Medical office administrators use electronic medical records, practice management systems, billing tools, scheduling platforms, virtual-care software, and everyday office applications. Together, these tools support the administrative side of a patient’s visit, from registration and appointment reminders to document handling and payment follow-up.

You won’t necessarily need seven separate programs. A single platform may combine records, scheduling, billing, and patient communication. Understanding how those functions connect is a useful starting point when you’re preparing for clinic work.

At Pharma-Medical Science College of Canada, our Medical Office Administration Diploma Program covers health records, scheduling, confidentiality, OHIP, WSIB, and third-party billing. The software examples below illustrate workplace tools, rather than a confirmed list of products taught in our classes.

7 Types of Software Medical Office Administrators Use

Medical office administration software covers several connected tasks. This comparison outlines the seven categories covered below and the administrative work each one supports.

Core healthcare and practice software

These systems connect patient-facing tasks with records and billing. Their features overlap, so learn what each function accomplishes rather than treating every category as a separate product.

Practice management software

Medical practice management software supports the business and administrative side of a clinic. Depending on the product, it can bring together patient registration, provider schedules, billing, task lists and reports.

Accuro EMR, for example, includes scheduling, billing, patient records, task management and internal communication features. In a practice exercise using fictional patient information, students might update contact details, locate an appointment, and assign a task to the appropriate colleague within the same system.

The useful question is: what happens next? A saved appointment still needs the correct provider, visit type and follow-up. Our guide to preparing for medical office administration work connects these responsibilities with training.

EMR and EHR systems

An electronic medical record, or EMR, supports patient information within a practice. An electronic health record, or EHR, generally refers to a broader record that can draw information from different healthcare settings. Terminology varies between products and organizations.

In Ontario, commonly used electronic medical record systems include Accuro EMR, PS Suite, Med Access and OSCAR Pro. These products appear on OntarioMD’s certified EMR offerings list.

Hospitals and larger healthcare organisations may use enterprise systems such as Epic or Oracle Health. Medical office administrators benefit from understanding the common functions of electronic record systems, even when the software differs between workplaces.

For administrative work, focus on finding the correct chart, checking demographic details, and routing documents. Access should match your authorized duties. Being able to open a record doesn’t give you permission to read it for an unrelated reason.

Medical billing and claims software

Medical billing software helps staff prepare claims, track payments, identify errors, and reconcile amounts received. Accuro and PS Suite include billing functions, although the exact workflow depends on the clinic and payer.

In Ontario, medical offices use OHIP billing processes to submit eligible claims and track payments. The Medical Claims Electronic Data Transfer (MCEDT) service allows authorised users to exchange electronic claims files and related reports with the Ministry of Health.

Medical office administrators may help review claim submissions, identify billing errors and reconcile payments using remittance advice. Submitting a claim does not automatically mean it has been approved or paid.

Practise following a fictional claim from entry through an error report and correction. Don’t guess missing information simply to clear an alert. Our article on hands-on patient records and billing experience explains why practical exercises matter alongside theory.

Appointment scheduling and patient engagement

Medical scheduling software manages appointment calendars, while patient engagement features may add online booking, reminders, messages, and waitlists. Accuro and Jane provide tools in this area, with availability depending on the product and selected features.

During a practice exercise, students can learn how appointment changes affect clinic schedules. For example, moving an appointment between healthcare providers requires checking the appointment type, duration, location, and provider availability.

Depending on the software and clinic procedures, the administrator may also need to confirm the change with the patient and update the original appointment slot.

This exercise tests an important distinction: changing a calendar entry and completing a rescheduling task aren’t necessarily the same thing.

Telehealth and telemedicine platforms

Virtual-care platforms support remote appointments. Some operate within an EMR, such as TELUS EMR Virtual Visit, which allows video consultations alongside access to patient information.

An administrator’s preparation may involve confirming contact details, sharing approved joining instructions, and helping with access problems. Use the clinic’s procedure for missed connections or a patient who cannot join. Decisions about whether a concern is suitable for virtual assessment belong with the clinical team.

When practising, include a connection failure in your scenario. Knowing whom to notify is part of using the system responsibly.

