As we all know, a therapist’s life is a busy one! To help make the most of your time and get the best results from your practice, there are a number of apps and software systems available. Here are five that we think are well worth a look at.

1. Click Practice Management Software

Click is a great piece of web based software to simplify running your practice. As it can be accessed on any computer, tablet or smartphone, it is also a great way of managing your day-to-day admin on the go. Designed with small practices in mind, Click is very user friendly and doesn’t take long to master. Following initial login, you will be able to watch a mini tutorial of each section, which includes Contacts, Diary, Finances, CPD, and Reports.

The diary is extremely useful, with patient records, billing, reports and letters, which can be created directly via Click’s built-in word processor.  You can also add treatment authorisations to clients’ records, including billing codes. The system makes keeping track of your patients’ authorised sessions easy, providing you with a countdown of the sessions remaining. You can also use the system to send appointment reminders via SMS and email. With regards to your finances, Click allows you to keep all of your records in one convenient place, including a list of invoices with payment status and expenses. You can export your financial records as a CSV file, ready to hand over to your accountant. Click can also help you to manage and plot your practice’s business plan, by generating useful reports and charts including the number of new client registrations and expenditure lists.

Finally (and this is something that differentiates it from its competitors) Click allows you to track your CPD and search for events and training in your area. You can create a CPD plan, then record your CPD by entering in the total required hours. Every time you complete an appropriate activity, you will be provided with a countdown. The CPD directory lists advertised CPD courses, which you can often book directly through the system. You can also upload any CPD completion certificates to your CPD file and send your completed plan to your professional organisation.

Click is a highly useful tool and ranges in price from totally free for the basic package (which includes the diary and a CPD plan) to £33 per month, depending on your practice’s size and needs.

2. Safenotes

Safenotes is a secure online notes system designed for therapists. It provides confidentiality via encryption software, ensuring security, and performs daily backups of your files within the UK to ensure nothing is ever lost. The system functions on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and Blackberry, making it easy to use both at the office and on the go. It is accessible any time, day or night, all year round, meaning that your files are always at hand when you need them as long as you have an internet connection.

It is quick and easy to add clients and their details, which can be organised by case number, referral date, employer or date closed. You can also upload files relating to clients such as doctor’s referrals or letters you may have sent them, making keeping track of your paperwork and correspondence much simpler. The system is very easy to use, and always double checks with you before deleting anything to ensure files are not accidentally lost. They also provide a comprehensive list of FAQs, and if you do have any additional questions, there is a contact form.

Safenotes comes with a 14 day free trial, so you have nothing to lose – and it is extremely affordable at £60 a year, fixed for five years. Plus, there is a special offer to members of the Hub here.

 

3. Siario

Siario is an app designed for talking therapists that allows clients to work on CBT exercises between sessions. As the programme is web-based, it allows clients to work on their exercises via their mobile device or PC. Not only does this prevent pieces of paper from getting lost, it carries the added benefit of appealing to younger clients and their love of technology! Adding clients is simple, by logging in to Siario and entering their name, email address, and a personal message (if you like). The client will then be sent an invitation email with their log in and password. You can choose exercises to allocate, depending on the needs of each client. Activities consist of:

Anxiety log

Mood log

Cognitive rehearsal

Critical reflections

Client journal

Coping cards

Decisional balance sheets

Key questions to challenge irrational beliefs

You can also add customised resources, which include a list of cognitive distortions, irrational beliefs, tips and reminders. Once you have selected the relevant activities, clicking “save” will automatically make them visible to the client. As the therapist, Siario allows you to see when your clients have logged in, how often they complete tasks, and what they have written, keeping up to date with their progress between sessions. You can also use the system to communicate, for instance sending reminders to complete tasks.

Prices for Siario start at £9.99 a month – and they are giving our members 15% off.

 

4. Physio Platform

Physio platform is a highly useful app that allows physiotherapists to set homework for their clients between sessions, ensuring they correctly complete exercises, helping to speed up recovery. You can read our review here.

Signing up clients is easy – simply get them to download the free app and enter your unique therapist code (found on your homepage). You will then be able to add exercise routines, which can either be custom designed or created as a template and then adjusted to suit individual needs. Exercises are easy to find, and can be searched for by body part (e.g. neck, shoulders) and type, i.e. flexibility, balance or strength. You can set the number of reps and sets, and clients will be able to view real-time videos of each exercise, giving them added peace of mind that they are performing each exercise correctly.

The app also provides them with a countdown of holds and rests, giving instruction even when they can’t see the screen. At the end of each activity, they will be asked to rate their energy levels between 1 and 5 stars, allowing you to track their progress. Once completed, you will also receive a notification, meaning that you can send gentle reminders should they fail to complete their exercises.

As Physio Platform is a relatively new app, they are offering a free trial and excellent rates – simply contact them to find out more.

 

5. Mindlogr

Mindlogr is a handy app that allows therapists and clients to record private video journals. Once recorded, videos can be shared as you wish, and encryption ensures that all recording are secure. Video recordings can be used by clients as a useful alternative to writing logs or journals as it carries the benefits of being less time consuming and appealing to frequent computer users. Therapists can view the videos prior to the next session, giving them an idea of their client’s progress. The app has even been approved by the NHS on their website, as a useful tool for helping those with mental health issues.

For busy therapists and patients alike, installation is very quick and only requires and email address and user name. Recorded videos are saved directly on to the app and are presented in a timeline, similar to that on Facebook, making it a format that people are likely to be familiar with. Mindlogr also provides little motivational “rewards” for regular completion of recordings.

Mindlogr offers a free and premium version. The free version includes: 10 free log books, 60 minutes a month of recording time, with recordings of 5 minutes each. The premium version is £30 and includes: unlimited log books, unlimited time with recordings of 15 minutes each and the ability to record on a mobile phone and upload files to the app.

For more info read our review on the Hub.

 

Are there any useful apps or software systems that you’d recommend to fellow therapists? Or any that you’d like us to review? Please let us know below!