What is better? Manual or automatic? How do they work? Which one to choose? Why?
No, this isn’t an article about buying cars. Although it may sound like it, I'm actually talking about clinical extraction software. There are some striking parallels when comparing car purchases and data 
extraction software purchases.
Aside from the fact that modern cars are essentially computers on wheels—on average containing thirty computers and millions of lines of code—buying a car is similar to the purchasing process of choosing an extraction software in a more practical way.
If you are old enough to remember 8-Track Tape Players, Pet Rocks, Atari and the T.V. show Happy Days, then you probably remember having to choose between an automatic and manual transmission when choosing options for your new car. Today, cars typically come standard with an automatic transmission - that is a car that shifts gears automatically without any driver intervention required. However, a few decades ago it was common to have to choose the optional automatic transmission if you didn't want to have to manually change gears as you drove the car which encouraged a more leisurely ride.
Data extraction software is going through the same evolutionary changes that cars experienced 30 years ago, in order to provide companies a more leisurely ride in extracting valuable clinical data from documents for consistent and useful reporting. There are many similarities between manual extraction and manual transmission.
Just like picking a car, choosing a data extraction solution requires a solid understanding of your current and future needs. If you have a small clinic with a couple of users – a Honda Civic 6-speed transmission or manual redaction tool may work fine. If you are in a large hospital, or are expecting your volume to grow – an SUV or automated extraction solution will provide more versatility, additional bells and whistles, and custom features tailored to your specific needs.
For more information about automated extraction software, I encourage you to request a personalized demo of our software by clicking the button below.
