Tips to Improve a Practice’s Efficiency for Electronic Health Records Integration
by Applied Medical Systems
Digital technology has completely transformed the way we communicate and live our lives. It has affected medical practices across the country by changing the way they record the medical history, medications, diagnoses, allergies, and immunization dates of patients.
In recent years, electronic medical records or EMRs and electronic health records or EHRs have been adopted by healthcare facilities to better organize and interpret data and facilitate sound clinical decisions. They have been designed to share patient information with other healthcare professionals so that they are aware of every aspect involved in a patient’s care. Here are several tips to help you improve your practice’s electronic health records integration:
Understand the Difference Between an EMR and EHR
It’s common for the terms EMR and EHR to be used interchangeably. However, there are some differences between them. EMR systems are intended to replace the charts or paper records that are typically maintained in a doctor’s office.
EHRs are more advanced because they contain comprehensive health information that can be shared with specialists and laboratories to provide a broader view of a patient’s care. You should determine which type of electronic record is right for your practice. Since an EHR is a more intelligent version of an EMR, we highly recommend EHRs over EMRs.
Select the Right System
By selecting the right EHR, you can improve the quality of patient care while saving your practice time and money. Start by contacting vendors to schedule a demo so that you can educate yourself on all of the options available. You must find out if it is easy to use, compliant with ICD-10 and HIPAA, and certified with Meaningful Use Stage 1 and Stage 2. In addition, you should determine if it comes with training and support and fits into your budget.
When evaluating each EHR be sure to involve staff from each area of your office, including clinical, scheduling, and billing personnel. Many EHRs excel in one area and are inefficient or underdeveloped in others. It is in your best interest to determine this before purchasing instead of after the EHR has been implemented.
Outsource
When your electronic health records integration to a dependable provider such as Applied Medical Systems, you can enjoy one fluid management system for your billing, coding, and health record information. Applied Medical Systems collaborates with a variety of EHR vendors to provide you with EHR integration that is ideal for the particular needs of your facility.
EHR integration can mitigate responsibility from medical management professionals and physicians so that they can focus on what matters most: patient care. If you’re looking for a seamless integration with your EHR vendor, we are an invaluable resource. Contact us today for more information on how we can improve your practice’s efficiency for electronic health records integration.
