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EMR-EHRS Blog

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Archive for the ‘Patient Engagement’ Category

How the Right EHR Can Boost Your Patient Retention Rates

Friday, July 19th, 2024
improving patient retention

High retention rates are a testament to patient satisfaction, trust, and a positive healthcare experience. For single and multispecialty clinics, improving patient retention and keeping them engaged with ongoing care ensures a steady revenue stream.

Yet sustaining effective communication with patients poses a significant challenge, especially given the growing healthcare demands and changing expectations. Clinics also recognize that disengaged patients can severely impact their practices.

Adopting patient electronic health records (EHR) and providing patients access to a care portal, app, and other engagement tools can transform their care experience positively. These healthcare technologies streamline administrative tasks, minimize wait times, and greatly enhance patient satisfaction.

Start Retaining More Patients Today

Choose the EMR-EHR Advantage

Start with Efficient Scheduling

Imagine a world where scheduling appointments is a breeze. Booking appointments with an electronic patient record makes this a reality. Here’s how it works:

  • Efficient Scheduling: The integrated system allows patients to book appointments online at their convenience, with no more back-and-forth phone calls or long hold times.
  • Reduced Wait Times: The system adeptly manages appointment slots with real-time updates and smart scheduling, resulting in shorter patient wait times.
  • Appointment Reminders: Automated reminders via text or email reduce no-shows and keep patients informed about their upcoming visits.

This streamlined approach not only saves time for your staff but also makes the whole process hassle-free for patients. Advanced solutions also cater to urgent or emergency appointments through handheld integration, voice response capabilities, and point-and-click scheduling functionalities.  

Boost Your Communication Game

Today’s patients are increasingly tech-savvy and value convenience in their care interactions. This growing preference necessitates clinics to provide them with sophisticated tools like:

  • Patient Mobile App: Integrated with the provider’s app and EHR, this app allows patients to access their medical records, schedule appointments, receive reminders, and communicate securely with their healthcare team—all from their mobile devices.
  • Patient Portal or Care Portal: Clinics can bridge communication gaps by combining the EHR and patient care portal. With a seamless user interface across different devices, patient portals enable patients to view lab test results, request prescription refills, and send messages to their providers from their phones or laptops.
  • Telehealth Services: Integrated into the portal and mobile app, telehealth enables patients to have virtual visits with their providers. This option is particularly valuable for remote consultations, follow-up appointments, and managing chronic conditions without the need for in-person visits.

At the front desk, staff can actively advocate for using these engagement tools among patients by emphasizing practical benefits, such as accessing health information and completing specialty-specific questionnaires before appointments. 

Make Care Coordination a Breeze

patient retention in healthcare

When primary care physicians and specialists don’t communicate effectively, it can create bottlenecks in patient care. Studies find that specialists lack critical patient information in 68% of instances, causing unnecessary delays and potentially jeopardizing patient health.

Integrated EHR systems play an important role by facilitating seamless exchange of patient data—from medical history to diagnostics. EHR solutions are designed to be interoperable, meaning they can communicate and exchange data with other systems. This feature ensures specialists are well-informed to deliver prompt and optimal care.

Optimize Retention through Precision Care

To ensure patients return consistently, it is important to deliver exceptional care every time. Integrating clinical guidelines and protocols allows providers instant access to best practices and evidence-based approaches for each patient. 

This integration also enables timely alerts for screenings and personalized treatment plans. For instance, a 40-year-old patient visits their family medicine clinic for a routine check-up. The clinic’s EHR system is equipped with integrated preventive care guidelines.

During the visit, the EHR alerts the provider that the patient is due for a colorectal cancer screening (an alert that the system flags based on the patient’s age and family history). The provider discusses the importance of the screening with the patient, schedules the procedure, and sends a reminder through the patient portal. This proactive approach ensures adherence to preventive care guidelines and fosters patient trust, increasing the likelihood of continued care with the clinic.

