Valuable Insights for Practices Looking for Good Electronic Medical Records Software (EMR)
Among the most critical requirements for the success of any medical practice is an efficient electronic medical records (EMR) program. While it’s good news that are so many versions of this application today, the variety tends to make choosing harder. But it does get easier with a few helpful insights in mind.
Here are few things you should consider when selecting EMR software for your medical practice:
First things first, decide if you will be hosting both the software and the hardware. In exchange for a license, application service providers (ASPs) sell their software, which will be maintained on their own servers and accessed by users over the Internet. This option is suitable for small practices where upfront costs are lower and IT responsibilities are fewer. Some ASPs offer systems that are locally hosted, meaning the server will be sited in your office and maintenance procedures will also be performed there. In any case, having another entity manage your patient data has its risks, so you have to iron out data ownership and business continuity issues before committing to any ASP.
Typically, picking a system for a small practice also often begins with product demonstrations. Vendors may not be willing to submit to a formal RFP process when dealing with a small practice. Have at least five prospective systems for evaluation. If you can, work with other doctors in your area. Consider an informal collaboration as it can make the selection process easier, not to mention provide leverage with vendors.
Whether you plan to go alone or not, it’s important to follow an established selection system. This way, you can ensure consistency as you evaluate your options, make appropriate comparisons, and avoid distraction from pitching vendors.
A good way to begin is by gathering a team that will take charge of assessing your prospective systems. Be sure to have at least one representative from all affected departments in this group. Then come up with a list of questions to ask as each candidate EMR software is reviewed. Use an evaluation matrix or any other similar tool that will allow you to thoroughly and systematically study each feature and functionality. This will also help guarantee that you will not miss any areas. Then compare the applications based on ease of use, workflow, and cost.
Finally, during product demos, make sure all staff are involved. Since everyone’s needs should be satisfied, you’d like to make them part of the evaluation process as much as possible. The salesperson shouldn’t be the one to “drive” the product during a demo. Instead, use specific scenarios based on actual patient visits to know how the system really fits your workflow. This is the closest you can get to seeing how the system will likely be useful in your day-to-day operations.
Source: http://www.makingdifferent.com/4-ways-technology-impacting-health-today/