1. Does it handle NHIA properly?
Many systems were built for other countries and treat insurance as an afterthought. Ask to see an NHIA visit from registration to claim: are G-DRG tariffs and the NHIA medicines list already loaded, can claims be vetted before they are sent, and can you export a batch? Ask what happens to a rejected claim.
2. Can it take mobile money?
Most patients in Ghana pay with cash or mobile money. The cashier should be able to take either on the same invoice, and the patient should get a receipt. Ask whether charges from the pharmacy and lab land on the same bill automatically, so nothing is missed.
3. What happens when the internet goes down?
A cloud-only system stops when the connection does. Ask whether the software can run on a server inside your facility, so registration, consultation, pharmacy and billing keep working over your local network.
4. Does it fit how you actually work?
Some facilities collect payment before the consultation, others at the end of the visit. Some run an eye or dental clinic, a maternity ward or a theatre. Make sure the system supports your workflow rather than forcing you to change it.
5. Who owns the data, and is it secure?
Ask where your patient data is stored, who can see it, and whether you can export it if you leave. Look for role-based access, so a receptionist cannot open clinical notes, and an audit trail that records who changed what.
6. What do training and support look like?
The best software fails if staff cannot use it. Ask how long setup takes, who configures your services and price list, how your staff are trained, and how quickly you can reach someone when something breaks on a busy morning.
7. Ask for a demo with your own scenarios
Do not accept a scripted demo. Bring three real cases: an NHIA patient, a cash patient who buys drugs and a lab test, and an inpatient. Watch each one from the front desk to the bill.