How to evaluate software vendors for physicians
There is no shortage of companies that make software for physicians; the difference shows up after the contract. When choosing a program, look at how the company answers questions before you look at its feature list. This page covers twelve questions you can ask when choosing the right software vendor for your clinic, what to check in the contract, and HekimBis's own approach.
Four types of software vendors
Software vendors should be told apart by what they do, not by their brands. Four types stand out, and each has different strengths and points to watch. We do not name anyone, because our aim is to help you choose a type.
Booking and discovery platforms
Surfaces where patients find a physician and book. Their strength is patient acquisition and visibility. Points to watch: depth in clinical records, finance and devices is usually limited; ranking and visibility are sometimes tied to payment; ask about legal risk regarding rules on reviews and ratings.
General-purpose clinic management software
Offers appointments, patient records, cash desk and reporting for most specialties. Its strength is breadth. Points to watch: specialty depth and device connection can be shallow; ask what the screen described as specific to our specialty really contains.
Vertical specialty software
Focuses on one specialty, for example dentistry. Its strength is depth. Points to watch: whether you can stay on the same software if your clinic grows into more than one specialty or opens several branches; the sales language is often built on compliance and registration, so ask for evidence.
Enterprise hospital information systems
Broad and comprehensive systems for facilities with inpatient beds. Their strength is scope. Points to watch: they can be more complex and costly than a practice or a small clinic needs.
HekimBis is built as a combination of these four types: multi-specialty clinical depth, device and diagnostic connections, CRM running from lead to payment and multi-branch management are in the same product. For patient discovery there is also the free Hekimiz surface. Its target audience ranges from practices to multi-branch clinics and small diagnostic centers, meaning facilities that provide outpatient care.
Twelve questions to ask
For each question we also wrote what a good answer looks like. If an answer is vague or not in writing, that is information in itself.
- Whose is my data, and how do I get it out?
- A good answer: an authorized user can export their own data in full, this right does not depend on the package, and it is written in the contract.
- Where is the data hosted?
- A good answer: health data in Türkiye, the region is stated and sub-processors are known. See Cloud patient tracking.
- Are there KVKK flows?
- A good answer: privacy notice, explicit consent and clinical consent as separate records; role-based access; an audit trail. A single I accept box is not enough. See KVKK-compliant patient tracking.
- How does mandatory e-Nabız and USS submission work?
- A good answer: for facilities in scope submission is inside the product, with a queue, receipts and a resend screen. See e-Nabız integrated software.
- Do my devices really connect?
- A good answer: evidence at manufacturer, model, protocol and version level; a device without evidence is labeled as manual import. See Device connections.
- Is there depth for my specialty?
- A good answer: your specialty's form, widget, consent template and measurement chart are shown; it is not a generic notes field. See Specialty workspaces.
- What happens if a signed record changes?
- A good answer: the change is made as an additional record, with a reason and a trail, and the earlier version is kept.
- Who sees what, including the support team?
- A good answer: limits by role, branch and care relationship; vendor staff access is temporary, traced and with your approval. See Roles and permissions.
- What are the terms on commitment, cancellation and price increases?
- A good answer: written, plain and announced in advance. See the section below.
- How does support work?
- A good answer: the channel, hours and response time are written; onboarding has training paths. If support is weak, the software does not help however strong it is.
- How is my old data moved?
- A good answer: with a preview, a trial import, repeatable and reconciled; no copies are created. See Data migration.
- Will you give your scope and roadmap in writing?
- A good answer: a clear list of what can be used today and a reasoned roadmap rather than dates promised without grounds. A vendor who cannot answer this clearly may surprise you later.
We expanded these questions into a 24-row table; see Patient tracking software comparison for a side-by-side comparison of approaches.
There is one more measure when judging the quality of answers: who is the source of the answer? A sales representative's spoken answer and the contract or written document can differ. If you get a spoken answer to an important question, there is no harm in asking for the same answer in writing by e-mail; a good vendor takes that as natural.
What to check in the contract
The demo is pleasant; the real weight is in the contract. Look in three groups.
Term and exit
Is there a commitment period, and how long? Is there a cancellation fee? How do automatic renewal and notice before renewal work? Under what conditions, and with how much notice, are price increases made? A firm applying a price increase in one step and without warning is a common cause of complaint in the market, so look in the contract for increases that are gradual and announced in advance.
