Alternatives to Bitlocker for data encryption

A laptop without a TPM chip needs to be secure: it's to be used by a doctor to store patient details, so if the laptop gets lost or stolen it needs to be unreadable.

Other than Bitlocker, what are the options for security without being a pain in the neck for day-to-day use?

It is a standalone Windows 8.1 laptop, to which we are about to upgrade to Windows 8.1 Pro to get the use of Bitlocker - but would like to check alternatives before committing.