| Here is the answer: | | | | management systems, lab modules, imaging |
| EMR reduces the amount of time taken for the | | | | systems and other systems that support HL7 |
| provider to complete a patient encounter. They | | | | standard. |
| are interfaced with practice management | | | | So if you are going to get all these benefits in an |
| systems and automatically import demographical | | | | EMR, its worth implementing. Adding to the above |
| information (supporting HL7 standard). One key | | | | benefits, EMR can help you increase your practice |
| feature is of having Integrated Document | | | | revenues up to 45% and cut costs on office |
| Management System that can automatically scans | | | | supplies, improve your Chart Documentation, save |
| and field recognizes patient history intake, saving | | | | you headaches from Insurance Companies and |
| nursing staff's valuable time. This leads to huge | | | | Medicaid / Medicare audits. Some EMR's give you |
| savings on the Document Management time and | | | | Return on Investment within a year of |
| costs, also saves space on Document storage | | | | implementing them. |
| and is much faster way to retrieve documents | | | | If you are looking for a good EMR also consider |
| and pull charts. | | | | the following aspects: |
| EMR also have Streamlined Voice Recognition | | | | 1. Rapid Implementation and Comprehensive |
| technology with rich built-in macros which allow | | | | Training. |
| the provider to note his/her encounter, print | | | | 2. Built in user help, prompt telephone, online and |
| prescriptions, educational materials, and enter | | | | on-site support. |
| diagnosis. Orders are immediately faxed to internal | | | | I hope the above points explain why is a need to |
| external facilities and a track is immediately | | | | have an EMR set up in your clinic. |
| invoked to the patient record reminding you of | | | | Lastly what are things you should look for in an |
| pending patient activities and procedure codes, | | | | EMR (to summarize): |
| place orders (CT, MRI, X-Ray, etc.) and even fax | | | | 1. Simplicity |
| out a referral letter, all within a quick two minutes | | | | It should be manifested in ease of use and |
| or less. | | | | maintenance in addition to lower setup cost. |
| EMR can synchronize schedules and surgical Notes | | | | 2. Performance |
| into PDAs and automatic posting of forms filled | | | | EMR should be the software that works for an |
| by Patients. This makes it very to easy to | | | | individual physician and not the physician working |
| manage records remotely while you are not in | | | | for the software. |
| the clinic. | | | | 3. Precision |
| Adding to the Voice technology, it allows the | | | | It should have built in voice technology for PDA's, |
| provider to record directly in to the PDA system | | | | Tablets, Laptop and Desktop PC's provides for |
| and automatically transcribe upon sync with the | | | | limitless repetition to an accurate and precise |
| main system back in the office. This saves huge | | | | speech recognition technology. |
| time in Transcriptions and saves lot of costs if | | | | 4. Flexibility |
| the doctor does it offline using some outsourcing | | | | It should support smaller size PDA and Tablet |
| method. So it can all be instant. | | | | Technologies, which reduces space requirements |
| EMR's have Patient scheduling support, internal | | | | and allows flexibility and convenience for providers |
| messaging system, multiple site support, etc. | | | | to carry pertinent information anywhere. |
| which are the key needs of a clinic. Also they | | | | 5. Price-Performance Ratio |
| have, alerts for Insurance Audit, CPT Modifier and | | | | Lastly, it should help you with significant savings to |
| Billing. | | | | end users through state-of-the-art technology at |
| One of the most important criteria of having is to | | | | competitive Price Performance ratio. |
| have Customized Reports covering all aspects of | | | | There are many good EMR's available in the |
| a Medical Practice with Easy User interface and | | | | market like gloEMR, etc. It's a matter of taking a |
| total Compliance with HIPAA & CMS (HCFA) | | | | good decision. |
| regulations. They also have Interface with practice | | | | |