5 EHR Infographics that every provider must read

EHRs are an important element of the healthcare market. It is vital to realize the importance of EHRs and the direction the entire industry is headed in. With the help of info-graphics it is easier to show marketing trends, the following article will show you some of the best info-graphics relating to healthcare, ranging from subjects like; when to get a new EHR? What share do different vendors in the market hold? Does technology really improve the way a practice is run? Find out with below amongst many other important subjects.

1) Electronic Health Records Infographic

How do electronic health records (EHRs) connect you and your doctor? In the past, medical data was only stored on paper, making it difficult for your health care providers to share your information. Read more

2) The 20 Most Popular EHR Software Solutions

As the deadline for implementation in the U.S. draws near, talk of electronic medical records (EMR) and electronic health records (EHR) software is a hot topic at the doctor’s office lately. These systems assist medical practitioners in the creation, storage, and organization of electronic medical records, including patient charts, electronic prescriptions, lab orders, and evaluations (just to name a few common features).  Read more

3) Why are EHR users replacing EHR SOFTWARE?

 This infographic created for Honeywell depicts the top reasons why hospitals and medical practices are replacing their EHR software. See more

4) 11 indicators that you need a new EHR

Often so deeply immersed in looking for ways to make their practice more efficient, physicians sometimes fail to see the most obvious hurdle preventing this very process from occurring; their EHR. If your Electronic Health Record (EHR) solution is not up to the mark, you might be losing out on precious profits, and incurring costs that you can easily overcome. Read more

5) The Convergence of Big Data and EHR Infographic

“In the next 10 years, data science and software will do more for medicine than all of the biological sciences together,” said venture capitalist Vinod Khosla. Data science holds great promise for patient health, but patient data is only actionable in so far as it is digital. Read more

EMR and Practice Management – Changing the Dynamics of Healthcare

The introduction of interoperable health IT solutions had a significant impact on the entire healthcare industry. All conventional rules of medical practice were modified and providers across all specialties strive to stay in business with the ever changing regulations and new health standards. The adoption of EMR in the healthcare sector was a game changer, as conventional methods of storing, retrieving and documenting clinical data became obsolete overnight. The potential benefits of EMR technology were the major reason behind the introduction of Meaningful Use incentives for providers – helping promote widespread adoption.

EMR adoption was on the rise, but so was the increase in provider specific requirements, often based on specialty and practice setting. It has taken a while for the physician community to fully utilize EMR technology, as initial EMR solutions were limited in functionality and usability. The rising patient volumes and pressure from insurance companies, and other regulatory bodies meant that physicians now needed to accomplish a lot more clinical documentation whilst complying with the administrative and security requirements. This led to the integration of EMR systems with Practice Management software. Standalone practice management solutions existed before the introduction of EMR technology, but with the advent of interoperable “all-in-one” solutions rendered such standalone systems redundant.

This meant that EMR vendors now focused on amalgamating their systems with practice management software to retain market share. For clinicians, the appeal of reduced hassle with the integration of practice management was a better option that ensured optimum financial and clinical performance. Subsequently, physicians could now focus on patient care without having to worry about increased office administration.

With the number of vendors rising by the day, EMR and Practice Management technology is rapidly evolving – with specialty specific EMR systems now making their presence felt. Healthcare professionals are no longer satisfied with basic EMR functionality and thus look for a solution that caters to their specialty specific clinical content and workflows. As the care continuum strives for improved clinical outcomes, it would require a great deal of effort from vendors and providers to help develop solutions that meet their specialty requirements.

 

EMR and Practice Management – Automation Realized

Consumer and business marketing has substantially developed in regards to the holistic value delivered by a product or service. Rationale is the underlying basis to adjudicate the purchase decision on any item under question. ‘Is it functional towards my needs?’, ‘How does it measure up to its competitors in the market in regards to quality?’, ‘Is it good value for money?’. These are the most common questions while determining a final choice. It would be fair to say that before finalizing any single prospect, a cost-benefit analysis is of the utmost importance.  The same holds true for physicians while implementing applications within their practice such as EMR and practice management.  Since software such as EMR and practice management are long term investments, it is all the more important to have an in depth analysis before coming to a final decision. Furthermore, EMR and practice management may have serious implications on the quality of care delivered within a practice; therefore it is mandatory for providers to be completely thorough before implementing any application.

“After you part with your hard earned money on adopting a certain EMR or practice management system and  you eventually discover that the costs outweigh the benefits, you will end up becoming aggravated. Hence, comprehensive research is fundamental prior to deciding upon any particular product or service you decide to apply within your practice”, says a Massachusetts based physician.

