Electronic Medical Records – Are There Reasons for Low Implementation?

Electronic medical records promise to make the future of healthcare brighter for patients and medical providers, yet across the board, it’s estimated only 10 to 15 percent of doctors even use them.

Keywords:

electronic medical records, emr, ehr

Article Body:

Electronic medical records promise to make the future of healthcare brighter for patients and medical providers, yet across the board, it’s estimated only 10 to 15 percent of doctors even use them. If the promises of EMRs are so grand, why don’t more healthcare professionals take advantage? While there are many reasons doctors have slowly adopted EMR technology, the top three are cost, data security and lack of uniform standards. This article will discuss these top objections to EMR implementation.

EMR Costs

Implementing an electronic medical record system can entail a significant upfront cost, especially if converting to a paperless medical office the first time. It’s not surprising then the segment of doctors most resistant to electronic medical records are those with the smallest amount of income. Large practices, hospitals and insurance companies are adopting EMRs at twice the rate of small doctors since they realize the financial benefits and have the resources for fast implementation.

While there is a cost to EMR implementation, the financial benefits alone provide a strong return on investment even to the smallest practices. An article posted in the April, 2003 American Journal of Medicine examined the return on investment of EMRs for small practices and concluded the gains in productivity and decrease in denied or lost claims could gain an average practice $86,400 in a five year span. With an initial investment of $6,600 the return on investment is phenomenal! While larger healthcare providers need to spend larger sums for software, there are many EMRs and medical practice management programs available for small practices that fit into the $6600 cited by the study and even allow for computer and printer purchases.

EMR Security

Securing patient medical records is another big reason doctors are slow to convert to paperless medical offices. Many EMRs currently available utilize “client/server” technology…meaning that software is permanently installed on a server located in the doctor’s office and accessed through the network. This type of software clearly places the responsibility of backups and patient records security on the medical office. Web-based EMRs shift that responsibility away from the doctor and onto the software company who
are better equipped to secure electronic patient records. Though vigilant hackers can break into just about any system, web-based EMRs reduce that risk significantly.

EMR Standardization

Perhaps the biggest complication to widespread use of electronic medical records is the lack of standardization. One of the catalysts to the creation of EMRs is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Commonly known as HIPAA, this law promulgated the creation of electronic patient records, but failed to implement standards for them. To be fair, technology has changed quite a bit since 1996 and Congress doesn’t own a crystal ball. Even Yahoo’s website looked quite a bit different ten years ago.

There is no real explanation why the components of modern electronic medical records haven’t been standardized. In fact, the name hasn’t even been settled on!

Electronic medical records have many AKA’s including:

PMRI - Patient Medical Record Information - US
ICRS – Integrated Care Record Services - UK
CMR – Computerized Medical Record – US, International
CPR – Computer-based Patient Record - US, International
PCR – Patient-carried Patient Record - Germany
PHR – Personal Health Record - International
EMR – Electronic Medical Record - US
DMR – Digital Medical Record - Asia
EPR – Electronic Patient Record
EHR – Electronic Health Record
LHII – Local Health Information Infrastructure - US
CCR – Continuity of Care Record

With a substantial upfront cost, both of money and training, the fear of having to change EMR systems due to government regulation is certainly reasonable.

EMR Implementation Summary

Doctors may soon have little choice but to implement computerized medical billing and patient record systems. HIPAA’s scope recently expanded to health care providers with less than $5 million in revenue. Insurance companies and other payers are increasingly requiring electronic filing. Even patients recognize the value of electronic medical records with a 2005 survey stating patients strongly believed widespread use of EMRs would decrease wait time, paperwork and reduce visit costs. Let’s hope small practice
physicians take note.

References:
http://www.acgroup.org/images/2005_ACG_Mid-Year_White_Paper_-_EMR_Marketplace.pdf
http://square.umin.ac.jp/DMIESemi/y2004/20040913_2.pdf
http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=3355

Electronic Medical Records Software - Knowing What to Ask

It is all about how you see things in the electronic medical records software business. Not all EMR software is created equal.

Keywords:

electronic medical records, emr software, medical billing

Article Body:

Finding professionalism and quality is an important choice that matters most to patients today when it comes to who they will choose to treat them. This also rings true to those giving the care when it comes to the office solutions they will choose for their medical billing software and electronic medical records software. Taking the confusion out of the electronic medicals records market is what many are looking for when choosing the best format to use.

