title: Effect of practice management softwares among physicians of developing countries with special reference to Indian scenario by Mixed Method Technique.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently, many cheaper "practice management software" (PMS) are available in developing countries including India; despite their availability and benefits, its penetration and usage vary from low to moderate level, justifying the importance of this study area.
  
  
  METHODS
  First preferred reporting items for systematic-review and meta-analysis (2009) guidelines were considered; followed by an extensive systematic-review of available studies in literature related to developing countries, on key search term from main abstracting databases: PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO, BIO-MED Central, Cochrane Library, world CAT-library till 15 June 2014; where any kind of article whether published or unpublished, in any sort or form or any language indicating the software usage were included. Thereafter, meta-analysis on Indian studies revealing the magnitude of usage in Indian scenario by Open Meta-(analyst) software using binary random effects (REs) model was done. Studies from developed countries were excluded in our study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 57 studies included in a systematic review from developing countries, only 4 Indian studies were found eligible for meta-analysis. RE model revealed although not-significant results (total participants = 243,526; range: 100-226,228, overall odds ratio = 2.85, 95% confidence interval = P < 0.05 and tests for heterogeneity: Q [df = 3] = 0.8 Het. P = 0.85). The overall magnitude of usage of PMS on Indian physicians practice was however found between 10% and 45%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although variable and nonsignificant effect of usage of PM software on practice of physicians in developing countries like India was found; there is a need to recognize the hidden potential of this system. Hence, more in-depth research in future needs to be done, in order to find a real impact of this system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Muzaffarnagar Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarnagar, India.
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.affiliation: Subharti Medical College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Anuradha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davey
keywords: Electronic medical records; India; general practice; meta-analysis; physicians; practice management software; systematic-review