Chiropractic Software for PDA's

An increasing number of chiropractic software companies are now developing applications designed to run on PDA's. The term "PDA" stands for personal data assistant and can encompass a variety of devices. Most portable or mobile chiropractic software applications are designed to run on either a Palm or Windows operating system. Pocket PC applications are windows-based and run on Windows Mobile. Palm applications run on Palm-based operating systems such as the Treo and Palm Pilot handhelds. Some of the leading and most popular companies include SOAPe Software, Quick Notes, and Auto-Doc. The benefits of these systems are numerous and include:

• Allows the chiropractor to input pertinent information at the point-of-care during a face-to-face consultation with the patient. This saves time as there is no need to spend time entering patient data after the visit or at the end of the day.
• Relatively simple to learn and use. Most PDA-based chiropractic software systems take only a few hours at most to learn.
• Capable of creating very detailed and complete chiropractic SOAP notes and other reports in a matter of seconds, thus saving the doctor time.
• Cost efficient. Most mobile chiropractic software applications run $500 - $1,000 depending on the company. A support plan is usually not included and can run several hundred dollars per year.

If you don't currently own a PDA or own one that is not compatible with the application you are considering, you'll need to purchase one. As previously stated, most of the chiropractic software applications featured in this section run on either a PALM or WINDOWS MOBILE operating system. You cannot run a Pocket PC application on a Palm Pilot and vice versa. It just won't work. Be sure to ask the company representative what type of device is required to run their software. A new PDA will run $225-$450 depending on your preferences. As you can guess, the more you spend, the more "bells and whistles" you'll get. We suggest buying a mid-range PDA which worked fine in our tests. Some of the more popular brands include HP iPAQ's and Dell. In addition to running your chiropractic software, these mobile devices will also help you to track your appointments and allow you to store an endless number of databases for quick reference. We feel they are well worth the investment for any chiropractic office.

Chiropractic Office Software for PDA's

SOAPe Software

SOAPe Chiropractic Software is a highly advanced yet easy to learn and use SOAP note generator designed exclusively for the Pocket PC. SOAPe software allows chiropractors to create complete and detailed chiropractic SOAPe notes at the point of care in a matter of seconds. Notes created using the Pocket PC are transferred to a desktop application during the syncing process where they can be viewed, edited, printed, faxed or emailed. SOAPe recently underwent a major upgrade in March 2007 and has now, to the surprise of many, become a full-scale electronic medical records (EMR) system. SOAPe EMR allows users to convert to a "paperless office" through the use of a scanner. Both paper documents and x-rays can quickly and easily be imported and stored in a patient's electronic file. At only $495.00, SOAPe is the most affordable and feature-rich handheld chiropractic applications on the market today and as a result, receives our highest rating for this software category. In fact, this system has features found on chiropractic office software systems costing thousands more. If you're watching your budget or are seeking a highly mobile software application for your office, we highly recommend giving SOAPe a try. The company is both owned and operated by a group of practicing chiropractors. The last time we checked, SOAPe was still retailing for a very reasonable $495.00. Amazingly, they are the only company not charging for support and offer unlimited phone support to all clients.  Complete and detailed information is available on their website.

Quick Notes
Quick Notes has been providing chiropractic office software systems since 1988. Their unique dictation solutions offer flexibility, customizability, and portability, and are easy to learn and use. Rather than focusing exclusively on the chiropractic profession, Quick Notes offers software solutions for a variety of professions including Podiatry, Dermatology, Physical Therapy and Custom Medical Applications. The Quick Notes mobile software is more costly than others with less features. The last time we checked, their support plan was running $498.00 per year - a bit pricy in our opinion. Upgrades are also an additional fee. Additional information about the Quick Notes system is available on their website.

MyEMR 2007
MyEMR is a handheld chiropractic software application that's designed to run on the Microsoft Windows Mobile Pocket PC platform. MyEMR chiropractic office software allows doctors to create SOAP notes, exams, reports and more at the point-of-care. The MyEMR system appears to be more complicated to learn and use than others chiropractic software applications developed for the PDA and may be somewhat intimidating for users who have little to no experience using a Pocket PC. On a more positive note, the application is detail-oriented and developed with only the chiropractor in mind. As we have stated previously, many of these chiropractic software vendors target a multitude of professionals in an attempt to generate additional revenues. It's nice to see companies that are actually owned and operated by chiropractors or that are dedicated only to the chiropractic profession. The MyEMR system sells for $1,177.00 which doesn't include a support plan. Support must be purchased separately which can further increase the cost of the software. For an additional $2,277.00, the mobile device can be integrated with their desktop application (EMR datacenter). Again, you are looking at a total cost in excess of $3,500 with a support plan. This may be beyond the budget of most doctors. For more information, please contact their sales department at (561) 282-3232.

ChiroPad Pocket PC Chiropractic Software
ChiroPad is a paperless office documentation system developed by Life Systems Software. ChiroPad runs on the Windows Mobile Pocket PC handheld device and offers random text generation to help ensure that every report has a dictated and unique feel to it. They state that their random text generator can greatly reduce the number of rejected claims which we dispute. Most claims are rejected not because of a lack of random text generation, but because of a lack of adequate documentation. No insurance adjuster will deny that. ChiroPad also features several context-sensitive graphical anatomy regions, voice capture abilities, embedded ink notes, and document scanning so your office can move toward a paperless existence. The ChiroPad software also integrates completely with ChiroOffice, a more robust and feature rich chiropractic office software application. The interface of ChiroPad appears very "out-dated" and lacks visual appeal. This is more than likely a result of the older technology the system was built on. The date appearing on the ChiroPad PDA splash screen is "2002" if that's any indication of the software's age. There is no pricing information available on the company's website. 

Auto-Pilot
Auto-Pilot is a Palm-based handheld chiropractic software application that's designed to run on a Palm handheld device. Auto-Pilot allows doctors to create and view patient data at the point-of-care. The software is capable of creating a variety of reports including SOAP notes and narrative reports in just minutes. Auto-Pilot is designed to integrate with the Auto-Doc desktop application which allows doctors to digitize managed care and exam forms. Last time we checked, their handheld system was retailing for close to $1,000.00. The Auto-Doc application is available for an additional fee of about $1,000.00. Support plans are also offered for an additional cost. Additional information is available on their website.
 

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