3 minutes
The doctor's surgery has transformed significantly with the rise of digital technology. Part of care is now also played out in the way information flows: before the appointment, during the consultation, at the time of prescription, or during follow-up.
Practice management software, computerised patient records, appointment booking platforms, pre-consultation, and even decision support tools: these solutions do not all have the same role, but they pursue a common goal: to support healthcare professionals in their daily practice and contribute to a smoother patient journey.
This development is also reflected in usage. According to a 2024 survey conducted by the URPS Médecins Île-de-France among more than 300 self-employed doctors, 91% report subscribing to a practice management software, for an average cost of €151.77 per month. (1)
The question is therefore not to draw up a list of tools to adopt, nor to recommend one solution over another. Each practice has its own constraints, habits, and way of working.
The objective is rather to understand what the main digital tools used in doctors' surgeries are for and how they fit into the daily organisation of care.
1. The digital foundation of the medical practice
Before talking about teleconsultation, artificial intelligence or connected devices, a large part of a practice's organisation relies on a first level of equipment: professional software. It is often from this software that patient records, prescriptions, teletransmission and exchanges with Health Insurance are managed.
These solutions are no longer limited to administrative management. They centralise medical data, facilitate exchanges between healthcare professionals and also make it possible to meet the requirements of national digital health standards.
Professional software: the focal point of the practice's organisation
Professional software, also known as medical practice management software, groups together all the functionalities necessary for daily practice.
In particular, it allows you to:
manage patient records;
write prescriptions;
consult medical history;
ensure teletransmission;
track billing;
access Health Insurance teleservices.
Today, this software forms the digital foundation of the vast majority of medical practices.
Among the most well-known solutions are Weda, Crossway, MédiStory, HelloDoc, Axisanté, MediClick and Almapro. Each offers functionalities adapted to the practitioner's specialty, their mode of practice or the size of the structure.
Appointment scheduling solutions
Appointment management has become an essential part of organizing a practice.
Online appointment scheduling platforms allow patients to book a slot 24/7 without systematically contacting the reception desk. Depending on the solution, they also offer various features designed to simplify practice organization:
automatic reminders via SMS or email;
waiting list management;
teleconsultation;
syncing with the practitioner's schedule.
Several platforms coexist today, including Doctolib, Maiia, Keldoc, or Cegedim Agenda. Other solutions also exist and meet specific needs depending on the specialty, the organization of the clinic, or the tools already in use.
Their utility depends primarily on how each structure operate, but they all share the same goal: simplifying appointment management while facilitating access to care for patients.
Pre-consultation: a new step in the care pathway
In recent years, a new category of tools has emerged in medical clinics: pre-consultation solutions.
Unlike business software or appointment scheduling platforms, these tools come into play even before the consultation begins.
Patients are invited to complete, on their smartphone or computer, a questionnaire regarding the reason for the visit, their symptoms, treatments, or medical history.
The collected information is then organized to provide the practitioner with an initial level of context before the appointment. They can facilitate the preparation of the consultation and help identify more quickly the elements that require special attention.
It is with this approach in mind that solutions like Aldebaran operate, offering adaptive pre-consultation questionnaires to help healthcare professionals prepare for their consultations while integrating with the digital tools already present in their practice.
2. Tools to support medical decision-making
Beyond this foundation, certain tools support clinical practice: monitoring a patient remotely, sharing medical information, integrating health data, or securing a prescription.
Digital technology thus becomes a real support for better communication, better patient monitoring, and assisting with certain medical decisions.
Teleconsultation
Now well established in the medical landscape, teleconsultation is a complementary solution to physically attending a consultation.
It allows a remote consultation to be carried out via secure video transmission when the clinical situation is suitable. This type of consultation can be particularly well-suited for tracking chronic diseases, some prescription renewals, analysing test results, or for consultations with patients who have mobility difficulties.
In some cases, teleconsultation is directly integrated into the tools already used for managing appointments, which facilitates its integration into the clinic's workflow.
Decision-making support tools
Digital tools do not replace the doctor's clinical reasoning. However, they can help secure certain decisions or provide quicker access to useful information during the consultation.
Prescription support software
Prescription support software (LAP) assists the practitioner when writing prescriptions.(2)
In particular, they can flag:
certain contraindications;
drug interactions;
incompatibilities related to allergies;
recommended dosages.
Their objective is to improve prescription safety while facilitating access to updated information on medicines.
The French National Authority for Health (HAS) defines prescription support software as software with at least one function allowing the preparation and editing of a medical prescription. It also publishes a certification standard aimed at ensuring minimum requirements regarding the safety and quality of prescriptions.(2)
Artificial intelligence: a new assistance tool
Artificial intelligence is gradually playing an increasing role in the tools used by healthcare professionals.
Today, it can contribute to the analysis of medical images, the interpretation of certain tests, document research, or the synthesis of clinical information.
These tools help assist the doctor with certain repetitive or time-consuming tasks. However, they do not replace the clinical examination, the practitioner's experience, or their medical responsibility.
Artificial intelligence must be considered as a decision-support tool, and not as a substitute for medical judgment.
Conclusion
The digital medical practice no longer relies on a single software, but on a set of tools that meet different needs: managing the activity, preparing consultations, securing prescriptions, organising patient follow-up, or facilitating exchanges between healthcare professionals.
The challenge is therefore not to accumulate solutions, but to choose those that best integrate with one's organisation and practice. Each practice has its own habits, constraints, and priorities.
As practices evolve, these tools are taking an increasingly important place in the daily lives of caregivers. Well used, they help to simplify certain tasks, better prepare consultations, and leave more time for what remains at the heart of the profession: the relationship between the doctor and their patient.
(1) URPS Médecins Île‑de‑France. Teleconsultation: recommendations for a quality practice.
(2) Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS). Recommendations – Places and environmental conditions for conducting a teleconsultation or telecare. 2024.