The core benefit of applying tools like EMR and practice management is that they have automated arduous processes which previously had to be carried out manually. In a modern doctor’s office, clinical processes are expedited and made easy through EMR, while administrative processes are automated through a practice management system. After the advent of electronic medical records, tasks which required long hours can now be wrapped up in a few minutes. Storing and retrieving documents is now done electronically within a few minutes. Furthermore, thanks to this technology the healthcare industry has ventured into the electronic sphere, where chances for any silly mistakes made are highly minimized.

Just a decade ago, no one would have envisioned that such applications would completely revolutionize the entire healthcare system – health information being transferred without barriers of location or boundaries of paper. In the world of today we see it happening; due to the incursion of health IT applications, healthcare as we know it has been transformed.

Health Information Exchange – Where Are We Headed

No doubt the inclusion of information technology in the healthcare industry brought the game changing Electronic Medical Records (EMR) technology, along with secure sharing and exchange of health information across various platforms, more commonly known as health information exchange (HIE). It was always believed that the purpose of providing quality and affordable care along with improving the conditions of the US healthcare system could be significantly aided by incorporating HIE within the EMR continuum. One can imagine the ease with which quality healthcare could be provided if important health information can be transferred across various platforms with relevant people.

While health IT consultants and regulatory bodies could give a long list of advantages that EMRs and HIE could bring to the healthcare industry, the question remains is the adoption rate as high as expected? According to recent research, approximately 71% of the hospitals in US are planning to implement EMR solutions that comply with health information exchange. As the technology keeps on improving, soon the implementation rates are likely to touch 100%.

“Information technology is one of the best things that could happen to the healthcare industry. The way IT has revolutionized healthcare, it could be easily said that in the coming years EMRs and other health IT applications are likely to be seen in almost every practice. I believe, after stethoscopes physicians would also treat EMR to be essential”, says a New Hampshire based health IT consultant.

The importance of HIE could also be comprehended by looking at the meaningful use stage 2 requirements. The objectives in stage 2 encourage physicians not only to use EMR but also to ensure that their solution allows for information exchange. This is one of the very reasons why regulatory bodies have been working on creating standards for HIE implementation. It is believed that a portfolio of standardized guidelines would allow physicians to comprehend the requirements and understand the implementation procedures in a much more efficient manner.

Realizing the requirements and keeping the concerns of physicians in mind, even established EMR vendors are creating solutions that ensure HIE. As the introduction of cloud EMR helped them capture the market share, incorporating HIE would further enhance their chances of attracting more potential clients.

 

EMR Interoperability – An in-depth Analysis

Even since the introduction of EMR the health IT industry has been making considerable changes to the technology. With each passing day, we witness a new feature or a systematic change made within EMR applications, such as the introduction of Cloud EMRs. One can identify a plethora of advantages that cloud EMRs have brought to the healthcare system. No doubt, EMR vendors have taken and are still taking the increasing competition seriously. It did not take them much time to realize that they key to capture market share is to meet the demands of healthcare professionals.

Although healthcare providers have their own concerns related to the usability of the EMR solution, the government’s meaningful use requirement did not back out from increasing the physicians’ demands either. It is the issue of EMR interoperability that I am talking about. Being part of the health IT industry, today, almost everyone is aware of the significance that interoperability has attached to it. Physicians who have been implementing EMRs for a long time now, have started taking the matter of EMR interoperability seriously. After all, interoperability is considered to change the dynamics of the healthcare industry. Imagine the ease with which health information would be easily exchanged with healthcare providers both within and outside single premises. Definitely, the extent of care coordination is likely to augment.

“Although vendors are responsible for keeping their EMRs updated, physicians should not sit back and risk their meaningful use financial incentive funds. It is high time when physicians start making the vendors realize the importance of meeting their demands and requirements. And this applies to both the existing and potential clients. I am sure vendors would not want to take the matter easily as well”, says a New Jersey based health IT consultant.

While is it not absurd to believe that it is the vendor’s responsibility to ensure that their product accommodates interoperability, physicians and healthcare institutions should not sit back without raising their mounting concern in front of the vendors. The rationale is simple; where complying with the meaningful use objectives would help physicians get their hands on thousands of dollars, straying away would not only lead to losing the incentive funds but also result in financial penalties – coming in terms of reduced reimbursements.

As covered in a leading health IT related magazine, emphasizing on the importance of EMR interoperability, Farzad Mostashari, MD of the ONC, said that physicians should report to the ONC if their vendors fail to comply with the interoperability issues, and their issue would be paid due importance.

After introducing cloud EMR technology, vendors now try to innovate the solution with every passing day. Where the issue of EMR interoperability is of vital importance for physicians, it is surely an attention paying issue for EMR vendors too.