Data
When the contract ends, how is the data handed over, in what format and within how many days? What are the deletion process and its evidence? Are sub-processors listed in the data processing agreement? Is access to data locked when a payment is late? In a good contract, access to the clinical record and authorized export do not close silently on a late payment.
Service level and responsibility
Is an availability target or service level in writing? How are incidents notified? What is the limit of liability? When regulations change, for example national submission services, who is responsible for adapting?
HekimBis's current terms are in the Subscription agreement and the Data processing agreement; see Pricing for price and scope. The contract text is always what applies.
HekimBis's approach
HekimBis is patient tracking and clinic management software developed for physicians and clinics. We can summarize our approach in three sentences.
First, we do not write software without understanding the work of a sector in depth: the product is built starting from the clinic's real flows, the chain from appointment to exam and from test to payment. Second, we state the scope of the product plainly; which feature is in which package is written on the site and in the contract. Third, your data stays yours: secure export and authorized offboarding are the same in every package.
See About us and Why HekimBis for corporate information.
Choosing a software vendor is also choosing your clinic two years from now. You are a solo physician today, but when a second physician, a new device or a second branch arrives, can you stay in the same system? Can you upgrade the package without moving data? Can a new extension be added for your specialty? These three questions show whether the growth path is open, and they are a more reliable measure than first-year satisfaction.
Ask them to show these live in the demo
A prepared demo does not represent your day. Ask the vendor to show six scenarios from your own day live.
- A patient who does not show upThe no-show record, the reason and the freed slot being offered to the waiting list.
- Correcting a signed recordThe correction reason, the additional record and the visibility of the earlier version.
- A foreign patientRegistration without a Turkish ID number, language and currency preference.
- Data from a deviceAn X-ray or laboratory result being attached to the patient and the order; what happens if the internet drops.
- A role boundaryWhat is seen when someone tries to open a clinical note with a front-desk account; how support access is granted.
- ExitExporting all the data and what the exported file contains.
You can also try these six scenarios yourself in the HekimBis trial workspace with sample data. See How it works to begin.
Spread the evaluation over two weeks. In the first week ask two or three vendors for the same six scenarios and take written notes of their answers. In the second week put the contract drafts side by side and compare data exit, price increase and support terms. Bring your front-desk employee to the decision meeting: they will use the program most and will see any problem first.
Frequently asked questions
How should I choose among software vendors for physicians?
Before the feature list, ask about data exit, the KVKK flows, the approach to national submission, device evidence and the support model. The twelve questions and six demo scenarios above were prepared for this.
Which type of vendor suits me?
A solo practice can start with general clinic software, and a single-specialty, single-branch clinic with vertical software. If you plan to grow into more specialties, devices and branches, choose a product with an open growth path.
Is HekimBis a booking platform?
HekimBis is clinic software: it manages patient records, clinical records, finance and operations. The free surface where patients find physicians is Hekimiz, separately.
Can I get my data if I change vendors?
In HekimBis secure export is the same in every package. For another vendor's contract terms, get written clarification from that vendor.
Is there a comparison table with competitors?
There is a table that compares four approaches, namely paper and Excel, desktop, general cloud and HekimBis, on 24 criteria without naming vendors: Patient tracking software comparison.
How long should I spend on the evaluation?
Two weeks is enough: in the first week ask the vendors for the same six scenarios live, and in the second week put the contract drafts side by side.
Can I rely on spoken answers?
Ask for written answers on important matters. Items such as data exit, price increases and support terms should appear in the contract text.
Related pages
Features
- Data migrationBringing records from your current software with a preview, a trial import and reconciliation.
- Device connectivitySecure, outage-tolerant data from clinic devices through the Edge Connector.
- e-Nabız and USS reportingSending clinical events to USS with versioned mapping, tracking, and reconciliation.
Specialties
Solutions and process
Software guides
- Patient tracking softwareWhat patient tracking software is, what it tracks, and how it works in HekimBis.
- Free patient tracking softwareHow the free trial works and what free software really costs a clinic.
- Patient software comparisonCompare paper, spreadsheet, desktop, and cloud approaches across 24 criteria.