For clinic administrators, managing the clinic’s physical facility is a challenge that often gets overlooked — at least until it becomes an issue.
This is because most of the facilities in the healthcare industry operate on limited budgets, and the resources allocated to a smaller healthcare organization like a clinic are minimal.
Yet, proper facility management is key to maintaining security and compliance, ensuring the proper maintenance and upkeep of equipment, and facilitating the continued operation of the clinic.
A CRM platform can help healthcare administrators simplify facility management, freeing them up to focus on patient facing processes and driving business success.
What is CRM?
A CRM system (customer relationship management) is a software toolset that assists businesses with the day-to-day management of their people (customers and employees), work processes, products, and projects.
Once thought of primarily as a sales tool, CRM technology has evolved to address the needs of many different business aspects, including marketing, customer service, and HR.
Through the use of advanced automations tools and data centralization, CRM software can help businesses improve communication (both internal and external), work more efficiently, and track performance.
The challenges of facility management for clinics
Clinic administrators face several unique challenges when managing their facilities. The specialty and focus of the clinic will play a big part in determining these challenges but there are a couple of examples that are universal.
- Security and compliance- Clinics and private practices need to adhere to the strict regulatory standards set forth by the healthcare authorities in their region.
For example, in the US all patient information must be stored in accordance with the guidelines outlined by HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).
Additionally, broader regulations like those required by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), or local fire and life safety codes must also be strictly adhered to.
Keeping up to date with these ever-evolving regulations and taking the steps to maintain HIPAA compliance can be challenging and the price of failure can be steep, resulting in legal issues, fines, and a negative impact on the reputation of a healthcare organization.
For more information on finding a HIPAA compliant CRM solution, check out our HIPAA Compliant CRM Software Guide.
- Equipment and technology maintenance- Many clinics rely on specialized medical equipment to provide top-of-field patient care. Maintaining and servicing this equipment is expensive and often requires the services of specialized technicians who may be in short supply (especially in remote locations).
Maintaining a regular service schedule can be challenging as each piece of equipment has its own unique service needs, requiring medical staff to keep track of various service dates, ensure funds are properly allocated and available, and manage and process all the service records.
CRM for clinics: Facility management
A CRM solution can help clinic administrators simplify healthcare facility management and maintain security and compliance standards.
- Role-based access controls- A CRM platform can capture and organize all your facility management-related documents, including service audits and compliance certificates.
Additionally, safety guides and maintenance manuals can be stored in the CRM, enabling team members and new hires to keep up to date with training and security protocols.
All of these resources and documentation can be protected with role-based access controls that limit what people can see and access within the CRM platform.
For example, documents can be marked as read-only, meaning they can’t be edited or changed except by authorized personnel. This allows clinic administrators to balance the need for accessibility with the need to maintain strict security and compliance.
- Equipment and technology management- A CRM system can serve as a centralized repository for all pertinent information related to the equipment and technology used by a clinic. Such information can include:
- Service history
- Incident reports
- Warranty details
- Training manuals
- Maintenance schedules
- Network and IT information
A comprehensive library of all equipment and technology information allows clinic administrators to optimize maintenance schedules, prove compliance, and ensure that important tools and equipment are operating at peak efficiency.
FreeAgent CRM is the best healthcare CRM software for clinics
FreeAgent CRM is a modern work management platform that provides top-of-field software tools for healthcare organizations of all sizes and technical proficiency.
FreeAgent is the best healthcare CRM software for clinics because it is:
- Easy to use- FreeAgent’s modern user interface is quick to learn and easy to use, encouraging teams to work within the platform, driving up adoption and aligning your work processes.
- User-configurable- With FreeAgent, the power is in your hands. You can customize and personalize FreeAgent to fit the specific needs of your business and teams without external support.
- HIPAA-compliant- To demonstrate our commitment to ensuring all data captured and contained within the FreeAgent platform is safe and secure, FreeAgent CRM maintains HIPAA-compliance.
To learn more, see our article, FreeAgent Announces HIPAA-Compliance.
Plus, FreeAgent offers:
- Robust integration- FreeAgent’s flexible toolset and extensive integration library supports teams and businesses of all types and structures.
- Generative AI- Uplift your work with Generative AI-powered features. With FreeAgent, you can access AI across any app, allowing you to get the information you need faster.
With FreeAgent, it’s really that simple.
To see FreeAgent in action, get a demo, and discover for yourself how we are leading the way to a better workday.