Unlock Personalization with Data

When boosting patient retention in healthcare settings, consider this view: every patient is unique, and so is their EHR data. Clinicians who recognize this point turn to EHR data when tailoring treatment plans. 

With an EHR-integrated patient portal, providers can also personalize care by sending educational materials relevant to each patient’s health status. These resources may include nutrition guides, exercise plans, stress management techniques, and mindfulness practices.  

For example, a patient with diabetes might receive tips on managing their condition, reminders for regular check-ups, and updates on new treatments. This custom approach instills trust in providers and the prescribed therapies.

Predictive Analytics for Proactive Care

For advanced solutions, clinics should consider implementing predictive analytics models within the EHR. Providers can use this tool to identify patients at risk of non-compliance and initiate early interventions, personalized outreach campaigns, or preventive care measures.

Takeaway

EHR and patient care

High patient retention rates are not just a metric of success but a reflection of patient satisfaction and positive healthcare experiences. For clinics, maintaining patient engagement and providing ongoing care is crucial for fostering long-term relationships while meeting the bottom line.

Clinics can revolutionize the patient care journey by adopting EHR systems, providing telehealth services, and offering access to patient care portals and apps. These engagement solutions streamline scheduling, care coordination, precision care, and personalized communication.   

Tap Into Our Expertise 

Want to keep your patients coming back? 1st Providers Choice is here to help with our top-notch EHR and practice management solutions tailored just for you. We offer reliable, integrated tools to make patient care a breeze, including:

  • Patient Appointment Software: Easily manage your schedule and reduce no-shows.
  • Patient Healthcare Portal: Give your patients quick access to their health information and boost their engagement.
  • Mobile App for Providers and Patients: Keep communication smooth and coordinated with our handy mobile app.

Our easy implementation roadmap covers everything from data conversion to training and onsite support nationwide. See how our EHR system can boost patient retention in your practice. Call (480) 782-1116 for a demo today!

Keep Your Patients Coming Back

Explore Retention-Focused EHR Solutions 

The Value of Patient Satisfaction and How to Achieve It in 2024

Wednesday, June 19th, 2024
Patient satisfaction

Imagine a clinic where every patient leaves with a smile. Satisfied patients are not just a testament to quality care, but they also contribute to the clinic’s reputation. They are more likely to comply with treatment plans and return for future care. 

Most importantly, they become advocates who spread positive word-of-mouth, attracting more patients to the clinic. As a critical objective, maintaining patient satisfaction can be a challenge. Not all healthcare staff have the time or technology to capture the patients’ experiences throughout the care journey. 

Healthcare practices that have adopted electronic medical records (EMRs) or electronic health records (EHRs) are well-positioned to thrive in 2024 and beyond. By improving access to critical information and enabling tailored treatment plans, these systems effectively address patient needs and enhance patient satisfaction in healthcare.

Looking to boost patient satisfaction using your EHR or EMR? We can help!

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Evolving Methods for Measuring Patient Satisfaction

To increase patient engagement in your clinic, encourage them to take an active role in their care. Equip your clinical staff with practical tips for engaging patients and creating a comfortable environment for patients to share their feedback about healthcare services. 

Traditionally, clinics use the following feedback tools to assess care experience and pinpoint ways to improve patient satisfaction:

Paper Forms, Phone Calls, Emails, or Online Platforms

  • Surveys are the most common method of measuring patient satisfaction. It typically includes questions about various aspects of the patient experience, such as wait times, communication with healthcare providers, and overall satisfaction with care.
  • Feedback forms are often provided at the point of care, allowing patients to provide immediate feedback on their experience. Feedback forms are typically brief and may include open-ended questions or rating scales.

In-Person Meeting

  • Interviews with individual patients allow providers to delve deeper into specific aspects of the patient experience. This method allows for more personalized feedback and can help identify areas for improvement.
  • Focus groups are small patient groups that discuss their experiences in great detail. This qualitative approach allows for more detailed insights into patient satisfaction and can uncover issues clinics can’t capture from surveys.

