6 Reasons Medical Billing and Coding Are Critically Important
Revenue cycle management (RCM) involves all the financial processes of healthcare servi...
Technology has a way of changing things fast. In healthcare, that change is well and truly here.
Electronic medical record (EMR) integration is used by a staggering 88.2% of office-based physicians in the US.
What’s more, the global market is forecasted to reach $40 billion in 2024—about double the size in 2015.
If you haven’t yet integrated medical charting into your EMR system, this guide is for you.
You’re up against a whole host of challenges, from patient frustrations to inaccurate data. But by following integration best practices, you can embrace the power of interoperability.
The result? More efficiency. More accuracy. More time doing what matters most.
In this article, we’ll define electronic health record (EHR) systems and explain their features. We’ll look at the benefits of EMR integration.
Then, we’ll list some must-know best practices for bringing your EHR system into your medical charting workflow. Finally, we’ll share some tips you can use to get started today.
Medical charting doesn’t have to be a chore or a source of mistakes and errors. With EHR integration, you can transform it into a tool that works for you.
Understanding EHR Systems
EHR systems are essentially digital versions of your patient paper charts. They are updated in real-time. They become a trusted single source of truth—information is available instantly and securely to authorized users.
This level of access is a huge benefit in the modern healthcare landscape.
Patient expectations are changing. They want all their information at their fingertips. An EHR system can offer this and more.
From your perspective, this means delivering a truly patient-centered experience, one that sets you apart.
It also means you can better leverage data. You can streamline workflows, track medical histories, and coordinate care with other providers.
What makes all this possible? Here are some of the key features:
- Patient records, including medical histories, medications, and allergies
- Order management, allowing you to order and receive lab tests, prescriptions, and more through the system
- Tools to create, edit, and share patient notes and treatment plans
- Automated reminders and alerts that enable evidence-based decision-making
- Billing and coding integration for faster and more complete payments
- Patient portals for remote access to medical records, results, appointment scheduling, and more
- Compliance tracking that stays up-to-date with changing requirements, including HIPAA
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Benefits of Electronic Medical Records Integration
Beyond mere digitization, EMR systems offer significant advantages. Let’s explore how these integrations are transforming the way healthcare is delivered and managed.
Improved Patient Care Coordination
Patients living with chronic conditions often work with a team of healthcare providers. It is imperative that each of these providers has access to accurate and updated information.
With EMR integration, the full care team can keep tabs on the patient’s history, including medications, test results, and treatments. You can do this regardless of whether you were the one who gave the prescription or ordered the test.
With single-source access to complete patient histories, errors become fewer. You’re less likely to duplicate tests. Importantly, you and other team members have the information needed to ensure new medications are safe to take in conjunction with existing treatments.
Enhanced Efficiency and Workflows
Quality care is all about the patient. When paperwork and administrative tasks limit face-to-face time, you feel devastated.
You want to do better for your patients. An integrated EMR-EHR system gives you the time to be the best you can be.
Here’s how:
- Automated data entry saves time and minimizes errors.
- Simplified billing tools automatically generate accurate bills using patient records.
- Appointment scheduling features optimize your schedule and empower patients to change or cancel their appointments themselves.
Strengthened Compliance and Security
Compliance is not a nice-to-have. It’s the law. It’s what patients expect and are entitled to.
Robust integrations protect sensitive data. They eliminate the need for multiple systems, which means there’s less data transfer.
What’s more, security tools like advanced encryption are built into the system. You don’t have to check those compliance boxes yourself.
Finally, detailed logs are recorded, saved, and organized without manual intervention. These are key to successful compliance audits that run without any stress.
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5 Best Practices for Integrating Medical Charting with EHR Systems
Follow these five best practices and achieve seamless integration:
1. Define Your Integration Goals
A map isn’t very useful if you don’t know where your destination is. The same logic applies here.
So, start by defining your goals. What do you want to achieve with your EHR integration? Maybe it’s improved data accessibility for staff and patients. Or perhaps it’s more accurate billing.
Whatever you choose, be specific. For example, you might set a goal to cut charting time by 20% or put an end to duplicate data entries.
Write these goals down and keep them front of mind throughout the integration journey. Use them as your north star.
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2. Prioritize Data Security and Compliance
It doesn’t matter if a system doubles your efficiency. It doesn’t matter if it lifts productivity to all new heights. If it’s not compliant and is vulnerable to security breaches, it’s not worth it.
As you navigate the ups and downs of integration planning and implementation, make security your focus.
Opt for a system that encrypts patient data. Make sure you can limit access to information with strong user-based controls.
3. Look for Customization
Your practice is unique. You have challenges and opportunities that are unlike any other healthcare practice.
To meet these needs, choose an EHR system that you can customize. You should be able to set configurations to match your workflow and charting preferences. For example, some systems allow you to edit templates to match your charting style.
Another important feature is scalability. If you have growth aspirations, you need a solution that can evolve alongside you.
4. Invest in Staff Training
The best EHR system is only as impactful as the people who are using it.
High-quality, continuous training is the best way to support your staff through the change. Help them understand the value of integration and its positive impact on patient care.
Offer various training styles. You might host hands-on learning sessions. You might share documentation like standard operating procedures (SOPs) that staff can turn to in their own time.
5. Review and Update Your Integration
Your integration should achieve the goals you set. If it doesn’t, something needs to change.
Consider scheduling periodic reviews of your technology solutions. Are they performing as expected? Or are they falling short?
These reviews are also excellent opportunities to check for software updates. Updates don’t just include new features—they come with security patches. These protect against new threats.
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How You Can Start Integrating Medical Charting Right Now
Here are four quick steps to get you started:
- Think about your needs. What areas in your practice need improving? Could integration help?
- Research EHR systems. There are plenty of options available. Research and compare providers. Pay attention to their integration capabilities.
- Demo a system. Once you narrowed down your list of providers, request a few demos. That way, you can try out the software yourself.
- Plan a pilot test. Before you roll out the integration, run a test on a small group of patients. Collect feedback and make adjustments before continuing.