| Upgrading your medical practice to use EMR software | | | | recommended. Minimum system requirements will |
| is a smart move that saves your office money, helps | | | | barely get your software running and even then only |
| you provide better medical care, and puts you in a | | | | if the system is clean and optimized. |
| position to become part of a lifesaving medical | | | | It never hurts to exceed the system requirements |
| network. However software is only as good as the | | | | and will almost always allow the medical practice |
| hardware it runs on so be sure your office | | | | software to run faster. More memory, for example, |
| computers are up to the task. | | | | allows the system to easily attend to multiple tasks |
| What Are The Software's Requirements? | | | | at the same time without slowing down. Whether |
| Before buying your medical practice software, find | | | | upgrading an existing system or buying a new |
| out what the system requirements are. This will | | | | computer, adding a little more memory or a larger |
| probably include the speed of the computer | | | | hard drive doesn't increase the cost much but will |
| processor, the amount of memory and the hard | | | | substantially improve the computer's performance. |
| drive space needed. Some software may have other | | | | If In Doubt, Ask The Experts |
| requirements such as video cards and network | | | | Not all of us are computer specialists and if you don't |
| connections. If the vendor's website doesn't list the | | | | understand the system requirements, don't guess at |
| system requirements, call one of their sales | | | | them. As an example, inexperienced computer users |
| representatives for more information. | | | | often confuse the amount of a computer's memory |
| Don't forget to check your operating system as well. | | | | with the size of the hard drive since they are both |
| If the software requires Windows XP and your | | | | measured in gigabytes. However getting a computer |
| office computers are still running Windows 98, you'll | | | | with a hard drive the size of the memory you need |
| need to upgrade your O/S before installing the | | | | and vice versa is not going to get you a system that |
| software. The same applies to Macintosh computers | | | | will work. |
| if that's your system of choice. Of course be sure to | | | | Many doctor offices don't have an in-house IT staff |
| buy only software appropriate to your system. While | | | | to help them with the medical practice software. In |
| you might be able to run a Windows application on a | | | | that case, take the system requirements down to |
| Macintosh using an emulator, it will run poorly. | | | | your local computer store and let the experts there |
| More Is Better | | | | help you choose the right system or upgrade your |
| Be careful when reviewing the system requirements | | | | existing computers. |
| for your medical practice software. Many vendors will | | | | Once you have the right computers in place, installing |
| list both minimum and recommended requirements. In | | | | and using your new medical practice software will be |
| that cast, ignore the minimum and always go for | | | | a breeze. |