How to Optimize Your WebPT Setup

As a cloud-based application, WebPT is accessible with most Internet browsers on web-enabled devices. That said, there are some devices that are a bit more WebPT-compatible than others. So, in the interest of providing our Members with the best possible user experience, we’ve compiled the following recommendations. Please note that—depending on your equipment—your experience may vary. Also, these recommendations are for optimal performance, but if your setup isn’t 100% by the book, don’t sweat it; WebPT may still work just fine.

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Internet Speed

WebPT is a data-intensive application. For optimal performance, we recommend the following:

• Ideal Download Speed: at least 25 Mbps (megabits per second)
• Ideal Upload Speed: at least 2 Mbps for the average-sized clinic (5–10 users, not including a guest Wi-Fi network)

If you work in a larger clinic, please consult your Internet Service Provider or IT professional for a recommendation. Generally speaking, the faster your connection, the better—especially if your clinic uses eDoc or Quick Scan, or if you run reports for large time ranges. The bare minimum Internet connection speeds are 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload. To verify your Internet speed, check out this free speed test.

Please note that there are many external factors that can influence Internet speed, including the user’s distance from the router, the presence of thick walls between the user and the router, wireless settings, or electronic interference (e.g., if you place a microwave oven or other device near the router).

Wireless Connectivity

WebPT generally works fine with most modern wireless routers (Wireless “N” or “AC”).  Please confirm with your Internet Service Provider the type of router and access points necessary to handle your clinic’s web traffic. The more Internet users you have, the higher quality and/or quantity of access points you’ll need.

Hardware and Software for PCs

Listen up, PC peeps. To experience optimal functionality in WebPT, your machine should:

• operate on Windows 7 or newer (preferably Windows 10) with at least 4GB of RAM, although 8GB is ideal;
• have a hard drive with at least 500GB of space and 7200 RPM (preferably a solid state drive with at least 128GB of space); and
• feature a monitor at least 20” wide, although 24” or higher is ideal (to cut down on eye strain).

For screen resolution, we recommend a minimum of 1366 x 768 pixels, although 1920 x 1080 is ideal. As for web browsers, WebPT performs best on the latest version of Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. But if you’re a WebPT Billing customer, use Internet Explorer 10 only.

For antivirus software, we’re partial to ESET Endpoint Anti-Virus. If you’re looking for a no-cost option, we’d recommend Microsoft Security Essentials, which you can download directly from Microsoft free of charge. Kaspersky and McAfee tend to have issues with the EMR. (Regardless of which antivirus solution you select, keep in mind that WebPT is not liable for issues related to the antivirus software.)

Hardware and Software for Macintosh

Are you a Mac for life? WebPT should work fine on any current model, because they all meet our recommended standards of 4GB RAM and 500GB of disk space. Also, WebPT can get a little laggy on older operating systems, so make sure your machine is running on OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later. When it comes to Internet browsers, we like the most current version of Firefox or Google Chrome.

Browser Usage

Here are a few helpful notes about browsers:

Cookies

The WebPT application uses cookies. If a user disables cookies, the user will not be able to log in to WebPT. For the application to function properly with cookies disabled, the user must add the WebPT application URL as a trusted site within the browser configuration settings. Visit this page for information about adding trusted sites to Chrome.

Browser Cache

For the WebPT application to function properly, the user's browser should be set to check for newer versions of cached pages automatically. This prevents errors related to outdated cached information.

Pop-up Blocker

Because the WebPT application sometimes uses pop-up windows, users may need to disable their pop-up blockers.

Multiple Tabs

Due to possible issues with auto-save functionality, we do not recommend having multiple Scheduler tabs open for the same clinic. We also do not recommend having multiple documentation tabs open for the same patient.

Furthermore, we do not recommend simultaneously working within different sessions across different browser types.

Tablets

Windows

We give two thumbs up to the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and higher. For other Windows tablets, please refer to our above-listed recommended specifications for the best experience.   

iPad

We recommend the 32GB iPad Air (the iPad Pro 12.9” is ideal). We don't currently recommend using the iPad 3G or 4G network connection. While these devices are widely popular and efficient, please keep in mind that iPad browsers function on a mobile platform, which limits your screen resolution to 768 x 1024 while web browsing (the 12.9” iPad Pro boasts 1024 x 1366).

Android Tablets

Android devices tend to become obsolete quickly and typically do not have the processing power to perform efficiently. Just like iPads, their browsers work off of a mobile device platform (similar to a smartphone).

Chromebooks

Chromebooks were designed primarily for checking email and simple web browsing. While we don’t necessarily discourage the use of any particular device, these devices do pose challenges within the EMR. Simple tasks tend to register just fine, but you may run into challenges when you get into more involved tasks.

If you’re looking into purchasing new tech equipment, you might want to keep a copy of the above guidelines in your back pocket as a reference. Got a question about your particular tech setup? Leave it in the comment section below, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.