Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008 - (Page 44)

LESSONS LEARNED has left the building, the referral physician’s staff has already been alerted and is prepared for the patient’s call for an appointment. 15. You can access many additional expandable features. Our EMR incorporates many analytical functions we don’t use that may be helpful for larger practices. Upgrades for our system are produced on a regular basis, and they can be downloaded electronically after ofﬁce hours. 16. Complying with HIPAA regulations is much easier. Any paper records used in the process of the patient encounter (such as referral letters or reports from other doctors) can be scanned into patient charts and then shredded. 17. At the end of the day, we’re done! When patient charts are completed and ﬁled electronically, they’re physically gone. They are stored indeﬁnitely on a small magnetic tape that is automatically backed up at the end of each day on the server. Our shelves and cabinets that formerly housed volumes of paper charts and boxes (not to mention the stacks of charts on various desks), are now available for other uses. Workspaces are now impressively clear at the end of each day. vendor that can best meet your needs rather than one that’s geographically handy. (In our case, our most vital technical assistance has been provided effectively and consistently by a vendor located on the other side of the continent.) 2. It’s difﬁcult to identify EMRs that use the same operating platforms as your practice management system. Our experience with joining our EMR and PMS, which use different operating platforms, was fraught with technical difﬁculties. Do your homework to locate operating DON’T LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH IN SUMMARY Selecting and implementing an EMR is a daunting process under the best conditions, but as an early adopter this physician fell into almost every pitfall he could ﬁnd. But far from leaving him so battle-weary he held onto his paper ﬁles for dear life, he persisted through innumerable personal and ﬁnancial trials to create the paperless and efﬁcient ofﬁce he loves today. Some of his hard-learned lessons: Choose a vendor that can best meet your needs rather than one that’s geographically handy. system-compatible software. Avoid electronically linking systems. 3. Costs can quickly mount up. Start-up costs can be high, particularly when you run into unforeseen technical glitches. Using a consultant with firsthand experience with EMR implementations can save you thousands of dollars down the line. Also, as technology advances, workstation costs are coming down compared to ﬁve to 10 years ago. It’s a good time to buy with plenty of high-capacity equipment now available at very competitive prices. WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT MY EMR • Ensure your EMR and practice management software are completely compatible, using the same operating system. Choose your vendor based on quality and experience; close proximity doesn’t necessarily mean better service. Read all of the ﬁne print on any leasing agreements you sign. If possible, avoid ﬁnancing through a leasing company. Ensure your vendor has expertise implementing and maintaining an EMR system in a practice similar to yours; ask for references. If you are not an IT expert, hire one. A knowledgeable consultant can save you much time and money down the line. If it costs more, it’s not necessarily better. Look for EMRs and practice management software that are best for your speciﬁc practice’s needs. • • • • • Actually, very little: 1. Getting over the learning curve. Plan on the better part of a year to become ﬂuent with your EMR system, particularly if it’s especially complex. If staff or physician keyboarding skills are lacking, providing a typing or keyboarding course prior to embarking on your implementation process can be invaluable. Build excitement among your staff by encouraging them to look upon your EMR transition as an exciting new way to improve their knowledge and skills in managing patient care. My own learning curve was obviously quite costly. To avoid my mistakes, choose a fully integrated EMR and practice management system that work on the same operating platform; avoid using leasing ﬁrms to purchase EMRs; hire an expert consultant with experience in implementing and operating an EMR system in a practice environment like yours; and choose a • Dale Alsager, DO, PhD, FACOFP operates , his osteopathic solo family practice, the Country Doctor Clinic, in rural Maple Valley, Wash. He describes himself as “a hard-core osteopathic physician and surgeon who enjoys being the ‘Lone Ranger,’ and a fearless, unrelenting advocate for my patients in the face of disease or dilemma.” Dr. Alsager can be contacted via editor@physicianspractice.com. 44 | PHYSICIANS PRACTICE | TECHNOLOGY GUIDE WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM http://WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008

Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008 TG Cover Story: Protect Your Practice and Sleep Better Operations: Paperless? Not Quite The Internet: You've Got Mail...Or Do You? Patient Relations: Attention Grabbers The Tech Doctor: All About Blogs Lessons Learned: 'My EMR Nightmare...And Why I'd Do It Again' Scheduling: No More No-Shows The Marketplace: Who's Got Your Back IT Enhancement: Time, at Last, for an Upgrade? Online: 'Yup, I'm a Junkie. And Proud of It.' In the Office: New Technologies in the Workplace: Blessing or Curse? Web Surfing: If You Build It...

Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008

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