Social Media Platforms and Online Review Sites

  • Social media monitoring provides real-time insights into patient satisfaction and allows for rapid response to concerns or complaints.

Emerging Methods

Modern methods offer more efficient opportunities for improving patient experience in healthcare, most of which are driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). These approaches include:

  • Sentiment analysis determines the sentiment or emotion expressed in patient feedback. For example, if many patients use positive language like ‘excellent’ and ‘caring’ in their reviews, it indicates high satisfaction levels. On the other hand, frequent use of negative words like ‘rude’ or ‘unprofessional’ highlights areas needing improvement.
  • Predictive analytics predict future outcomes based on past data. By analyzing factors such as demographics, healthcare providers can identify patients at risk of low satisfaction and intervene proactively to improve their experience.
  • Wearable devices and sensors are increasingly being used to track real-time patient experiences. For example, wearable devices can monitor patient vital signs and activity levels, providing insights into the patient experience during hospital stays or outpatient visits.

Key Strategies for Enhancing Patient Satisfaction

Patient-centric practices have been using EMR-driven strategies to create positive patient experiences. These techniques may include:

Boost Customer Service With a Check-in Kiosk Feature

  • Provide excellent customer service—train staff to be courteous, empathetic, and attentive to patients’ needs. Leverage the kiosk feature to encourage positive interactions at all touchpoints, particularly at the reception.

Reduce Wait Times With Patient Appointment Scheduling Software

  • Minimize wait times for appointments, check-ins, and consultations. Implement efficient scheduling practices and optimize clinic workflows using the scheduling software.
  • Follow up to check the patient’s progress, address concerns, and schedule necessary follow-up appointments.

Enhance Communication With an EHR-Integrated Mobile App Tool

  • Ensure open communication with patients regarding their treatment plans, medications, and instructions. Encourage two-way communication and address patient concerns via the patient app.

Optimize Engagement With Our Intuitive Patient Portal

  • Request patient feedback regularly through surveys or feedback forms. Use this feedback to identify areas for refinement and make adjustments as required.

Choosing the Right Patient Satisfaction Method

Capturing patient satisfaction

To select the appropriate method for your practice, consider your goals, resources, and specific needs. Use these steps as a guide for your method selection:

1. Define Objectives: Are you looking to improve overall patient experience, identify areas for improvement, or compare performance against benchmarks? Clearly defining objectives will help guide the selection process.

2. Consider Patient Population: Assess your patient population, as different patient groups may respond differently to various measurement methods. For example, older patients prefer paper surveys, while younger patients prefer online or mobile-based surveys.

3. Assess Assets: Evaluate the resources and infrastructure available for collecting and analyzing patient satisfaction data. Consider staff availability, technology, budget, and time constraints.

4. Choose Appropriate Methods: Select the measurement method that captures the desired insights and aligns with the practice’s objectives. These may include surveys, focus groups, feedback forms, social media monitoring, or a combination of these methods.

5. Select Relevant Metrics: Based on the practice’s goals and areas of focus, identify specific metrics (e.g., wait times) relevant to measuring patient satisfaction. Be wary of traditional measures that only skew your view to financial and productivity outcomes. These measures do not consider physician workloads nor present a complete picture of your clinic’s performance.

6. Ensure Validity and Reliability: Confirm that the chosen method and metrics are valid and reliable for measuring patient satisfaction. Validity refers to whether the technique accurately measures what it intends to gauge, while reliability refers to the consistency of results over time.

7. Pilot Test if Necessary: Consider pilot testing different methods on a small scale before full implementation. This initial step allows for refining the approach based on feedback and ensures that the chosen method is well-received by patients and staff.

8. Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor patient satisfaction data and be prepared to adjust the method or metrics as needed based on evolving patient needs, the changes in practice operations, or feedback from stakeholders.

Takeaway

Healthcare practices that use EMRs or EHRs can expect improvements in patient satisfaction beyond 2024. They can use traditional or new methods to gather insights into the patient experience and better understand their needs and preferences. 

