At first, it may seem like a great idea to use software at no cost. However, remember that old phrase that says "cheap is expensive", because in the vast majority of cases this is what happens when using free medical software.
In an attempt to combine the automation of processes with the fact of saving money, many clinics end up being attracted by solutions that can result in more problems than benefits. Besides, it is important to remember that computerizing is not the same as automating, so here are the risks of using this type of product.
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Regarding security, it is important to note that there are numerous points that we must remember and take the utmost care of, especially regarding patient information that is extremely confidential. In this sense, it is important to emphasize that free software does not offer the necessary security mechanisms, which can cause serious problems in the future if any of this information is leaked.
The functionality limitations in this type of software are also many, which ends up becoming a big problem. Generally, they have very basic functions that end up not meeting the clinic's needs, and even in the patient's registration there may be a limit of information, or there may simply be no more space for new registrations, making it necessary to re-use the patient paper records.
Another very important point is the lack of technical support. Some of these software may even provide a user manual but imagine that the system is unavailable, or a bug may arise and disrupt your work routine, there will certainly be nothing you can do without having to resort to support.
Finally, another obstacle in this type of product is the lack of updates. We know that it is necessary to have a system that keeps up to date with market changes, in addition to any corrections for it to work correctly. However, in free software, there is hardly any update.