Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Systems
Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Systems
EMR systems replace paper patient charts with computer records by storing notes, x-rays, prescriptions, and other medical information usually found in paper records in electronic form. This makes searching and retrieving data easier, improves efficiency and accuracy, and allows doctors to access patients' information remotely. Choosing an EMR system is very important purchasing decision for medical practices. EMR systems reduce mistakes caused by bad handwriting, drug interaction precautions, and improved billing and insurance handling.
Evaluating Your Needs
There are hundreds of different packages to choose from. Many are targeted towards specific types of practices: small family practices versus large hospital staffs. Try to find software that matches your specialty and office size. Consider what other practices use, by visiting offices similar to yours to see the software in action. Be sure to check for HIPAA compliance as part of your evaluation.
Stay focused on the central focus of EMR -- entering data, creating, updating, searching, and displaying the entire contents of patients' charts. When you contact a vendor, you may hear from its salespeople about how much they can customize their EMR software specially for you and your practice. Be skeptical. Unless you are buying for a hospital with very complex reporting needs, the software you choose should already include all the basic features you need.
EMR Vendors
When you choose a vendor, you are choosing a new partner for your practice. The application you choose will be part of your operations for years to come, so it is important that you go with a vendor who will be around to support it. You can learn a lot by visiting one of the vendor's current customers. Ask to be put in touch with a local practice similar to yours so you can bring your team for a visit.
EMR Pricing
Desktop EMR pricing starts at $2,000 to $3,000 and range up to $10,000 or $15,000 per user. A mid-sized practice may spend $50,000 on the hardware and software to install a comprehensive EMR system including PDAs or tablet PCs.
Online or ASP software pricing usually includes setup fees of less than $1,000 and monthly fees ranging from $50 to $300 or more. Some ASPs charge for actual usage (for example, per updated chart or per each new record, etc). There are often monthly minimums, too. These usage-based pricing arrangements are usually fair, but they do require you to estimate your average usage before you can compute the total cost.
Be aware that there are a large number of additional fees for both types of systems. Some vendors may include these as part of their monthly fees, and some may bill each item separately.
EMR Buying Tips
Build a test plan. Create a script that walks through your most common office tasks, both simple and more complex. Consider the ease in portability of data. The patient data is yours, not the vendors, so they need to be able to provide you with usable information if you decide to stop using their software.
