EMR-EHRS Blog

From primary care providers to general surgeons, caregivers throughout the medical industry are reaping the benefits of electronic medical record systems. For behavioral health organizations, especially, the advantages of switching to a mental health EHR are many. Yet, few EHR vendors have produced a tried-and-true software solution suitable for behavioral health providers. With 1st Providers Choice, psychiatrists, psychologists, professional counselors and other mental health providers have finally found an end-to-end EHR solution that meets their extensive charting needs.

Senior PsychCare (SPC) recently implemented our mental health EHR and billing modules across its various Texas locations and has achieved improved results in billing and patient care. Their more than 80 mental health providers have benefitted from simplified workflows, more efficient documentation, customized reports, and more. Following are some of the features that SPC’s behavioral health specialists have benefitted from:

• Specialized content and customization: EHR systems designed with mental health providers in mind include features that are most relevant to behavioral health specialists. The systems also allow for a high level of customization in order to meet the specific needs of providers practicing within the mental health field. For SPC, this has included specialty-specific diagnoses and treatment plans, preventative care resources and psychiatric management tools, among others.
• Real-time data: With mental health-specific EHR software, providers can create reports to conduct analyses of patient progress. All it takes is a few quick mouse clicks to export the data from the EHR.
• Alerts and reminders: EHR software for mental health facilities allows providers to set up daily, weekly or monthly alerts. This can be useful for following up with suicidal patients or with those taking antipsychotics with potentially harmful side effects. This has been beneficial, in SPC’s case, for treating patients at Long Term Care facilities, as they need continuous monitoring and follow-up care.
• Continuity of care: SPC maintains active contact with other physicians regarding changes in their patients’ mental status, diagnostic services, psychological treatments, and medications – and EHR software allows for thorough documentation of these changes. With mental health EHR software, behavioral health specialists at SPC are also able to share visit notes with other providers responsible for their patients’ care.

Learn more about our mental health-specific EHR features. Contact us today to schedule a free demo.

The American Academy of Pain Management, also known as the Academy, will be hosting its Annual Clinical Meeting this year from September 18-21 in Phoenix, Arizona. The meeting will play host to a number of healthcare professionals and software vendors, including 1st Provider’s Choice, which will be showcasing its leading Pain Management EHR software.

The Academy is a leading institution in the pain management sector. Its mission is “to improve care for people with pain by advancing an integrative, patient-centered model of care through evidence-guided continuing education for healthcare practitioners, credentialing, and advocacy.”

The theme of this year’s meeting is “Explore the Science, Practice the Art” – and its goal is to provide a wealth of information and education that is second to none. Experts in the field will offer interactive sessions for providers to gain valuable knowledge, and there will also be various networking opportunities for chronic pain specialists.

The exhibit hall is one of the opportunities providers will have to learn about tools that can help them in their field. 1st Providers Choice will be there talking to providers about their Stage 2 certified Pain Management EHR software. Their EHR is trusted by doctors all over the country and helps healthcare organizations run more efficiently, at lower costs.

1st Providers Choice will be at Booth #408. Stop by to speak with a member of the team to learn more about our ICD-10 ready Pain Management EHR and Practice Management software.

Contact Us to learn more.

The American Podiatric Medical Association’s (APMA) Annual Scientific Meeting, known as The National, is being held in Honolulu, Hawaii this year from July 24-27. The National is a premier conference for podiatric doctors, and this year 1st Providers Choice will be in attendance showcasing their EHR software for podiatrists.

APMA is regarded as a top-notch conference, and many important healthcare professionals will be in attendance. Some of the exhibits that doctors will be able to attend include symposia and specialty tracks, hands on training at surgical workshops, and much more.

1st Providers Choice is excited to be attending the National and to have the ability to demonstrate the many features of their Stage 2 certified EHR software to podiatrists. The EHR software has helped many physicians achieve Meaningful Use and qualify for stimulus incentives. The software helps make running a medical practice easier and more efficient, ultimately allowing physicians to provide better service and decrease costs.

Doctors across the country have worked with 1st Providers Choice and their Podiatry EHR software to help ensure it goes beyond expectations, delivering profitability and efficiency.

We invite you to visit Booth 175 to learn more about our product!

The Western Foot and Ankle Conference will take place in Anaheim, California this year from June 19-21, and Podiatry EHR software provider 1st Providers Choice will be attending.

The California Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA) is hosting the conference for doctors in podiatric medicine. Attendees will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge base and technical skills in areas related to the ankle, foot, and lower leg. They will also have the opportunity to meet with Podiatry EHR exhibitors and other vendors.

