We previously explored how purchasing in the cloud can be used for hospitals to greatly streamline the purchasing process and to maintain a proper inventory level for essential items such as cleaning supplies, medical equipment, medical and surgical supplies, and medications. However, smaller medical offices and practices can also benefit from purchasing in the cloud. In this entry we will explore how cloud-based software can be used for smaller medical organizations and practice groups, and even for single practitioner practices.
The old-school mentality that many seasoned medical professionals possess may be beneficial to the practice of medicine, but it may not lend itself well to keeping a medical practice updated with the newest and most efficient software, policies and procedures. The following information shall explore how businesses within the healthcare industry can utilize cloud-based software to track their stock of inventory and medications and to place purchase orders when they are needed.
Purchase to Pay Services for Small Medical Practices
Running a smaller medical practice is similar to operating a hospital in certain respects, but it is different in some respects. For example, while patients who present with similar conditions may be treated quite similarly at a hospital and at a medical practice, smaller medical practices generally do not have a large staff. Many sole practitioners simply cannot afford the expense of hiring a dedicated individual to create purchase orders and to keep track of inventory levels so that items may be reordered before they run out. The task may then fall to the receptionist, nurses or medical assistants, individuals who may have so many other things to accomplish in a given day that essential orders may simply fall through the cracks.
If you are the owner or operator of a smaller medical practice and you are already using purchasing software, you may not know that cloud-based software can provide you with an even more streamlined process for a lower cost. That is because purchasing software requires that you have a dedicated individual that is trained to use the software, or that several members of your staff are trained on the software so that they can create purchase orders as necessary. Purchasing in the cloud is a much better option, as it eliminates the need for you to install software on your dedicated business network and also eliminates the need to maintain and update the software on your own. With procurement to pay services and cloud-based software, the software does not need to be installed on your dedicated business network and instead remains on the server that belongs to the vendor. The vendor takes care of all of the updates and maintains the software, eliminating the need for you to do so.
Best of all, cloud-based purchase to pay software fully automates the procurement process, from ordering and completing transactions, to creating inventory lists and automatically generating purchase orders when supplies are low. Once these tasks are completed in the cloud, your staff can concentrate on the more essential duties of their jobs. Purchasing in the cloud is truly the best way to streamline operations for your small medical practice so that you can drive down your expenses while updating your business with the latest in purchase to pay technology and software.
