Wednesday 28 December 2011

Confuse on EMR Implementation, Here is a Tips for Stress-Free EMR Implementation

EMR implementation is often no easy task.  Leaving behind your practice’s old system of paper medical records, filing, and paper billing systems can be extremely stressful – even if the new  system of  electronic  medical record keeping promises to be more beneficial to office staff and patients in the long run.

To help your office transition to electronic medical records more smoothly, it’s important to organize your office and prepare adequately to have a new system in order.  Here are five critical tips to a stress-free EMR implementation and a successful new office.

1. Research your options. By using an EMR consultation website or service you’ll be able to compare EMR systems and equipment and chat with an expert to choose the right system for your practice. Find a vendor that offers excellent support.

2. Have adequate tech support and customer service in place. While a well-planned and well-installed system shouldn’t cause more problems than it solves, there may be a few technical glitches along the way.  Having access to tech support makes these problems much easier to handle.

3. Figure out your costs before you jump in.  While meaningful use financing means government reimbursement for practices and hospitals who implement and EMR system and can demonstrate its benefit toward the healthcare system, the initial startup costs of replacing a paper system and purchasing new EMR software and equipment can sometimes come as a surprise to a small practice expecting a different price tag.  Be sure to research costs and discuss with an expert before starting your EMR implementation.  Buying all EMR computers, equipment, software, and services from one location can help keep things simple and help you keep track of costs.

4. Have the right equipment.   Your staff may be unfamiliar with the new equipment you present them, so it’s important to train everyone properly and purchase the right equipment.  Consider providing multiple options for data entry into the system, as some staffers may have a hard time getting used to the new tools.  Scanning, typing, tablet PC’s with handwriting recognition software, and interfaces are all excellent options to consider having in the office. Make sure your entire technological infrastructure is planned and solid. Sometimes there is a gap between EMR hardware and software, creating problems in the long run.

5.Communicate with your staff.  Be sure everyone’s clear on how to use the equipment, and let everyone know that they can come to you or to the project manager if they need any help with the new EMR system.  Consider posting tech support numbers and local internet support numbers in a central location.  Let everyone know that you are all there to help each other, and while some medical staff may be less than comfortable with the new technical equipment, EMR is a smart choice that will benefit both patients and staff.

These are basic guidelines to always keep in mind during an EMR implementation.  Remember to do your research on the details or use an EMR consultant to help you with your rollout plan.

Source: http://www.healthtechnologyreview.com/art282_tips_for_a_stress_free_emr_implementation.php

Demand of Physicians to get Electronic Medical Record Software in Smart Phones

EMR,Electronic Health Record Software Review
Survey results published last week report that more physicians want an electronic medical record system that has a mobile component.

As more than half of physicians work from smartphones and more than a quarter are using tablet computers, mobile device compatibility and function is a deciding factor for physicians when choosing an EMR system.

The survey, conducted by CompTIA, an information technology association, involved 350 physicians and health care administrators and 400 IT companies in the health care sector. According to the survey results, only 38% of physicians are using a comprehensive EMR system, and 42% of those surveyed consider implementing or improving their EMR a high priority.

In an article from Amdnews.com, reporter Pamela Lewis Dolan, writes that according to Tim Herbert, vice president of research for CompTIA, of those shopping for EMR software, systems, or upgrades, their decisions are most influenced by whether the chosen system will have a mobile component.

The survey results also showed that 40% ranked security as a mid-level priority, and only 24% ranked it as a top priority.

In this article, Dolan clarifies that Herbert believes these statistics don't reflect physician sensitivity to patient privacy, but rather a lack of understanding of the security concerns and issues related to mobile device use.

Among IT firms, there is a great concern about mobile device security and they are working to ensure that it remains a top priority in the EMR software and system designs.

Source: http://www.healthtechnologyreview.com/art398_physicians_want_electronic_medical_record_systems_with_a_mobile_component.php

Monday 26 December 2011

Be smart on puchase of EMR for your Practice

How to purchase the right EMR Software for your practice

Implementing an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software in your office can be one of the most beneficial things you can do for your practice’s success. Unfortunately, buying the wrong EMR can be disastrous. To buy the right EMR you need to be able to see past the smoke and mirrors. Relying solely on your EMR vendor to make the right hardware and implementation recommendations can be a big mistake. Here are some tips you can use to help ensure a successful EMR implementation.