However, practices need to select measurement methods and metrics that can effectively gauge patient experience and support ongoing improvement efforts.

Tap Into Our Expertise

Providing good patient experience

Elevate your patient care experience with our fully certified EMR/EHR and practice management software. Healthcare practices using these advanced systems can significantly improve patient satisfaction beyond 2024.

Our comprehensive software includes all-encompassing appointment features and intuitive patient portals designed with patients in mind. Let us help you transform your practice—call (480) 782-1116 today for a complimentary demo or free quote and learn how we can support you in boosting patient satisfaction.

Enhancing Patient Care With EMR in Psychology Practices

Tuesday, February 13th, 2024
Enhancing Patient Care with EMR in Psychology Practices

A report by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) reveals that the majority of hospitals, ambulatory centers, and doctors’ offices have moved from paper to electronic medical records. As of 2021, 96% of non-federal acute care hospitals and about 80% of office-based physicians had adopted certified EHR systems.

However, the uptake of EHR and EMRs in the mental health sector has been slower than anticipated. Psychiatric hospitals are currently utilizing EHRs at a rate of 46%, while office-based mental health clinics have an adoption rate of 61%.

This hesitance is due to concerns about managing sensitive data, standardizing mental health records, and potentially compromising patient-provider relationships.

Nonetheless, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals should not miss out on the pivotal role of EMRs/EHRs in optimizing clinical workflow, streamlining revenue cycle management, and elevating the standard of patient care. 

How EMR Is Improving Patient Care in Psychology Clinics

Like in other health sectors, EMR integration in psychology practices has significantly improved patient care. Here are the different ways in which EMRs transform the landscape of psychological care:

  • These systems consolidate all patient data, including medical history, treatment notes, and medication records, into a single, easily accessible platform. The availability of detailed patient histories allows clinical psychologists to make more accurate diagnoses and tailored treatments.
  • Through patient portals, patients conveniently access their health information, track their progress, and engage more actively in their treatment plans.
  • EMRs include tools that offer recommendations based on the latest research and clinical guidelines, aiding psychologists in decision-making. These systems provide alerts for critical patient milestones or potential risks, such as medication interactions or symptom escalations.
  • These systems streamline the process of prescribing medications, saving time and reducing the potential for errors. The system automatically checks for possible drug interactions, allergies, or contraindications, ensuring patient safety.
  • EMRs facilitate collaboration among healthcare providers, ensuring a comprehensive approach to patient care. With patient consent, psychologists can share relevant information with other healthcare professionals to align their treatment approaches.

Benefits of EMR in Mental Health Practices

The adoption of EMR in psychology and other mental health clinics offers many advantages beyond medical recordkeeping. Apart from enhancing patient care, here are other EHR and EMR benefits:

Enhanced Data Security

EMR systems implement advanced security protocols to protect sensitive patient information. Access controls and audit trails help monitor and restrict who can view or modify patient records, which is crucial for maintaining confidentiality in mental health care. With regular software updates and backups, psychology and other mental health clinics ensure data integrity and prevent loss or corruption.

Reduced Data Entry Errors 

The automation of data entry reduces human errors, resulting in more accurate patient records. Error detection mechanisms alert clinicians to potential discrepancies or missing information. In addition, consistency in data recording allows for better tracking of patient progress and mental health treatment effectiveness.

Streamlined Billing

EMR systems seamlessly integrate with billing and insurance modules, simplifying invoicing and payment procedures. The automation of coding for psychiatric diagnoses and treatments reduces billing errors and expedites reimbursement processes.

Lighter Administrative Burden

Streamlined administrative processes allow staff to devote more time to patient care and less on paperwork. Automated appointment scheduling and reminders reduce no-shows and optimize clinic operations. Furthermore, digital recordkeeping minimizes the need for physical storage space and the resources for maintaining paper records.

