There are homeopathy software programs available that meet the needs of a variety of users. Some of these applications are designed for use by homeopathic physicians and healthcare professionals, while others can be used by anyone. Well-designed consumer homeopathy software does not assume the user has extensive medical or anatomical knowledge. The main focus is to help the lay person easily choose among the many available homeopathic remedies that address acute illnesses and injuries. When choosing the best homeopathy software, users should consider how they plan to use the software as well as their general knowledge of medicine and of homeopathy, in particular.
Well-designed homeopathy software for consumers includes tools to help find the right remedy by stepping the user through a question-and-answer process. The user answers a series of questions by choosing among a number of responses to describe the illness or injury for which a homeopathic remedy is sought. Through a process of elimination, the software provides the name(s) of the remedies most likely to be of help. In many cases, the software also includes a materia medica that describes the therapeutic action of each remedy in depth. In choosing the best homeopathic software, one should evaluate how easy these diagnostic tools are to use.
A repertory is a useful feature found in most homeopathic software. It is a reference organized by parts of the body to help the user find those symptoms most like those for which a remedy is sought. The best repertory will help the user choose among remedies that have subtly different therapeutic actions or symptoms.
Professional homeopaths and other healthcare providers should choose homeopathy software designed for users with advanced medical knowledge. In addition to dealing with acute illnesses and injuries, professional homeopathy software is intended to help users prescribe homeopathic remedies to deal with serious chronic diseases and constitutional dysfunctions in their patients. These applications often draw on information found in older materia medica and repertories. The archaic medical language found in some of these source references can be difficult for lay users to understand.
Many publishers of homeopathy software offer free trials of their applications. In some cases, the trial version does not have all the functionality of the full version, but should give potential users a sense of its usefulness. There are also a number of free homeopathic software tools available online. While most lack the in-depth functions found in applications requiring payment, they can be useful for pinpointing possible homeopathic remedies for minor illnesses and first aid.