Health records back in the day were kept on paper. The hospital’s staff maintained them. As you might have imagined, that stack of records will grow as the years go by. That is why electronic health records software (EHR) systems were introduced to make recordkeeping more efficient.
Benefits of Using EHRs
An electronic health records software program will be a significant benefit to anyone’s medical practice. Here are a few things that you should be aware of about EHRs:
- These programs help to streamline your workflow
- They also help automate certain parts of your processes
- An EHR system gives you access to evidence-based tools
- They give you a better view of the care that has been provided to patients and thus make your decision making much better
- This system can give you detailed as well as overall views of procedures, medication, and other items of interest about a patient. Records are better kept, and thus it makes doctors better medical care providers
Best Features of an EHR
The following are some of the best features that you should look for in electronic health records software applications.
- Comprehensive Dashboard
The dashboard should be intuitive, complete with all the resources for recordkeeping, task lists, schedules, and a calendar. All of these features should also be customizable.
- Easy Prescription
Electronic prescribing is the latest trend. It will help medical professionals to reduce time and effort as well. It can also help patients save money, and doctors don’t need to spend a lot of time on the phone talking to patients and staff since a lot of the prescription process is already automated.
- Easy to Understand and Access Charting Feature
A charting feature allows you and your staff to map patient encounters. This will help you see where you can improve your interactions with leads and patients.
- Patient Portal
The patient portal is where the doctor and the patient can interact directly. It should be more than just a place to record a patient’s data. It should include billing information, private communication, and other interests to a doctor’s client.
- Billing System
The billing system is a subset of the overall electronic health records software. It should be a system that will allow patients to see an overall and an itemized view of their bill. Doctors and their patients should be able to comment on different items listed in the bill.
- Secure Messaging
The messaging system that is included in this type of software program should include a safe and secure way for patients to communicate or send messages to their attending physicians. It should also have provisions for messaging billing and medical process teams as well.
- Prescription Discounts
This is an extra service that patients and other clients will genuinely appreciate. Medical bills represent a significant expense for anyone. Including a process that clients can access to get discounts on prescriptions will help improve the quality of customer interactions.
Implementation Considerations
There are several areas to consider when implementing an EHR to one’s practice:
- Costs – make sure that the cost of the EHR doesn’t cause you to increase your fees to a considerable degree, which will not improve customer experience.
- Deployment time – an EHR should be easy to deploy. You may want to look into cloud-based applications for ease of use and better deployment and implementation.
- Security and usability – make sure that the software has proper security certification.
These are the features and factors to consider when choosing EHRs. Remember that they should benefit the physicians, patients, as well as the clinic or hospital staff that will use them.