What to Consider When Choosing EMR Software for Psychologists

It’s essential to choose a system that not only meets the practice’s current needs but also adapts to future changes in healthcare technology and regulations. Here are the top features to consider:

1. Medical Billing Capabilities

Look for a mental health EMR software system that offers seamless integration with various insurance providers for efficient claims processing. The EHR software system should allow customizable billing templates to cater to the unique billing needs of psychological services. Features that automate billing and coding significantly reduce administrative workload and minimize errors.

2. Specialized Modules for Psychology Clinics

The EHR software system must be able to customize clinical note templates to fit the specific workflows of psychological treatments. This feature lets you automate documentation and complete exams and diagnostic tests quickly and easily. In addition, the software that includes or integrates with outcome measurement tools can help track patient progress over time.

3. Healthcare Portal

A patient portal with interactive features such as appointment scheduling, access to educational materials, and secure messaging enhances patient engagement. Some portals allow patients to view a summary of therapy notes or treatment plans, aiding their treatment process. For the growing number of online therapy services or telepsychology practices, having a healthcare portal is crucial for remote monitoring and communication. 

4. Seamless Scheduling

It’s good to have an EHR software system that allows patients to book appointments online to increase accessibility and convenience. The software should support scheduling across different clinicians’ calendars if the practice has multiple providers. In addition, there must be features that send automated reminders to patients to help reduce no-shows and cancellations.

5. Customer Support 

Quality training and onboarding processes are essential to ensure the practice effectively uses the software. Look for providers that offer responsive and expert customer support to resolve issues quickly. They should also provide regular software updates to enhance functionality and maintain compliance with healthcare regulations.

6. Robust Security

The psychology EMR software system must comply with HIPAA and other privacy laws to protect patient confidentiality. Ensure the software uses strong encryption protocols and has robust data protection measures. You should also look for an EMR provider offering regular updates to address emerging security vulnerabilities.

7. Interoperability

Ensure your chosen software adheres to data exchange standards for easy sharing and transferring of patient information. It should be able to integrate with laboratory information systems or pharmacy systems for faster referrals, orders, and results.

8. Advanced Reporting Tools

When selecting EMR software for psychologists, reporting tools are a must. These tools should enable you to thoroughly analyze patient data, monitor your practice’s performance, track meaningful use requirements, and spot emerging trends. The software’s flexibility in customizing reports tailored to the metrics that matter most in psychological clinics is truly indispensable.

9. E-Prescribing (eRx)

Using the EMR software system, you must be able to send medication orders directly to pharmacies, streamlining the prescription process. By utilizing this feature, mental health providers can conveniently access a patient’s medication history and receive real-time safety checks for drug interactions and allergies, enabling them to make safer and more effective prescription decisions. Several states and leading pharmacy chains mandate that physicians issue prescriptions electronically. 

Choose the Top EMR/EHR Software    

Efficiently streamline your healthcare operations with the best EMR for psychologists, customized to cater to your practice’s unique requirements.

Schedule a demo or contact us through the contact form for more personalized information. Let’s work together to find the right software for your practice!

Do you have a favorite EHR AND EMR software add-on? Feel free to comment below!

AI and Patient Engagement in EMR: Empowering Patients to Take Control of Their Health

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023
ai ehr

Using artificial intelligence (AI) in your medical practice can transform how you deliver patient care—for the better. According to industry analysts, the AI market will grow by 37.3% annually through 2030.

Wondering how artificial intelligence (AI) might impact your industry in the future? If the industry is starting to adopt AI exponentially, how can you make sure your practice stays competitive?

Here’s what you need to know about integrating forward-thinking AI into electronic health record (EHR) systems. See how it can make a huge difference in boosting revenue and increasing patient engagement in your practice. With these two factors significantly improved, you’re sure to stand out from your competitors and attain success.

What Is the Importance of AI in Healthcare?

You’re probably aware that Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is being used in big organizations and in our everyday lives. In the healthcare sector alone, AI is now customized to be more useful than ever. With this technology, you can gather all the information from patients’ medical tests and use it to better understand diseases.

