July 14, 2022
The healthcare industry is growing steadily, and so is the demand for electronic health record (EHR) software. With increased demand, new vendors are entering the industry, making it difficult for providers to decide which EHR software to choose.
Following are the key parameters that will help in shortlisting the best EHR software that fulfils your needs.
The first step involves identifying your needs and setting a budget for EHR implementation accordingly. The prices depend on the number of providers you have in your practice, the features you need, and the vendor you select. While requesting an estimate from a consulting firm, find out the subscription cost and how much each additional feature will add to the price, such as practice management software.
Most vendors offer clinicians free trials and live demonstrations of their EHR software. Use this opportunity to evaluate whether the system is user-friendly and can benefit your practice or not. Because if the software is not intuitive, your staff will struggle to accomplish routine tasks grinding your workflow to a halt.
Look for cloud-based electronic health records software to avoid maintaining on-premise servers and hardware. It is cost-effective and enables you to outsource the cost of technical support and IT maintenance to the vendor. Cloud-based systems are recommended to all healthcare organizations and providers unless they have a specific reason to host servers onsite.
Implementing an EHR system can take a few weeks or months. Therefore, make sure to ask the vendor how much time it will take for the system to implement and run.
Furthermore, many vendors offer clinicians and staff training to familiarize them with the system so they do not struggle once it is up. Some vendors even provide one-on-one support without charging extra to clinicians for a limited time. Hence, the right approach is to ask these related questions from the vendor before making any final call.
Interoperability is the primary focus of implementing an electronic health records software in your practice. It enables patient record accessibility across laboratories, pharmacies, and hospitals. However, not every EHR system configures in all the relevant institutions. Hence, looking for a vendor willing to cater to additional integration requests to help you meet your needs would be best.
The customer support service tells a lot about an EHR software vendor. Suppose the support team is not accessible or unwilling to answer your concerns before making the purchase. In that case, the service may not be helpful when you have trouble understanding your new system later. Thus, select an EHR system with comprehensive, around-the-clock support for a successful transition.
The regulations surrounding the use of healthcare IT solutions continue to evolve. However, the EHR system you decide to go with must at least meet baseline requirements set out by CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services). These certifications are relevant to claim reimbursements. Additionally, they help authorities determine whether a practice is eligible for any incentive payments or subject to any penalties based on their use of the healthcare software.
Following the checklist discussed in this guide can help you make more informed decisions concerning the EHR system's selection for your practice. With a good EHR solution, it will become easier for you to take notes, chart, e-prescribe, and order lab tests. Moreover, it will also enable you to interact with other practitioners securely and know about dangerous drug interactions.
