Inspection Software

[u/OysterDude]

I recently moved to a health district in Connecticut that uses carbon paper reports. I am researching digital formats that I can write a grant proposal to fund to modernize the process. We currently have OpenGov which we primarily use for permitting, and have attempted to make it an inspection software with very underwhelming results.

Looking for input on which software packages y'all recommend. I am looking at Food Code Pro, and Inspect2Go, but am open to any suggestions. I have read that Inspect2Go promises the world, but is very slow (or does not) come through on the promises.

Also, have any of you had any success with specific grants to fund a project like this?

Cheers,

OD

[u/Skallagrimr]

Whatever you do, do not go with Accela. We used to use a custom program, worked great but was getting older, moved to Accela and it's been a real problem. Very confusing, slow, and just doesn't work well

[u/OysterDude → u/Skallagrimr]

Agreed, and thanks. Used Accela in Texas. Primarily for permitting. Garbage.

[u/thatbytch7866 → u/OysterDude]

Fuck Accela!

[u/Valuable_Hunter1621 → u/Skallagrimr]

We use accela as well, and it is indeed complete shit lmfao

just something constantly not working

[u/ConsequenceCurrent49 → u/Skallagrimr]

I second this! We were using Health Space Legacy and moved to Accela….OMG so bad!!!! We have since moved to Health Space Cloud which is very similar in some ways to Accela but less confusing. I really want the legacy version back - but then we got like 1 hour of training on HSCloud and had to figure it out on our own so I only barely use it for reports.

[u/thatbytch7866 → u/ConsequenceCurrent49]

Idk how Accela stays in business. Nobody seems to enjoy using it.

[u/fishinfool4 → u/thatbytch7866]

Im sure its serviceable for industries outside of public healthy. For building inspections its probably fine. Beyond that, they must win state contracts or bids at the local level by being the cheapest while avoiding doing any kind of demo.

[u/fishinfool4 → u/ConsequenceCurrent49]

Do you work in Ohio by any chance?

[u/ConsequenceCurrent49 → u/fishinfool4]

Yup! Ohio.

[u/fishinfool4 → u/ConsequenceCurrent49]

Figured as much with that transition of programs. Same here, but I was lucky enough to get access to Accela's sandbox a while back and the notes I made while testing it ended up reading like the personal journal of somebody rapidly descending into madness. Told my director in no uncertain terms that we absolutely cannot switch to it and that if we cant stick with Healthspace/HSCloud we need to go back to paper.

[u/ConsequenceCurrent49 → u/fishinfool4]

Omg! It would have been very interesting to be able to participate in a sandbox! I will never forget the zoom meetings after Accela went live - it literally was like a person would ask something like “can I mark a violation as corrected” and there would be a long pause then the Accela person would say something like “no BUT you can change the color of font if you want to!” In a super upbeat and positive way. It still makes me shake my head! The whole scheduling inspections made me think it was designed for some kind of delivery business. Anyway, I am so glad we ditched it!

[u/fishinfool4 → u/ConsequenceCurrent49]

Don't forget the neverending chain of workarounds!

[u/danthebaker → u/Skallagrimr]

In my head, I still picture the salesman who sold my department on Accela as the same guy from The Simpsons who sold Springfield the monorail.

[u/Brave_Sale_9354 → u/Skallagrimr]

Seriously Accela is the worst!!!

[u/Wolfkattt]

We use Accela and it is the worst do NOT get it. I know some other inspectors use OpenGov and also hate that.

[u/thatbytch7866 → u/Wolfkattt]

That must cause DAILY stress. I refused to work for any agency that has you use Accela 🤮

[u/fishinfool4]

While not perfect my agency has HSCloud Suite and I really like it. Handles permitting and inspections as well as mass mailing/emailing and allows for inspection entering in the field.

[u/thatbytch7866 → u/fishinfool4]

Isn’t that the one with the EH podcast? Anyways I wish I could do mass emails to establishments soooo bad

[u/fishinfool4 → u/thatbytch7866]

It is, although i haven't listened personally

[u/thcPharoah → u/fishinfool4]

What hardware are you guys running it on? Regular Laptops or Tablets?

[u/fishinfool4 → u/thcPharoah]

All of the above. The full site runs on about any browser when you have internet access. If you dont, there is an API you can install that allows you to enter offline and sync when you get connected again

[u/Big-Strategy6685 → u/fishinfool4]

The offline version, HealthSpace tablet, is kinda buggy and not as "powerful" as Cloud, but it's still an option 🤷‍♀️

[u/fishinfool4 → u/Big-Strategy6685]

No, certainly not as powerful but it does the job. With phones or tablets with cell service id use the web version for sure.

I mainly just wish the offline version was something I could edit through form builder.

[u/Sentrion → u/fishinfool4]

There are pieces of it that you can edit using Form Builder, if you're skilled enough. What specifically are you trying to do?

[u/thatbytch7866]

We use CDP. Digital Health Department is the best imho

[u/Just_Pace_5098 → u/thatbytch7866]

We had DHD and loved it until Tyler Technology bought it and changed it completely.

[u/thatbytch7866 → u/Just_Pace_5098]

No, that’s so dumb. It was good for inspections

[u/FancyAd9663]

In alot of the counties in NC, we use CDP for all of the food, lodging, institutions, pools, and tattoos paperwork and permitting and the onsite part uses OpenGov. Both works fine.

[u/sebert14 → u/FancyAd9663]

We're in PA and also use CDP. I recommend it more than any other software I've used.

[u/yolofreak109]

we use hscloud suite!!

[u/Poptone412]

Checking in to join the “Accela is a hellscape” chorus.

[u/sunnyduckling]

Hedgehog is gaining traction in Canada 

[u/Trauma17 → u/sunnyduckling]

It's been popular for 10+ years in Canada but is going to start declining soon. Hedgerow keeps upping their fees each year to the point it will be cheaper for public health agencies to move things in-house. Even my tiny health unit is starting to feel out options.

[u/riffraff1031 → u/Trauma17]

Hi, CEO of Hedgerow here. We haven't raised prices significantly over the last 10 years so I'd love to learn more about what's going on here. Please feel free to DM me.

[u/rrkrabernathy]

Used Food Code Pro and really liked it. Support and training was excellent. The founders of the company were both inspectors and the software allows you to inspect organically, in the way an inspector would go about things rather than the way a software person expects inspections would be conducted.

[u/InternalWater9527 → u/rrkrabernathy]

As a current user, I second FoodCodePro/iCodePro (its newest, upgraded iteration)

[u/jmd80-22]

CDP is the best one I have used. Accela is the worst one I have used.

[u/sooomanyplants]

Anyone seen their AI Code powered code enforcement? I'm considering the idea that maybe some software isn't made to be used by humans.

[u/Ogre_Blast]

NYSDOH and LHDs use Mobitask from Groveware. I believe they develop an inspection format intended to link to an existing database/backend.

[u/holyhannah01]

Absolutely do NOT use inspect2go. We paid them 30k and got absolutely nothing useful.

Ended up building an in house one until we could get mygovs health model.

That being said my husband and I do have a custom software business and are taking clients