Think about the benefits AI will bring to your patients. If you integrate AI and EHR systems, they will have a digital record that they can access from home and receive medical advice from. Updating their records becomes easy whenever they need to. Additionally, AI can be further augmented to ensure personal information security.

Let’s explore more roles of AI in healthcare and how you can integrate it with your EMR to increase patient engagement.

3 Major Benefits of AI-Based EHRs for Driving Patient Engagement

The level of patient engagement directly affects the quality of care patients receive. If a provider isn’t able to deliver their healthcare needs, they tend to find another. That’s why it’s incredibly important to foster effective patient-provider communication, allowing patients to connect with their providers conveniently. Most patients tend to be comfortable using AI to access healthcare services. If you witness this initiative, you may have seen the changes other healthcare organizations have made in involving patients in their treatment.

That’s why if you want to increase patient engagement in your medical practice, you should focus more on new advancements that meet your patients’ needs. Many healthcare organizations today are seeing how AI-based EHRs are helping to empower patients in their health journey.

Below are five advantages of utilizing AI-enabled EHR systems that drive patient engagement in medical practices.

1. Streamlined Data Collection

The amount of paperwork that your office and your patients have to deal with can be daunting and overwhelming. Doctors spend 49.2% of their clinic days on desk work and inputting data on EHR. If this continues in your practice, this issue may lead to burnout.

You can prevent the escalation of this issue when you integrate AI into your EHR intelligence systems. The built-in digital forms in your EMR system eliminate physical waste and the time it takes to remind and collect information. By integrating it with AI medical software systems, your patients will be able to fill out interactive intake forms from any device. Using AI-enabled EMR systems will enable you to connect with your patients and give them instant alerts according to their appointment type. This system is hassle-free and you don’t have to deal with lots of paperwork.

2. Easy Capturing of Patient Vitals

An important advancement in EMR systems that utilize artificial intelligence is the efficient acquisition of patient vital signs. With this technology, you can now capture the vital signs of your patients during telemedicine consultations and even before meeting them face-to-face. 

Your patients will be able to engage more in their health if you embrace technology as they do.

What should you do? To accomplish this, your EMR system should seamlessly integrate an advanced AI medical software program. Adopting this technology in your medical practice can facilitate vital signs acquisition through multiple ways:

  • Prior to an in-person appointment, courtesy of a digital check-in procedure
  • Within the physical waiting room environment
  • As part of the check-in process during a telemedicine session
  • For remote check-ins geared towards Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)

AI-enabled EMRs can capture essential vital signs, including:

  • Blood pressure
  • Heart rate
  • Respiratory rate
  • Cardiac workload

With these AI-enhanced EHRs, patients can get a better understanding of their health, prompting them to engage more in their healthcare journey.

3. Increased Payment Collections

Utilizing advanced AI technology in healthcare has significantly simplified the process of collecting copays and payments post-appointment. The Becker’s Hospital Review reports that physicians spend 15.5 hours a week on paperwork. These methods consume a lot of time but also may result in loss of revenue.

With AI-enabled record systems, you can transform post-appointment payment collection. Upon adjudication of a claim, showing a positive patient balance, the system takes action promptly. It involves charging the patient’s stored credit card or delivering a digital payment form to the patient.

What sets this system apart is its seamless integration with the Practice Management System (PMS), enabling a range of advanced functions, such as:

  • Compilation of patient responsibility amounts
  • Facilitation of payment collection
  • Accurate recording of successful payments
  • Immediate notification to staff if obstacles prevent automatic payment collection

This integration expedites the revenue cycle, reduces manual labor, and improves patient experience and satisfaction.

Enhancing Patient Engagement and Provider Experience with AI-Assisted EMR and EHR Systems

When your patients can easily access the care they need whenever and wherever they need it, they’re more likely to manage their health actively. Today and in the future, integrating AI in EHR systems brings about less frustration, simpler appointment scheduling, and easier payment methods. With intelligent predictive healthcare networks and streamlined workflows, you can offer a much smoother patient experience in your practice.

