When making the switch to a new electronic medical record software system (EMR), physicians and healthcare facilities must take into account the inevitable workflow interruptions and the ‘learning curve’ that will arise as a result of the software implementation process. By not requiring healthcare professionals to enter too much (or too little) information, systems can achieve a balance for the facility, making recordkeeping systems more effective while streamlining the medical charting process.

Keep in mind that EMR workflow changes will even reach all the way into the actual examination rooms, especially since many physicians are still charting by hand, using symbols and abbreviations that make sense only to them and to their staff. This ‘language’ was originally developed to help doctors save time and space when recording notes, but EMRs will require physicians and other staff members to learn a standardized system and to be more mindful when inputting information. As a result, it’s very important to be selective when choosing the information that will be required by the EMR software system your facility adopts.

In order to determine what information should be required by your EMR software system, take the time to make a definitive list of everything you would like the system to do for you in a perfect world. Then, eliminate the things you could live without. For example, is e-prescribing important to you? What requirements do your specialty have? Do you want to participate in PQRI? Once you have identified the must-have requirements for your facility’s EMR software system, you can work with your software provider to modify an existing system to better suit your specific needs, or to find an ‘off-the-shelf’ product that comes loaded with everything your practice will need.

By taking the time to plan extensively and concentrating on anticipating the future needs of each individual practice or healthcare facility, medical professionals can ensure that the amount of information the EMR software system requires them to input will not slow down medical charting. On the flip side, proper planning will also ensure that enough information must be entered, so physicians and healthcare professionals everywhere will begin to enjoy unprecedented access to comprehensive and comparative data.

Electronic medical record (EMR) software is quickly becoming a necessity rather than a luxury in the field of medicine. In fact, President Obama recently asserted his intention to completely digitize all medical records in the nation over the next five years; practices that fail to do so will be penalized by a reduction in their Medicare funding. All requirements aside, there are many reasons why a physician would want to adopt EMR software for his or her practice; in fact, this type of medical software actually has many different applications and uses beyond mere patient data management.

In addition to providing doctors, nurses and other medical care practitioners with an electronic space for patient data, transcripts, notes and observations – the standard medical record fare – EMR software can also help streamline coding and billing, appointment-making and scheduling, and prescription writing. Most programs also offer search capabilities, so a patient’s record can be found quickly and easily by entering certain specific terms or keywords, and many provide forms and templates to make the process of creating new records or adding to existing records even easier.

As with any type of medical software, the ultimate goal of these EMR programs is to benefit the physician, the practice, and – by extension – the patient. To that end, here are a few of the reasons why you may want to consider using electronic medical record software in your practice if you haven’t already made the switch:

• It’s efficient. Stop wasting valuable moments searching for misplaced files or thumbing through page after page to find a specific piece of information!
• It’s convenient. All of the information you need will be right at your fingertips, not off in a storage space somewhere.
• It’s cost-effective. You can reduce the size of your staff and your storage expenses through the use of EMR.
• It’s accurate. Sidestep problem like illegible handwriting and careless filing.
• It’s secure. Records can only be accessed by individuals with special identification codes.