| If you are in the market for a new medical billing | | | | software vendor will maintain the software included in |
| software package you more than likely have | | | | your monthly fee. |
| considered an online medical billing software solution. | | | | · HIPAA Secure. Most all of the online solutions |
| These solutions are becoming more and more | | | | maintain HIPAA Security and accreditation. This means |
| common as traditional client server application become | | | | that you can prove HIPAA compliance using their |
| 100% web based solutions. Before you make a | | | | software. |
| commitment to a complete online billing or practice | | | | · Your Data Is Offsite. This is often a plus in |
| management solution you need to consider the pros | | | | that your data is offsite in the event of a disaster. |
| and cons. You are essentially selecting a platform that | | | | · Reduced support costs. Due to the fact that |
| the core of your practice relies on for cash flow. In this | | | | your server is offsite, you may now require less time |
| article we will go over the pros and cons of online | | | | from your IT provider. |
| medical billing solutions. | | | | The Con's In Using Online Billing Software |
| The Pro's For Using Online Billing Software | | | | There are in facts some risks and disadvantages to |
| No doubt you have experience with the traditional | | | | consider in an online billing solution. Some of these are: |
| software delivery model. In this model, you need a | | | | · The viability of the software vendor. You |
| server and local network where you connect to your | | | | must select a vendor that is financially solvent. In the |
| server and your medical billing and practice | | | | event the vendor goes out of business you need to |
| management database. In this model, you need IT | | | | make sure you can get your data to move into a |
| infrastructure to support the product as well as IT and | | | | different solution. One option is you can have the |
| computer assistance to support both the software | | | | vendor put your software in escrow as part of the |
| and hardware. Many today still use this model | | | | contract. |
| successfully and actually prefer to have their data in | | | | · Dependent on the Internet. The internet is |
| their procession. Many are finding an alternative in the | | | | very reliable but can lose connectivity at times. You |
| online solutions. | | | | need to take efforts to make sure your own internal |
| The online solutions for sure have pluses. Some of | | | | internet connection is reliable for a online billing solution. |
| these are: | | | | · Can you always get rid of your server? |
| · An internal server is not required to host your | | | | Often times your vendor will sell you the fact you can |
| medical billing or practice management database. | | | | get rid of your server. While that is true if you ONLY |
| · Server maintenance is no longer required, | | | | use medical billing and practice management you may |
| saving you money on the server hardware as well as | | | | still need the server. This means that you might be |
| the associated maintenance contracts. | | | | actually increasing your costs in the long run. |
| · No more software updates. Due to the fact | | | | Take your time in selecting the right product and you |
| that the solution is completely online, the online | | | | may find that the online option is just for you. |