As a healthcare provider, artificial intelligence can help you avoid burnout. Dealing with the stress of managing a lot of patients every day while your administrative staff spends a lot of time dealing with no-shows, trying to reschedule patients, and chasing after payments – can take its toll on your practice. Now, AI-assisted EMRs are helping to address these challenges, and the best part is that things are only getting better from this point forward.

Choose the Top EMR/EHR Software

Do you want to add AI and other data technologies to your EHR software? Let us help you without wasting more time, money, and resources!

Over the years, we have assisted medical practices with EHR/EMR selection, implementation, and software usage. We provide customized EMR/EHR software to meet your practice’s needs.

Schedule a demo or contact us through the contact form for more personalized information. Let’s work together to find the best software for your practice!

Do you have a favorite EHR add-on service? Feel free to comment below!

How EHR Affect Patient Satisfaction and Retention Rate

Friday, November 11th, 2022

The popularity of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is growing globally. Public health organizations and governments are enhancing technology and innovation to deliver better health services.

In addition, EHR systems are critical to improving patient satisfaction in healthcare. Depending on the system and its implementation, patient satisfaction with the EHR can affect patient retention rates positively or negatively. A good user experience allows doctors to focus on patients instead of paperwork.

This article discusses the impact of EHRs on the quality of care and how they affect patient satisfaction and retention.

What is the impact of EHR on the quality of care?

According to a university study, using EHRs improves the quality of patient care. Having patients access their own EHRs will become a mainstream feature of healthcare systems in the near future.

Additionally, EHRs improve healthcare delivery on many levels, such as:

  • Facilitate diagnosis and claim submission by improving the accuracy of documentation
  • Management of medication in one location and alerts for drug interactions
  • Automated alerts that notify potential risks to begin treatments immediately
  • Easier and more effective integration of evidence-based clinical guidelines
  • Make point-of-care decisions easier by providing more outstanding support
  • Easily track and implement preventive care

As a result, EHRs provide more secure storage and analysis of medical records, allowing you to create reports more quickly, explore trends more in-depth, and control inventory more efficiently.

Meanwhile, the federal government has invested over $30 billion in adopting and implementing EHRs for healthcare practices to improve patient care. Thus, it is essential not to underestimate the importance of EHR at this point.

The 5 Tools on How EHRs Affect Patient Satisfaction and Retention

  1. Patient Healthcare App 

For patients to receive the best possible care, they must be the priority. However, a limited view of their health plan may discourage them from participating in their healthcare journey.

You must integrate a smartphone and tablet-compatible patient healthcare application if this is the case. The app should enable the storing of patient medical records, data management, treatments, and lab results. Patients can easily view and monitor their health records online without visiting the hospital.

By using the app, healthcare providers can deliver care outside traditional settings. Besides improving patient health and retention, it makes you more productive.

  1. Patient Self-Booking Feature 

One of the most common tasks in medical practices is scheduling patients, and it can also affect your success in the long run. However, most patients miss their doctor’s appointments due to busy schedules. Why does this issue occur? Patients can’t attend to their health needs mainly due to work obligations.

According to a survey, almost half of U.S. workers feel stress daily at work, and 60% have felt it more often over the past five years. 

Another concern is that most patients lack transportation, so they rarely go to the doctor—particularly those who live in distant cities and with poor public transit. While elderly patients can ride the subway or bus system, they may have difficulty walking once dropped off.

Therefore, your EHR should have a patient self-scheduling feature to avoid these situations. Optimizing appointment reminder solutions, which detail how long the appointment will last, can help medical facilities better cater to patients’ busy schedules. In addition, people who live long distances can set their schedules anytime and anywhere via the internet.

Generally, online scheduling can increase patient satisfaction and offer greater convenience to practices and providers.

  1. Efficient Check-In Process 

Providing a great patient experience begins with the check-in process. If you still use paper for your patients, this may take too much time, resulting in delayed appointments and crowded waiting rooms. Indeed, current patient check-in processes in medical practices are prone to error & inefficiency. 

