Choosing The Right Electronic Medical Record System
Electronic health records (EHR) or electronic medical records (EMR) are no longer reserved for large hospitals and practices. To modern healthcare practices, asides from being legally required by the EMR Mandate, EMRs are necessary and crucial tools to running a medical practice that delivers value effectively and efficiently.
Electronic Health Records v. Electronic Medical Records: What’s the difference?
Electronic Medical Records are essentially digital versions of charts and records, while electronic medical records do the job of an EMR and more. EHRs are able to handle essential tasks like billing, ordering tests, placing orders for prescriptions, communicating with other professionals attending to the patient and communicating with your patients. However, the terms EHR and EMR are often used interchangeably when referring to software that communicates with other departments.
EMR systems integrate with your practice to carry out clinical and administrative tasks, taking a burden off the staff.
Admittedly, selecting the right EMR can be a daunting task. Some might find EMR systems difficult and clumsy to use, and may also slow down your process. Asides from the fact that EMRs are required by U.S law to be used in practice, finding the right system can help you build a holistic profile of your patient through various points of contact with healthcare professionals and offer efficient quality care.
Trying to find the right EMR for your practice can be tricky as they all come in different variants in various categories. Finding the right EMR considering cost, ease of use, the complexity of adoption, and your team’s peculiar needs can be laborious, but there are some tips to help you whittle down your options and help you choose the right EMR system.
There are many things to consider when choosing the right EMR software; pricing, usability, support and integrations are just some of them. But first, why are EMRs important?
Advantages of EMR systems
Asides from keeping track of patient information and easy retrieval so you don’t have to sweat in the stuffy file storage room, EMR systems offer several useful utilities.
Efficient notes: Let’s face it, nobody likes to type out longhand patient notes. Many EMR systems come with speech-to-text tools that allow you to focus on the patient while it records seamless lying the background
Access to charts and notes: With a few button clicks, you can pull your patients’ notes and charts instantaneously.
Drug interaction warnings: Many EMR systems alert you when you prescribe medication that could interact with some other drug the patient is on. Before EMR systems, these had to be done manually.
Improved interconnectivity with other medical practitioners: Because your patient’s record is readily available, practitioners can easily update patient data.
Types of EMR Systems
There are various classifications of EMR systems but the most popular sorting method has them distributed according to how they store patient data.
Physician-hosted: These types of systems store medical data on servers within the facility. The major disadvantage of this type is that the physician/administrator is responsible for information security measures, in compliance with HIPAA rules. The practice would also have to invest in major data storage hardware. Due to the hassles involved, this type is best suited to large hospitals with dedicated IT departments.
Remotely-hosted: This is similar to the physician-hosted type except medical data is hosted remotely on servers located outside the practice’s premises. This means that you don’t have to worry about data storage logistics, although you are still responsible for data security. This is best suited to smaller practices that can’t afford the physician-hosted option.
Subsidized remote: Practices using this option pay a usually bigger medical practice to access its EMR.
Cloud-based: As opposed to the other types of EMRs, cloud-based systems don’t require you to have servers or access to servers. Cloud-based EMR systems store all medical data on the cloud. This is by far the most popular option, partly due to its affordability and enhanced data security, taking all the burden of IT concerns off the client.
How to choose an EMR System
Now that we’ve seen the advantages of having an EMR System, it’s time to decide which one to implement. Finding the appropriate system depends on what your priorities are. EMR systems are integral to the operation of a practice, so it is important that your staff is familiar with the system. Try out as many options as you can, request demos and ask for recommendations. These aside, here are a few things to consider when choosing an EMR system.
Cost
The cost of an EMR system depends on some factors such as the vendor, which features or add-ons you choose, and how many staff you have in your practice. Payment might be one-time or a monthly subscription plan.
Usability
If an EMR system is too complicated for your staff members, it will be an impediment to your operations rather than an advantage when they struggle to complete daily tasks on the EMR. You’ll easily find vendors offering free trials and live demonstrations of their software; this is a great way to assess if the system would be beneficial to your practice. The system should be easy to use and learn to encourage easy adoption by the staff.
Integration and training
Integrating a new EMR system into your practice can be arduous and take time, so it’s crucial that you know the vendor’s methods of implementation. Also, find a vendor that offers medical practitioners and staff training to ensure everyone has a good grasp of the software.
Support
Figuring out the EMR system might take some time, so make sure the vendor will hold your hand through the process. Fortunately, some vendors offer in-person support free of charge for some time after purchase. Functioning customer service is key when transitioning to an EMR system. Also, ensure that the software’s interface works with your labs and pharmacies. Meaningful Use Stage III guidelines provide a minimum standard of interoperability.
ONC EHR Certification
Regulations around EMR systems are constantly evolving along with the technology, but a system should adhere to the minimum requirements of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
With these tips, finding an EMR vendor that suits your needs should be somewhat easier. Interacting with vendors should give you a better idea of which one is best for your medical practice.