If you work in a medical practice, it's very likely that you have been hearing the term electronic health records in many a conversation as of late. Many practices are currently moving to this new record keeping software, but you will need to carefully consider whether or not this system is right for you.
The main worry that many people have is that the new electronic medical record software will contain bugs that will harmfully affect the way they function as well as their sensitive data. However, there are many others who feel that there is nothing better than digital documentation and swear by it. No matter where you work or what your current opinion is, doing strong research will help you develop a superb knowledge of the issues at hand.
These kinds of applications are known as EHR systems, and when the best product is chosen, there can be a real mass of benefits as compared to paper medical records. For example, it can greatly quicken the patient documentation process, their bills, and their health issues. It also makes medical records far more accurate, since there are no handwritten sections and semi-automation can be used to speed up the documentation process. Additionally, if a medical practice is ever audited, it will be much easier for the auditor to call up the data he needs to analyze them.
A Good Solution for Practices With Regional Offices
There are very few medical offices that can provide patients with all of their care needs, including dentistry, surgical operations, or lab tests, at a single clinic. When patients are referred to another medical practitioner in order to receive the care that they need, their medical files must go with them. With paper, the doctor must retrieve the necessary documents and get them couriered to the other location. With electronic medical records, meanwhile, the details can instantly be sent absolutely securely, or the medical practitioners in the other locations can access the pertinent details at will by typing in a password and accessing the network.
Before adopting an electric health records software, it is key that you think of the likely impact that it will have on your practice, whether good or bad. Take into consideration that the right program could dramatically slash costs as well as storage space.
You might consider the idea a smaller practice would find an EHR software adoption unnecessary. However, even single doctor practices can gain real advantages from electronic medical records. For example, it is possible to save money on paper, part-time staff, filing supplies, and medical transcription services. In some cases, it can even improve patient confidentiality by making it harder for documents to get lost or accessed by the wrong people.
Always Simplify
When selecting a system for your medical office, ensure you have a product that is easy enough for your staff to really work with. It should also be easy to maintain the system and updating should be very simple. If you choose the right program, everything from billing, to reporting and invoicing will be a piece of cake, and will greatly improve your productivity.
Switching over to electronic health records can be a very exciting thing for both you and your staff. Once you understand how to use it to your benefit, you will all likely be pleased by how it has made your practice more efficient. In fact, you might even wonder how you ever managed to run your practice without an electronic health records product.
Carl Hardy is a system trainer, developer and editor of http://www.electronicmedicalrecords.org. His company, EMRG, specializes in developing high quality electronic medical records and offers a free online demo. Check out the site for tips on EMR installation, qualifying for Federal stimulus funds and more.
