Electronic Medical Records Systems: Documentation software, discharge instructions, and electronic prescriptions.

Why Electronic Medical Records?

Pros and Cons over currently available alternatives

Those that are most successful in business have two traits in common;
focus and execution.
This is no different in medicine. With the adoption of technological advances by insurers and government agencies, the rules for the practice of medicine are constantly changing, so are the reimbursements. What is occurring with the adoption of technology by those in charge of reimbursements is simply focus and execution. For those healthcare providers wishing to keep up with this business strategy, the adoption of technology is imperative. Handwriting charts does not provide the focus necessary, nor do paper templates. The execution part of the business equation is found in the ability to analyze and manipulate data. The only efficient means of doing this is via the implementation of electronic documentation solution. The staff at ER Records, Inc. have over 6 years of experience in providing practicing medical professionals with tools that have been proven. Don't leave your electronic documentation needs, or your business success in the hands of unproven alternatives, that can't provide a solution that truly fits your style of practice. Maintain control over the means in which you document your art.

Issue/Question	Discussion
With the administrative pressures and physician acceptance why not just utilize a paper template system?	Paper records of any sort don't resolve the issue of hand-writing legibility. They also don't eliminate the need for hand coding and data input. An electronic medical record provides in several key areas: 1) An electronic medical record is easier to code from because the predictable format and legibility lends itself to rapid analysis. 2) An electronic medical record can be analyzed and coded automatically by several currently available coding software products, often cutting in half the cost of coding a record for reimbursement. 3) The analysis of the data created by an electronic medical record is extremely valuable from and administrative perspective. With the incessant need to increase patient flow and work efficiency the analysis of trends from the data provided by an electronic medical record is indisputably more cost effective than the common method of hand collating paper records and having to incur the additional expense of data input.
The learning curve for electronic medical records is too long?	The learning curve, as with all changes to a methodology, is more encumbered by the psychological influence of change. Any change, whether a negative or positive one is always met with resistance. The current implementation model for DOCTORS CHOICE and NURSES CHOICE, recommends that an end-user spend a 4 hour session familiarizing themselves with the software screens, by simply pointing and clicking through the descriptive choices to identify the location of their preferred documentation descriptors. After this short introduction, the time frame to navigate the effective change in methodology is approximately 3 weeks. It is also recommended that those end-users that are technology novices undergo a 6-8 hour basic Windows 98 training session. This is recommended in an effort to breakdown the phobias and aversions in utilizing technology
The physicians and nurses are extremely adverse to learning to utilize computers?	Implementation of computer technology has more success when involving the staff in in the process, from acquisition, environmental placement, and utilization logistics.
The physicians and nurses are extremely adverse to having a change in their routine dictated to them?	Physicians and Nurses historically have subjected themselves to extremely regimented educational and training methodologies. Their ability to learn is proven. Their desire to endure change, even if a positive one, is typical of any segment of society. If properly involved in the process, the change occurs more smoothly and efficiently, albeit with the typical vocal opposition.
An electronic medical record is too expensive?	The cost of DOCTORS CHOICE software is comparable to current paper alternatives. The unseen savings on time-cost benefits is extraordinary.
Alternative paper systems meet HCFA requirements, so why get a more comprehensive system?	DOCTORS CHOICE documentation software is intuitive. Meaning, that it prompts a user to provide enough information to optimize a specific records reimbursement value. It is compliant to current HCFA E&M guidelines, and decreases that potential practice of post review documentation addendums. In addition, a medical record is supposed to be comprehensive enough to elicit a visual understanding of the doctor-patient interaction by non-medical professionals such as lawyers, coders, insurance reimbursement administrators, and records auditors. Often, paper alternatives are unclear and ambiguous, leading to a record that is difficult to decipher except by that one individual that created it. Historically, medical record documentation has been taught as an art. It is the desire of the professionals at ER RECORDS, Inc. to help maintain that "Art".
	Coding Corner

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DISCLAIMER Copyright Š 1999 [ER RECORDS, INC]. All rights reserved. Revised: February 27, 2003

About Us | Product Specifications | Testimonials | Hardware Requirements
Links | Medical Updates | Contact Us |Home

DISCLAIMER
Copyright Š 1999 [ER RECORDS, INC]. All rights reserved.
Revised: February 27, 2003