Digital tools at the heart of patient-centric therapy delivery and healthcare
There’s no doubt that we’re living in the age of digital transformation.
There are a wide range of digital tools that can help streamline and enhance operations within allied health clinics.
Before you sign up for every new digital tool, make sure you assess the problems and opportunities you need to address within your clinic first.
Try to understand each tool, their necessity, what purpose they serve, and ensure they align with your clinic’s approach.
When is a good time to review new technology for your clinic? Usually the start of a new year is a great time to trial new technology within your practice - alternatively around the end of or the start of the new financial year might be a good time for your clinic to trial new technology.
Here we break down four different types of technology to consider using in your clinic that can enhance operations and patient outcomes.
Below we outline key insights into four key different types of digital tools for clinics.
The Four Types Top Digital Tools for Allied Health Clinics
There are a plethora of digital tools in the healthcare landscape.
Here we’ve included a list of the four key types of digital tools that clinicians could use to improve clinic efficiency and patient engagement.
1. Practice Management Software: Building Blocks of Clinic Operations
These are usually the first tool purchased by a clinic or therapist.
Practice management software often handles all appointments, patient records, billing, and should offer a comprehensive view of clinic operations.
There are several leading practice management software options - some of which are integrated with Theratrak including: Cliniko, Coreplus, and Lumary. This means that when you create home programs within Theratrak, your participant’s program details and case notes will be saved across both systems.
Before you choose: Consider which tools you already use and how they can work together with the new tools you’re going to be using.
2. Telehealth: Bridging Regional Communities & Reducing Distances
Since the huge uptake of telehealth services during 2020, telehealth has shifted from being a beneficial additional service to a core healthcare delivery service.
Whether you’re looking to support your participants in regional areas, on waitlists or simply to connect online, there are a range of digital tools that can support a telehealth approach.
Programs like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype have been used for telehealth. In Australia, Coviu and Cliniko are leaders in telehealth.
Theratrak also offers asynchronous communication options between therapists and participants to encourage feedback and communication between sessions.
Before you choose: Consider how your participants like you communicate with you, consider your clinic’s preferred communication style and use the tools that suit your team.
3. Team Management: Creating Processes for Team Synergy
Effective team communication and project management are vital for any thriving clinic.
Sometimes, a simple group chat can be best for a team to quickly communicate.
Communication tools for clinics such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Chat provide platforms for instant communication.
Some groups might like to set communication standards and expectations e.g. so that therapists are only expected to be online during 8am-5pm hours vs 24/7.
Project management tools like Asana, Monday, and Notion can help people and organisations to organise tasks and projects into really high detail.
They can be a great tool to encourage open communication and tasks sharing across teams, keeping everyone in sync and focused on delivering exceptional patient care.
Before you choose: Consider how your team works and would prefer to communicate before testing these tools.
4. Therapy and Games: Using Innovation to Increase Patient Engagement
There are a range of digital tools that help to make therapy more fun for our participants.
These tools are not just fun—they're strategic, designed to motivate patients and track progress in a way that feels less like a chore and more like a challenge to overcome.
At Theratrak, we love to use games in therapy. Our Founder and CEO Laura Simmons is a paediatric occupational therapist and knows how often games are used to motivate kids to reach their therapy goals.
After feedback from users and therapists, in 2022 we gamified Theratrak with the goal of increasing engagement in therapy with friendly characters and badges for when ticking off activities and developing skills.
More digital tools around therapy games (some of which are also available via Theratrak):
Theratrak: An app making it easy to prescribe, track and monitor custom therapy programs with a gamified participant app. Sign up for a free trial here
Coordikids: Providing online educational video exercises used to improve functioning in ADHD and autism through fun activities.
Secret Ninja School: Online adventure workouts for kids 3-7 years focused on skills development.
TalkiPlay: A hand-held communication support tool that can help children develop confidence and overcome speech delays.
Gheorg: An app designed for kids 7-12 years, Gheorg and the friendly characters use the latest therapy to support kids who experience anxiety and overwhelm.
Summary: Support your Clinic with Digital Tools
The impact of well-chosen technology in an allied health clinic can be profound.
Understanding your clinic's needs is the first step in technology adoption. Look for features that solve specific problems and don't be afraid to take advantage of trial periods and demo options.
But it's not just about the tools and what they can do, it’s about what your clinic needs and how you can make the most of the tools.
Some tools like Theratrak offer something like our Clinic Quiz - which when therapists answer four questions, you can find out exactly how much time you can save using Theratrak. Then you can work out how much money that can save your clinic. And think of where else you can put that attention! Take the Theratrak Clinic Quiz here.
As you consider your options, remember to focus on solutions that offer tangible benefits to your clinic's operations and, most importantly, to your patients' care.
We’ve outlined five key benefits of adopting new technology within a clinic here.
Once you’ve decided on what new tools to implement within your clinic, read our blog on the key steps to successfully implementing technology within clinics here.
And we’ve also conducted research into how Theratrak has been used by hundreds of therapists to prescribe and track home programs.
Ready to experience the difference with Theratrak?
Click below to book a demo and begin your journey to a tech-enhanced clinic.