The Western Foot and Ankle Conference attracts doctors from around the country each year. 1st Providers Choice is thrilled to be able to team up with podiatrists and showcase their EHR and practice management system for podiatrists. Their EHR is fully certified and can greatly increase the ease and efficiency in which doctors run their practice. Podiatrists around the country who have taken the next step and implemented the highly intuitive software are pleased with the results.

It is CPMA’s goal with this conference to cover what is new in the world of foot and ankle biomechanics and sports medicine. Presenters and speakers plan to discuss important topics, such as how to better treat wounds, issues with vascular disease, and much more.

Our team is eager to meet with physicians who want to improve their practice through more efficient healthcare delivery and increased practice profitability. We hope that you’ll visit us in Anaheim at Booth 311.

Leading endocrinology and diabetology EHR software provider 1st Providers Choice is proud to announce they will be attending the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists’ 23rd Annual Scientific & Clinical Congress in May. The conference is being held from May 14-18 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During the AACE conference, physicians will be able to attend cutting-edge seminars, participate in comprehensive training sessions, and meet with endocrinology software and product vendors, including 1st Providers Choice.

Why Physicians Choose our EHR Software for Endocrinologists

1st Providers Choice’s endocrinology EHR software integrates seamlessly with a wide range of glucose meters and medical devices, allowing physicians to have complete records for all their patients without having to do manual data entry work.

1st Providers Choice also delivers a software solution that can be accessed from smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Our EHR software for mobile devices enables physicians to:

• Review and update patient charts on-the-go
• Take immediate action on critical issues
• Generate superbills with accurate coding
• Improve interaction with patients

Additionally, our medical voice recognition software makes it easy for endocrinologists to add data to the EHR and dictate in their own words – all the while ensuring accuracy in the 98% to 99% range.

To learn more about our endocrinology EHR software, stop by Booth #320 at the AACE Annual Scientific & Clinical Congress. You can also call 480-782-1116 today to learn more about the benefits of using our EHR software for endocrinologists!

The American Pain Society will be holding their 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa, Florida this year from April 30-May 3 – and 1st Providers Choice will be attending as a Pain Management EHR software exhibitor.

The meeting will include exhibits, lectures, special interest group meetings, symposia sessions, and much more. This year’s lecture lineup promises not to disappoint, with topics ranging from “Pain in Infants, Children, and Adolescents” to “There Is an App for That: Using Mobile Technology to Improve Chronic Pain.”

Conference attendees will be able to interact with the best and brightest in pain research, translate scientific discoveries into clinical practice, network with colleagues, learn policy issues that directly affect them, discuss their own research and clinical observations, and visit an extensive number of exhibiting companies featuring pain management products, including EHR software.

1st Providers Choice will be exhibiting their Pain Management EHR and Ambulatory Surgery Center EHR software and Practice Management solution in Booth #410. Their EHR is 2014 Edition certified and provides a full range of solutions, including an online Healthcare Portal, to help physicians meet Meaningful Use.

Podiatry EHR software provider 1st Providers Choice is proud to announce that they will be attending this year’s Valley of the Sun Podiatry Conference as an EHR exhibitor. Co-sponsored by the Podiatry Institute and the Arizona Podiatric Medical Association, the 2014 conference is being held in Phoenix, Arizona from April 24-27.

Among the list of interesting topics that will be presented at the conference by various highly-respected and well-known doctors of podiatric medicine are: Surgical Treatment of Advanced Forefoot Deformity, Innovations in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, Dislocating Personnel Tendons- Reliable Repair Techniques, the Role of Advanced Biologics in Wound Care, Syndesmosis Repair, and more.

There will also be several hands-on workshops featuring latest techniques and technologies including topics as such as: Ankle Foot Orthotics- Controlling the Uncontrollable Foot, Navigating the Challenges of MRSA Infected Wounds, and Treating Complex Hallux Valgus Deformities.

All these lectures, workshops, and education sessions will help educate conference attendees to better understand the various updates and strategies in would care, surgical approaches to complications and revision surgery.

Healthcare professionals will also have several opportunities to meet with podiatry EHR vendors and other companies showcasing their podiatry-related products. 1st Providers Choice will be exhibiting their EHR and practice management software. Some of the features of our podiatry EHR software include:

• Podiatry-specific exam and procedure templates, letters and forms
• Billing codes specific to podiatry (ICD-9, ICD-10, CPT)
• Pre-loaded reports and ability to create custom reports
• Image library with hundreds of foot-related diagrams
• Client-server and web-based hosting options
• Extensive drug formulary database
• Ability to e-prescribe controlled substances
• Meaningful Use Stage 2 certified

To learn more about the conference, click here. We hope to see you all in Phoenix!

Healthcare providers can breathe a sigh of relief. Implementation of ICD-10 code sets has been delayed another year thanks to a bill passed in the Senate on March 31. The controversial Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, which passed with a vote of 64 to 35, has pushed the compliance deadline to October 1, 2015.