That’s why you need an EHR with an automated patient check-in system. It is a system that can benefit staff and patients. For example, front office staff handle patient registration, respond to inquiries, and manage queues. So, it is possible to automate many of these processes, such as routine and after-hours inquiries. 

Meanwhile, it’s also essential to maintain a smooth patient flow. Due to the stacking of appointments, any delay in one can affect all the rest. Automating your check-in process can drastically increase your healthcare practice’s patient satisfaction and retention rate.

  1. Patient Portal

Adopting an EHR with an integrated patient portal is the right choice for hospitals and healthcare practices. With a patient portal, patients can pay their bills online via smartphones. It also eliminates the need to mail paper statements or make phone calls to patients, allowing you to collect payments faster.

Patient portals that allow patients to pay bills online benefit practices financially and improve patient satisfaction and retention rates.

  1. Exchange of Information

The patient portal allows patients to share their EHR patient health information (CCDA File) with specialists or other providers. CCDA stands for Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture. It is a complete architecture that provides a full set of templates and methodologies for creating documents. With its HL7 format, health IT systems and EHRs can process documents while allowing people to access them on mobile devices.

Hospitals, clinics, and regulatory agencies use CCDA. It ensures that any EHR system can read patient records. Thus, providing patients access to their records reduces the time and resources other providers and patients spend searching for documents.

Choose the Top EMR/EHR Software 

EHRs provide physicians with opportunities to improve their patient care. These five tools for your EHR can check for issues or allergies when prescribing new medications, uncover potential safety problems, and even identify operational issues through alerts and reminders. Get your EHR today!

Over the years, we are one of the qualified EMR software providers who assisted medical practices with EHR/EMR selection, implementation, and software usage. Fully Integrated Solutions are available for Podiatry Software Services, Sleep Medicine EHR, and Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) EMR. If you want to get the best EHR for pain management, we got it for you.

Furthermore, we specialize in providing customized EMR/EHR software to meet your practice’s specific needs. Schedule a demo or contact us through the contact form for more personalized information. Let’s work together to find the best software for your practice!

Do you have a favorite EHR add-on service? You are free to comment below!

Patient Engagement: Why You Need It & How a Patient Portal Can Help

Thursday, December 4th, 2014

Optimizing the healthcare system to improve treatment outcomes and reduce health costs requires patient engagement, the process by which individuals become more active participants in their own health. Despite this, most healthcare organizations lack a patient engagement strategy, preventing patients from fully benefiting from available resources, such as patient education materials, care plan management tools and more.

Patient Engagement App

Patient engagement has become increasingly important, particularly to health organizations transitioning to a fee-for-value payment model and to those participating in Meaningful Use. The goals of both are to improve care quality and the patient experience while reducing the cost of care.

  • Fee-for-value: If your organization plans on transitioning to a value-based payment model, whether by joining an ACO, a shared savings program or a different type of organization that incentivizes value over volume, patient engagement will be key. Engaged patients are more likely to follow care plans, achieve health goals and have better treatment outcomes, which means they are also less likely to need hospitalization.
  • Meaningful Use: In order to successfully attest for Stage 2 of the Meaningful Use program, providers must get more than 5 percent of their patients to do the following: use secure electronic messaging to communicate with the provider on relevant health information; and view online, download or transmit their health information. With a well-designed patient engagement strategy, organizations can accomplish these goals and create more activated patients in the process.

Leveraging a Patient Portal for Patient Engagement

It is imperative, now more than ever, for organizations to actively promote engagement and implement technologies that facilitate patient-provider collaboration. However, many organizations struggle with this due to the fact that they lack resources for engagement or are unsure of where to start.

One easy way to jump-start an engagement strategy is to implement a patient portal and encourage patients to use it. Patient portal software makes communication easier (patients can send secure messages to their provider at any time), it gets patients thinking about their health outside the doctor’s office (they can access care plans and track vitals), and it contributes to overall satisfaction (patients can schedule appointments easily, request medication refills and pay their bills). It is also a tool that patients are ready and willing to use.