Set realistic goals. What do you wish to gain out of an EMR? Many offices purchase EMR software in hopes that it will automatically provide them with all the benefits that were promised to them. The right EMR software can help you reduce your number of staff, reduce your expenses, reduce medical errors and reduce documentation time. To realize all these benefits you need to set milestones and implement the right plan.

Perform a cost-benefit analysis. All offices work differently and have different inefficiencies. It’s important to have realistic expectations of what type of Return on Investment (ROI) can be expected. It’s important to look into these items before you begin looking at vendors so that you have an idea of what type of budget you will have available for your EMR as the cost of EMR software (not including hardware, implementation time and training) can range between $1000 and $45,000 and there is no silver bullet.

Seek out unbiased sources of information. Distilling fact from fiction in the medical software industry can be difficult. Even many of the awards that are given to the different vendors for their products are often very biased. The internet offers many unbiased information sources on EMR. You may also want to consider bringing in the expertise of an IT Company or EMR consultant to help guide you through the process of selecting the right vendor.

Leveraging hardware to improve your EMR functionality. It’s a great thing when you have technology on your side to manage your patient's records and become more efficient. To do this it’s imperative to select the right hardware based off of your office’s needs and user's experience. Involve the right IT company from the beginning to ensure a successful implementation.

Source: http://www.emrexperts.com/articles/emr-software-buying.php

Introduce EMR

What is EMR Software?

EMR Software, also known, Electronic Medical Record Software is a computer application that manages the clinical, financial and administrative functions of a healthcare organization in order to reduce the office workload and increase efficiency along with many other benefits such as improved security, reduced malpractice insurance premiums and enhanced quality of care.
What is a valid EMR System and how does it work?

For a system to be considered an "Electronic Medical Record," it must integrate information from multiple sources, capture data at the point of encounter and support caregiver's decision making process. Unfortunately many products on the market make use of Electronic Medical Records, EMR or EHR as only "buzz" words that would generate interest, without applying the above mentioned basic functions that merit it to be a true EMR Software System.

A suitable Electronic Medical Records software is typically an application that is installed on a central server and connected to terminals such as PC's, laptops, Tablet PC's and PDA's via a network. The caregivers and the administrative staff can then access these terminals to input clinical, financial and administrative data. An EMR Software usually integrates with the organization's existing billing software, and allows the caregiver to see the patients check in/check out routine, submit CPT/ICD information to the billing software, assist the caregiver in decision-making by suggesting treatment plan recommendations and generate reports. All EMR software can be tailored to fit a medical practice's needs and workflow settings with a specialty specific EMR Software.

Source: http://www.healthtechnologyreview.com/emr-software.php

Electronic Medical Record: Pain Management EMR

Pain is one of the only completely subjective medical conditions. The only person who can know the experience is the person suffering from it, and everyone experiences pain differently. Doctors can perform all sorts of scans and tests but a perceived feeling isn’t something can be concretely diagnosed. Dealing with pain is tricky and mysterious, as everyone feels and deals with it differently, but physicians working in pain clinics can document and treat it more effectively when using a customized pain management EMR.

In a Modern Medicine article about pain and community pharmacists, the method in which most deal with pain can be quite unsafe: using pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical drugs to cope. "Pain is a nasty sensory and emotional experience, not an objective measure. People report pain in the absence of tissue damage or any likely pathophysiological cause. The vast majority of people use their medications appropriately and are not trying to game the system. If someone regards their experience as pain, if they report it in the same ways as pain caused by tissue damage, accept it as pain," said pain and palliative care specialist Scott Strassels, PharmD, PhD, BCPS. The implementation of a specialized pain management EMR in the practice lets doctors better document complaints, symptoms and treatments so a different course of action can be taken before the patient turns to the unsafe overuse drugs for relief.

An action plan for chronic physical discomfort can be devised from following the templates in a pain management EMR software solution. Like all EMRs, physicians can access entire patient histories, medication records and interactions, but one designed specifically for pain clinics contains content that general practice software does not. Physicians have access to templates for documenting patient complaints, how the pain affects their daily activities, what treatments they have tried and whether they worked or not. The specialized software also contains customizable-to-your-practice intricate interactive face and body diagrams to map out precise locations of pain, numbness or tingling and comes with pre-designed procedures as to how to treat it. Pre-loaded assessment notes, diagnoses and recommendations made just for pain clinics assist physicians make educated decisions about the next step in pain management care for the patient.

Source: http://www.healthtechnologyreview.com/st86_pain_management_emr_electronic_medical_relief.php

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