General office and productivity software

Specialized medical office software handles healthcare workflows, but ordinary office tools still have a role. Keep general administrative work separate from patient information unless your employer has approved the application and its use.

Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace

Microsoft Word supports documents and templates; Excel supports spreadsheets; Outlook combines email and calendars; and Teams supports staff collaboration. Google Workspace offers comparable categories through Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Calendar and Meet.

Build practical exercises around non-sensitive office work. Format a referral letter using fictional details, create a supply-order spreadsheet, or organize a staff meeting. In Excel or Sheets, practise sorting complete tables so names and related details don’t become separated.

Our guide to essential medical office administrator skills also covers the communication and organizational abilities needed alongside computer skills.

Electronic faxing and document management

Document tools help receive, store, and route referrals, reports, and other records. Some EMRs include these functions; TELUS Med Access, for example, lists e-Faxing and referral management among its features.

For a fictional incoming referral, check the patient, page count, document type, and intended recipient. A successful upload doesn’t confirm that the right person received the document or that every page is readable.

In Ontario, the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) establishes requirements for collecting, using, disclosing and protecting personal health information.

Medical office administrators must follow workplace privacy procedures, use approved systems and access patient information only when authorised for their duties.

A software product advertised as HIPAA-compliant does not automatically establish compliance with Ontario’s PHIPA requirements. Healthcare organisations must assess how the software is used and whether appropriate safeguards are in place.

How to practise before your first role

Use the following fictional appointment scenario to connect your skills. This is a suggested learning exercise, not a description of a specific college assessment. Use invented patient information and an authorized training environment.

Start with registration: create a patient profile and check for a possible duplicate. Next, book a visit, change its time, and explain how you would confirm the change. Add a sample referral, check that it belongs to the correct chart, and identify who should review it.

Finish with a mock billing error. Explain what you can correct within your role, what needs clarification, and how you would document the outstanding task. Record the decisions you made, rather than simply listing buttons you clicked.

Our five-step guide to becoming a medical office administrator can help you connect this preparation with your education and job-search plans.

Connect software training with your career plans

At Pharma-Medical Science College of Canada, our Medical Office Administration Diploma Program covers healthcare administration, electronic medical records, appointment scheduling, patient confidentiality, and medical billing concepts, including OHIP, WSIB, and third-party billing.

Our published program information also includes a six-week co-op placement, giving students an opportunity to apply administrative knowledge in a workplace setting.

Before enrolling, speak with our admissions team about the software applications used during training, practical activities, class schedules, and current placement arrangements.

For a wider view of study and employment options, read our Canadian medical office administration career and admission guide. Choose training by the skills you need to develop, not simply by the number of software names in a course description.

Plan your medical office administration training

Speak with our team about the current curriculum, software practice, and enrolment requirements. Contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Office Software 

Which software should medical office administrators learn first?

Start with patient registration, appointment scheduling, electronic records, and billing workflows. Then develop Word or Docs, Excel or Sheets, and email skills. Ask prospective employers or training providers which specific platforms they use.

Are EMR and practice management software the same?

They serve different purposes but may be combined. EMR functions support patient records and clinical documentation. Practice management functions support registration, appointments, billing, and clinic administration. A single product can include both.

What are some EMR examples in Ontario?

OntarioMD lists Accuro EMR, PS Suite, Med Access, and OSCAR Pro among its certified offerings. The system used in a particular workplace depends on the employer. These examples are not a confirmed list of products taught in our program.

Does submitting an OHIP claim mean it has been paid?

No. Claims may be returned with errors or adjusted during processing. Staff need to review error reports and remittance advice, correct appropriate issues, and reconcile payments. Follow provincial guidance and the clinic’s billing procedures.

Can I practise using real patient information at home?

Use fictional patient records and an approved training environment when practising independently. Never transfer workplace patient information to personal email accounts, storage services or unapproved applications.

Any authorised remote access to real patient records must follow the healthcare organisation’s privacy and security procedures and applicable Ontario privacy requirements. 

Which software is taught in your program?

Our published program description covers EMR management, scheduling, health records, confidentiality, OHIP, WSIB, and third-party billing, but it does not identify specific software brands. Contact our team to confirm the applications and practice activities included in the current intake.