The U.S. is one of only a handful of developed countries that is not yet using ICD-10 code sets, which are said to be more accurate and precise. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization is set to release ICD-11 codes in 2017 – just two years after healthcare organizations in America will have started using ICD-10.

Industry response to the ICD-10 delay has been varied thus far. Many organizations have expressed satisfaction with the extra time it gives them to prepare internally for the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 – on top of the other changes that they have had to implement, including installing EMR software.

Others have criticized the delay stating that hospitals and healthcare organizations have already invested a lot of time and money in order to achieve compliance this year. Additionally, according to AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association), a one year ICD-10 delay could cost between $1 billion to $6.6 billion.

Preparing for ICD-10 Ahead of Time

The ICD-10 extension, however, does not mean that physicians and healthcare organizations can put off thinking about upgrade requirements for another year. Preparing for ICD-10 requires extensive planning to ensure that different systems, like billing and practice management software, can all work together to submit claims accurately, allowing providers to get paid.

Those who have not yet started ICD-10 preparations will now have more time to work with software vendors and clearinghouses to ensure compliance, while those already prepared for the transition can continue getting educated on the new code sets and how the transition will affect billing and coding processes.

1st Providers Choice’s 2014 ONC fully certified EMR and Practice Management software is ICD-10 ready. We can help your practice get through a seamless transition. To learn more about our software solutions call 480-782-1116 today!

The EHR Incentive Program has been around for several years now, and few healthcare providers are unfamiliar with Meaningful Use and all it entails. The program main draw is the stimulus payments that physicians can qualify for each year by successfully adopting, implementing, upgrading or demonstrating meaningful use of certified EHR technology.

Starting this year, qualifying for incentive payments requires using 2014 Edition certified software. This means that physicians must attest to Meaningful Use using an EHR solution that has proven through extensive testing that it is capable of supporting requirements for both Stage 1 and 2, including electronic health information exchange, interoperability and patient engagement.

In order to accommodate physicians whose EHR vendors have not yet achieved Stage 2 certification, CMS and the ONC decided that in 2014 only all Meaningful Use participants will report for just 90 days – regardless of whether the physician is in their first year of Stage 1 or already getting started on Stage 2. This means that healthcare professionals can begin their Meaningful Use reporting this year as late as October 1, 2014. Physicians are warned, however, not to wait until the last minute to get started.

1st Providers Choice understands physicians’ concerns, and we want our users to start the reporting process early. That’s why we worked hard to get certified for Stage 2. Our EHR software and Patient Healthcare Portal solution are both 2014 ONC Stage 2 Certified, allowing physicians to start their 90-day reporting period immediately.

To help you achieve your goals, we assign a Meaningful Use expert to your practice. They guide you through the reporting process and show you how to use the EHR’s Meaningful Use dashboard to keep track of your progress. Our trainers also work with you to go over using drug formularies, setting up lab interfaces, e-prescribing controlled substances, and using the patient portal to achieve Meaningful Use.

Our patient portal makes it easy for physicians to meet the following patient engagement requirements:

• Provide online access to health information to more than 50% of all unique patients (who were seen by you during the reporting period) within 4 business days.
• Have 5% of all unique patients view their health information online, download it, or transmit it to a third party.
• Have 5% of unique patients (who were seen by you during the reporting period) send you a secure message.

1st Providers Choice has also made the necessary upgrades to ensure our EHR is up to date and our Practice Management software is ready for ICD-10. We have already begun testing our software with insurance payers and clearing houses to ensure a smooth transition to ICD-10 for hospitals and physician practices.

Interested in learning more about fully certified EHR software? Call 480-782-1116 today!

The Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association (AOMA) will be hosting its 92nd annual convention next month, from April 9-13 in Scottsdale, Arizona – and 1st Providers Choice is attending to showcase their Family Medicine EHR software. The 1st Providers team had tremendous success at last year’s meeting, and we are excited to meet with doctors again this year.

1st Providers Choice understands the unique challenges that osteopaths face, especially when it comes to clinical documentation. That’s why we have designed an EHR that is easy to use and that can adapt to the requirements of this specialty. In fact, our EHR software allows osteopaths and family medicine health professionals to provide more accurate and efficient care to patients, all the while reducing costs.

With tools like e-prescribing, patient portal integration, lab tracking, appointment reminders and more, 1st Providers Choice’s EHR is the ideal choice for osteopathic medicine providers. To learn more about our EHR software, find our booth at the AOMA convention, speak with a member of our team, and view a free demo.

In addition to hosting EHR vendors and other software exhibitors, the AOMA conference will cover a variety of topics ranging from personalized medicine to obesity basic medical treatment. To see a full schedule of events at the AOMA meeting, click here.