“Occupy your EMR”
Nov 26Doctors, are you sick of having an EMR pushed down your throat by administrators and IT leaders that don’t care how disruptive or painful the change may be? Do you feel like your complaints and concerns aren’t being heard? Are you actually afraid a patient will be hurt someday because of the EMR’s limitations? Well, I say it’s high time you get radical and OccupyYourEMR! Get in there and resist until your (absolutely critical) voice is being heard.”
A fun article from EMRandEHR.com, always a good blog and source for healthcare related news. In this article, Katherine Rourke is actually URGING doctors to stand up against practice and hospital administrators who are pushing hard for the transition to electronic medical records. Don’t get me wrong, I think there is a lot to gain from the transition, and it makes all the sense in the world to make that transition while federal stimuli are financially subsidizing it with 40k in benefits per provider. Even still, a cumbersome transitions to EMR (which at one point had an 80% fail rate) is no easy task for the practice staff or physicians. “Occupy your EMR” is the message! And that is to say, “stand up against the switch to electronic records if it truly isn’t the time and place for the transition”.
Never should a physician compromise the quality of his/her care-giving as a result of a botched transition, confusing medical records, or for any other reason associate with a premature switch to EMR/EHR.
If you want to see the article yourself, check it out here at:
http://www.emrandehr.com/2011/11/22/occupyyouremr-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/
For more articles by this author at EMRandEHR.com, visit:
http://www.emrandehr.com/author/katherine/
Qualification for EMR Software Meaningful Use
Aug 16Once all of this is completed to the satisfaction of federal government regulators, the physician will qualify for the financial incentive. This amounts to up to $44,000 over the course of 5 years for each individual participating physician. Again, this is for per individual physician and not per physician group or entity. Therefore, if a multi-specialty practice has 9 MDs on staff they will reap nearly $400,000 by the year 2016. However, to reach the maximum amount of $44,000 per physician not only must all the above mentioned criteria be met, but participation must last the entire 5 years. If a physician falls short, then the payment amount is thusly prorated.
What are the benefits of EMR system?
Aug 07WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING AN EMR SYSTEM?
Besides incentives for implementing an EMR system and penalties for not doing so, some other benefits are:
• Charts are more legible.
• Charts are accessible even from home.
• Enhanced documentation with access to digital imaging and special testing.
• Better integration between clinic and business department.
• Improved efficiency and better communication within the practice and between different practices.
• Improved coding and compliance.
• Enhanced patient safety regarding drug allergies or interactions and proper dosing.
• Improved tracking of lab information.
• Tracking of trends such as blood pressure and blood sugar.
• Transcription cost savings.
• Medical records staff savings.
• Savings on pulling charts.
• Savings on physical office space.
• Paper and toner costs savings.
• Medical chart transportation savings for multi-location practices.
• Good for marketing since practice is perceived as more efficient.
• Better disaster recover. With a good recovery plan and back up there is less risk than using a paper-based system that could be wiped out in a disaster.
What is EMR? by SimplyPut
Aug 06EMR is a scanned digital version of a paper medical record. An EMR system is a computer-based, data-based system specific to one physician or organization. It is the digital record that a doctor maintains on his or her own patients detailing personal information, medical history, and a list of diagnosis. The information of the individual typically integrates with the physician’s practice management software system that handles scheduling and billing.
Two main types of EMR systems are:
1. Server based EMR systems: Typically located on the premise of the practice and on a server.
2. Web-based EMR systems: Generally the server is off site on EMR company servers and the medical practice accesses it via the internet. This is also known as Software as a Service or Application Service Provider.
Remote Billing Service | EMR Integration
Jul 19Most EMR systems also have medical billing options that will interface flawlessly with a remote billing service. This means expedited claims process and accelerated claims payment. For the medical practice, this also means little to no interruption during the business day to deal with billing inquiries and issues. This is just what the doctor ordered for the bottom line of any medical practice!
Cloud Based Server Technology
Jul 17Founder and CEO of Nuesoft Technologies, Massoud Alibakhsh, talks about the advantages of true cloud based server system that are used both in the business environment and increasingly in the healthcare industry as electronic medical records are used more widespread. In detail, Alibakhsh explains how client server technology runs on a comparably less stable platform while lacking the ability to handle as many users at a given time. While client server side technology basically breaks down into two parts, a data managing and a software managing component, cloud based computing (and EMR that is integrated into cloud based servers) run off platforms that separate tasks like monitoring data, functionality, balance load, and data flow onto a multitude of unique servers.
Additionally, cloud based servers integrate with all platforms in a more seamless manner. While server client servers face obstacles in running on all systems like Windows, MAC, Linux, etc & and on all devices like laptop and mobile devices, those services offered like the ones through Nuesoft are faster, more secure, and experience less roadblocks.
5/10 Required for EMR Meaningful Use
Jun 28ADDITIONAL CRITERIA (5 OF 10 REQUIRED)
- Implement a drug-formulary check system
- Incorporate laboratory and testing data as part of the EMR structure
- Ability to generate listings of patients sorted by specific conditions, for use in quality improvement, research, outreach or trending
- Use of EMR technology in order to identify educational resources specific to patient medical status and provide to patients as necessary (a minimum of 10% of the time)
- The provision of medication reconciliation between care providers or medical settings (a minimum of 50% of the time)
- Provide a summary of care record for any patients being transferred to another medical provider or alternative medical setting (a minimum of 50% of the time)
- The submission of electronic immunization records to any required local registries along with at least one test of the EMR capability to do so
- Submit to public health officials an electronic record of any trending or syndromic health issues along with at least one test of the EMR capability to do so
- Forward medical reminders to patients as per the patient preference for preventative and/or follow-up care (a minimum of 20% of the time with those over age 65 and under age 5)
- Allow patient with timely access to their own health records (a minimum of 10% of the time)
EMR/EHR Dynamic Options
Jun 10Newer EMR systems also have extensive medication options. For example, once a new medication is entered, the EMR system will notify the physician of potential drug interactions based medications the patient is currently taking. Also, if the patient has a drug formulary that their health insurance carrier requires that they adhere to, the EMR system will advise the prescribing physician of medications that are covered on the formulary based upon the presenting illness or injury. The physician also has the option of ordering medications directly from their EMR laptop and the order will immediately go to the pharmacy or mail-order company. This can happen even as the doctor is still in the room with the patient.
