The Hidden Cost of Free Software

Sure, times are hard.  Recent changes to Medicare regulations and a unco-operative economy are causing many agencies and related home health businesses to seriously consider their futures.  And there is a big trap, out there, ready to snare unsuspecting agency owners and make their jobs even harder for them.

That trap is Free Software.

It must be understood that there are vendors of home health care software that are credible, reliable, and reputable.  But, healthcare is seen as a potential source of profitable business and there are many players that have arrived on the scene, looking for short-term profits, whatever the cost.  These players will develop a product that offers agencies the bare essentials to run a home health care business.  When a customer starts billing, then the software vendor will start to charge for their product. This is OK for start-ups and early-stage agencies.  But what happens is that an agency will lock itself in to a poorly designed system, potentially for a multi-year contract.  They will enter data, train their staff, and incorporate the product in to their agency workflow.  And when that agency is starting to really rock-and-roll with plenty of patient referrals, they find that their software choice is incapable of supporting their business volume.  At that point, it is a hard, and potentially costly decision to change to a different product and so the agency struggles on, with their software choice holding up their business growth.

What is worse is when software companies that essentially give their product away in order to secure longer term revenue, fail to be able to fund on-going research and development.  The product stagnates.  New features and functions quickly become basic expectations.  And that software company's lack of cash to invest in their systems means that their customers suffer - slow and incomplete development, skimpy customer support, mediocre training resources, and, potentially, a company that is forced to go out of business.

Where does that leave its customers?  High and dry with all their patient information stored on the remote servers of a bankrupt software vendor.

So, don't thing that free software is always good software.  Vendors have a business to run, costs to cover, and investments to make in the on-going development of a product for you, the customer, as well as a trained and talented team of customer support staff and trainers, also for you, the customer.

If you are offered a deal that is too good to be true, it probably is.  You are running your business - you know what it takes.  Software vendors have to do the same thing.  No income means a poorly run business that will probably fail.  If you are paying your software vendor for their product, you are helping to guarantee your future success.

Will Your Agency Sink or Swim?

Back in the 1970's, Sir Richard Branson, the founder and chairman of Virgin Atlantic, had opened up his first record stores in London, with the profits he had made from selling used records in the back of his university newsletter.  He was ambitious, and a few record stores in and around London was not his idea of success.  But sales were not where they needed to be.  He could do one of two things - liquidate everything, and declare bankruptcy, or get a loan and overcome his financial obstacles to growth.

With a new injection of approximately $45,000, he bought his first recording studio, put out records of the Sex Pistols and Boy George, and then bought his first Boeing 747 to start Virgin Atlantic Airlines.  Branson is now listed as one of the richest people in the world and has interests in more than 360 companies.

What does this mean to you?

With so many changes to regulations and funding, it can be a tough time for home health care agencies.  It is not uncommon to be completely distracted by the need to cut costs in order to stay in business.  But those agencies that WILL be successful are those that take a broader view.  They understand that they need to "manage" costs more than cutting them. This is most effectively achieved when a business can do more with less, and can re-assign skilled resources to tasks that are more directly profitable.

One of the easiest ways for an agency to manage their costs more effectively is to review the tools that they use to run their business.  Almost every agency has some form of software.  Some applications have been developed to run entire hospitals, doctor's offices, and everything in between.  These are big, expensive, and overkill for most agencies.  Other applications have been developed to do just the essential tasks that an agency would need to perform - 485, OASIS, scheduling, billing.  Many of these have been created and are sold by very small companies with questionable longevity.

There has never been a better time to look at Igea HHC from Indura Systems. A full-service, fully featured home health care solution, Igea HHC is used by hundreds of agencies throughout the United States. Happy customers tell us of their ability to manage more patients with less staff, and, at the same time, make their billing more accurate and cost-effective.

Igea HHC is a professional-grade product with a reputation for high performance, ease of use, and on-going compliance. Indura Systems is dedicated to home health care, at the industry level, and in partnership with every one of our agency customers.

With regular system updates that deliver critical features that touch on all parts of an agency's workflow, Igea HHC customers can be sure of always getting the home health care system they need, to run their business smoothly, efficiently, and profitably.

For a limited time, we are offering some very special payment options to make it as easy as possible for agencies to benefit from Igea HHC. There really is no better time than right now.

Contact Indura Systems today for your no obligation demonstration, and discover why Igea HHC customers are looking forward to 2010!