EMR a2z

Special Features Of An EMR

Patient Portal bridges the gap between patients and service providers in a continuum of healthcare from home to hospital to home. To access Patient Portal's integrated suite of services...

Testimonials

Barack Obama: In his Plan for a Healthy America, Obama calls for lowering costs through investment in electronic health information technology systems, acknowledging...

Standards Organizations

ADA for exchanging data processing standards to the dental services of the health care industry...

EMR Implementation

The implementation phase is possibly the most important topic in EMR SOFTWARE, unfortunately this topic is often the most overlooked and in many cases offices thoroughly review the different EMR packages but once the product is purchased they expect...

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Tips For Buying An EMR


Financial analysis projects clear returns from Electronic Medical Records Demonstrating the economic benefits of an electronic medical record is possible with the input of staff that can identify the technology's benefits - Statistical Data Included. Implementing an electronic medical record (EMR) is a major initiative that should be undertaken only after a thoughtful analysis of the costs and benefits involved. Unfortunately, demonstrating financial returns on an EMR often is regarded as an inexact science at best, which has caused many healthcare executives to avoid adopting this technology. With the right approach, however, it is possible to demonstrate convincingly that the financial benefits will far outweigh the costs. To do this, it is necessary to involve representatives from operational areas throughout the organization, because they are best able to identify the potential for cost savings and additional revenue opportunities. The electronic medical record (EMR) long has been promoted as a means to reduce costs, provide better patient service, and dramatically improve outcomes. Despite several decades of predictions that the EMR revolution is coming, most healthcare organizations still use paper charts and manual processes. There are many good reasons why EMRs have not proliferated. First, the vendors' offerings only recently have begun to live up to their promises. And as is always the case with information technology, the temptation to hold out for newer, better, and cheaper products is strong. The volatility within the healthcare information technology market also has served as strong deterrent, as potential purchasers want assurance that their vendor will be with them through implementation and beyond. Perhaps the most significant roadblock to EMR implementation is financial. Executives are loathing committing millions of dollars to a project unless they can be assured of positive cash flows within a reasonable period of time. Unfortunately, demonstrating this return can be challenging because many of the EMR's benefits are either non-financial or inherently difficult to quantify. Nevertheless, it is possible to establish a sound business justification for implementing an EMR using realistic assumptions and verifiable data.
Benefits-Assessment Process The healthcare organization established a 24-member clinical advisory team, whose duties included conducting a cost-benefit analysis for the EMR. This team consisted of the following people:

Eight physicians from a broad range of medical specialties; Several representatives from patient care services; Directors of the radiology, laboratory, and pharmacy departments; The medical records manager; Information services (IS) representatives; Managers from several clinical departments throughout the organization; and Consultants.
After viewing demonstrations of EMRs to learn about their features and capabilities and visiting a healthcare organization that had implemented an EMR, the team identified myriad benefits they believed the technology could help to achieve. Working with the vendor, the team developed cost estimates and, based on the EMR's anticipated implementation schedule, estimated the timing of both costs and benefits. Costs were assumed to be incurred as the various components of the EMR were installed, with the benefits being realized over time as functions were converted and users became accustomed to the technology. All of this information then was put into a financial model to project costs and benefits over seven years. Costs The IS staff worked closely with the vendor to develop hardware, software, and implementation cost estimates for the EMR. Based on patient-volume data and the number of system users, the vendor developed proposals for the various software products and server hardware needed to meet the specified performance criteria, as well as professional services related to installation and training. In addition, the IS department developed cost estimates for desktop devices and monitors, biometric (thumbprint recognition) security devices, imaging hardware and software, additional technical-support staff, and other associated costs. Some more tips for buying an EMR Implementing Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software in your office can be one of the most beneficial things you can do for your practice’s success. Unfortunately, buying the wrong EMR can be disastrous. To buy the right EMR you need to be able to see past the smoke and mirrors. Relying solely on your EMR vendor to make the right hardware and implementation recommendations can be a big mistake. Here are some tips you can use to help ensure a successful EMR implementation. Set realistic goal What do you wish to gain out of an EMR? Many offices purchase EMR software in hopes that it will automatically provide them with all the benefits that were promised to them. The right EMR software can help you reduce your number of staff, reduce your expenses, reduce medical errors and reduce documentation time. To realize all these benefits you need to set milestones and implement the right plan. Perform a cost-benefit analysis All offices work differently and have different inefficiencies. It’s important to have realistic expectations of what type of Return on Investment (ROI) can be expected. It’s important to look into these items before you begin looking at vendors so that you have an idea of what type of budget you will have available for your EMR as the cost of EMR software (not including hardware, implementation time and training) can range between $1000 and $45,000 and there is no silver bullet. Seek out unbiased sources of information Distilling fact from fiction in the medical software industry can be difficult. Even many of the awards that are given to the different vendors for their products are often very biased. The Internet offers many unbiased information sources on EMR. You may also want to consider bringing in the expertise of an IT Company or EMR consultant to help guide you through the process of selecting the right vendor. Leveraging hardware to improve your EMR functionality It’s a great thing when you have technology on your side to manage your patient's records and become more efficient. To do this it’s imperative to select the right hardware based off of your office’s needs and user's experience. Involve the right IT Company from the beginning to ensure a successful implementation.