelessly to data from a laptop or mobile device.

In regard to the efficiency of existing systems, 72.4% of respondents voiced satisfaction with their current practice management software system. Those who were unsatisfied with their current system attributed their feelings to their current system’s inability to share data between programs, poor predictive qualities, and its inability to allow access off-site.

During purchase considerations, manufacturer familiarity also appeared to play a small role in new software purchases, with 50.7% of respondents noting that their probability in giving preference to the manufacturer of their current practice management software was “somewhat likely,” compared to 25.3% who were “not at all likely” to have a specific preference.

When comparing differences among systems currently on the market, 81.8% of survey takers said they believed the differences among current systems were significant, and identified system cost as the most significant difference. Both the ability to connect wirelessly from a laptop or mobile device and training tied as the second most significant difference among software systems, with each garnering 51.5% of therapists who singled out the two in their responses.

The topic of training was addressed by survey takers who responded to questions about the adequacy of training received during upgrades and/or first time installation. Training levels seemed to vary among the responses to this survey. Respondents gave accounts of training that ranged from 3-day intensive sessions to “fair,” “very minimal,” “sufficient,” and “inadequate.” One respondent noted no training at all had been provided.

Responses also touched on the mechanics and adequacy of training in documentation and other functions selected by PTs as interactive components of their office’s practice management software, such as scheduling (70.8%), billing (72.3%) and documentation, which was selected by 73.8% of therapists. According to one survey taker, their practice received classroom instruction, on-site trainers, and 24-hour assistance for these key components while another called the training inadequate, but added that the system was “easy to figure out.”

Documentation resurfaced in the results as one of the aspects in clinical operations that 75% of participants felt was improved by practice management software. Billing and scheduling followed at 70.8% and 66.7%, respectively. Others noted that the software also helped improve time management and efficiency, and patient care value, and allowed therapists to identify special populations requiring more prevention or care.

Among PTs surveyed who were interested in purchasing or upgrading their system, more than half (55.9%) identified scalability as a very important factor in the decision to support the purchase of a practice management software system. A majority (53.6%) of therapists indicated the allowance for more time to perform care was also a very important consideration in their purchasing decision. Nearly 9% of therapists surveyed felt a system’s ability to support multiple practices and offer cloud computing was not an important factor in the purchase of a practice management software system.

For the final question on the survey—not represented in this article graphically—therapists were asked to discuss the value practice management software has brought to their office. Most survey respondents referred to the ability to streamline operations, making for more efficient work and more organization. Other survey takers noted that their offices had fewer patient complaints, improved compliance with IRF regulations, and improved tracking.


Brittan West is an associate editor for Rehab Management magazine. For more information, contact .