With so many electronic medical records systems on the market, many find it a challenge to search through the features and functionality of each system to make sure that it fits the needs of their busy practice. Most find that the ease of navigation is a key feature to look for. Its important to us EMR software that makes multi-tasking a reality and gives the best opportunity to maximize the efficiency of your medical practice.

Within the market of electronic medical records software there are a variety of ways to view your model of operation. The design, which utilizes a “tab” concept for simplicity and ease of navigation through the EMR system seems to allow for multi-tasking like never before by being able to tab through each file or heading as one would look through a conventional file drawer. Within the arrangement of tabs, the user can easily find their display of multiple patients, encounter notes, workflow items, patient flow, messages, alerts and those things that are pertinent to each patient’s file.

Rather than being forced to change your work process, you decide how your workflow will be handled and in the order of it’s priority. Being productive is at the heart of an offices function and having the ability to decide how it is to be accomplished and the manner by which it is done is available in electronic medical records software.

It is also important to consider how your information will be viewed, after all, this is what drives those in the software industry to bring out new fresh ways to have a ‘my view’ look and feel.

The best way to find out if an electronic medical records software application is right for your practice is to contact a software company that will give you a free demo.

David York is with Fox Meadows, a provider of electronic medical records software, EMR Software, and medical billing software. Learn more or request an electronic medical records software demo by visiting http://www.foxmeadows.com.

David York is with Fox Meadows, a provider of electronic medical records software, EMR Software, and medical billing software. Learn more or request an electronic medical records software demo by visiting http://www.foxmeadows.com.

Great Careers In The Medical Field

The medical field has always offered wonderful career opportunities and seems to provide not only job security but favorable incomes in many facets of the medical environment. The demand is a constant and unless people quit getting sick, it appears there won’t be any problems in the future finding a need for the medical professional.

Careers in the medical field vary but you can certainly find many different opportunities. You can go into mental health or family practice a...

Keywords:

career enhancement, career enhancement tools, careers

Article Body:

The medical field has always offered wonderful career opportunities and seems to provide not only job security but favorable incomes in many facets of the medical environment. The demand is a constant and unless people quit getting sick, it appears there won’t be any problems in the future finding a need for the medical professional.

Careers in the medical field vary but you can certainly find many different opportunities. You can go into mental health or family practice as a tech, doctor or nurse. You can set your own hours with a career which offers flex-time, part-time and full time opportunities. You can be your own boss in many areas of the medical field especially if you are a physician or psychologist in private practice. The career possibilities are endless.

In the mental health field, registered nurses are in high demand. Psychologists and Psychiatrists can find a job with ease. Social workers are in demand in mental hospitals and drug treatment centers. Psych techs are in high demand now within mental health facilities and many psych techs are paid up to sixteen dollars an hour in larger cities and that’s for someone who has a high school diploma and a willingness to learn through on the job training!

In pediatrics, the medical field is wide open. Careers for child psychologists and nurses are available and of course, physicians who are ready to go to work in private practice or as an important part of a family group practice will be pleasantly surprised with their working environments in most cases.

Careers for nurse practitioners and physician assistants are in high demand. Many physician assistants and nurse practitioners are making as much as a family physician if they are in the right field. Surgery Physician Assistants make over $100,000 in some areas and most of them have a three or four day work week which can give a career opportunity a lot of appeal.

Dermatology offers registered nurses, PAs and medical techs many possibilities and often the dermatology offices are closed either on Monday or Friday which again, offers appeal. Dermatologists draw good salaries and career minded physicians can work alone in private practice or in a group.

There are so many careers to consider in the medical field. If you aren’t sure of the many possibilities, then take a look at our comprehensive list below. The following opportunities are available and make great career choices with most of them in high demand!

• Physicians ranging from Pediatricians to Psychiatrists
• Nursing opportunities ranging from registered nurses to LPN and CNA possibilities
• Medical techs such as psych techs, radiology techs and medical techs
• Medical transcribing
• Medical records and billing opportunities for clerical work and auditing
• Counseling and crisis work for psychologists and psychiatrists
• Clerical work in many capacities

There are many other medical field opportunities and there are many opportunities for food service employees too. Medical personnel in the hospitals count on the food service within the deli or cafeteria twenty-four hours a day. People who want stability in their careers in the food service industry often choose food service careers within the medical industry. They need the job security and find the salaries are often far better than those realized in the restaurants in the surrounding areas.

When you begin your search for a career, look online at the Occupational Handbook placed online by the US Labor board and see if you can find a career that’s not only in high demand but one which will satisfy your long term goals for salary and educational requirements. Be familiar with your career opportunities before you lock yourself into a permanent career choice.