A large number of companies sell electronic medical record software. While some companies offer a range of products to suit medical practices of different sizes and with different needs, some offer niche products only. Types of services offered may also differ from company to company. Some offer on-site software, while others offer off-site software based on the Application Service Provider model that is accessible to practices via the Internet.

With the array of software options being marketed, how can a practice go about choosing whats right for them? If a practice is very large or if information technology support is available onsite, having the software physically located in the practice may be the way to go. For smaller practices with limited staff and space, an off-site arrangement may work better. Practices should know other questions to ask when talking to companies for the first time. Most companies restrict the total number of users, while a few grant site licenses with no restrictions on the number of users. When the number of users is restricted, there may be a time lag between when a user logs off at one computer terminal and the next person is able to utilize the same license at another terminal.

Before buying electronic medical record software, a practice should investigate what exactly is included, and excluded, in the package. Besides patient medical record software, certain systems include appointment scheduling, billing and patient education software. With others, one has to choose from a menu of options to get all the features and functions needed. Having unnecessary add-ons may considerably increase the price of the package. Unlike personal software packages that come with free technical support, electronic medical record companies charge a fee to provide technical support, and should ideally be able to provide technical support around the clock.