Memorial Hospital Quarterly Meeting – What to look for in an EMR Tips used at Dr. John Dormois’ Practice

What matters most in an EMR It must improve your efficiency: Don’t become a data entry person! You should be able to access your charts from anywhere w/o downloading software. Outside information from Pharmacies, Labs, Hospital and other sources should drop into your EMR. Communicating patient information in your practice and to other providers should be simple and fast. It should shift the focus of control back to you and your patients.

It must improve your efficiency:

Don’t become a data entry person!

You should be able to access your charts from anywhere w/o downloading software.

Outside information from Pharmacies, Labs, Hospital and other sources should drop into your EMR.

Communicating patient information in your practice and to other providers should be simple and fast.

It should shift the focus of control back to you and your patients.

Improving Your Efficiency Beware of the drop down box! If you are required to document your encounter with drop down boxes you may be clicking ~100 times per note. Look for systems that can: Import your existing transcribed notes into the EMR. Build your templates within minutes not weeks. Recycle the parts that you want from your previous encounter notes. Utilize the patient to enter the subjective portion of the encounter information.

Beware of the drop down box!

If you are required to document your encounter with drop down boxes you may be clicking ~100 times per note.

Look for systems that can:

Import your existing transcribed notes into the EMR.

Build your templates within minutes not weeks.

Recycle the parts that you want from your previous encounter notes.

Utilize the patient to enter the subjective portion of the encounter information.

Anytime, Anywhere Access Look for a web-based platform: Caution! Beware of the ASP (Application Service Provider). You will want to keep your data onsite. Avoid systems that require you to download software on every remote PC.

Look for a web-based platform:

Caution! Beware of the ASP (Application Service Provider). You will want to keep your data onsite.

Avoid systems that require you to download software on every remote PC.

Outside Information Connectivity Standard functions to look for: Pharmacy Prescription interface Major Lab interfaces Automated incoming & outgoing faxing Make sure you can combine any EMR information for outgoing faxes – some systems can only send static chunks of info. Scanning to the EMR Any external electronic file should be able to be viewed from the EMR. (Ex: Radiology Images, Reports, In-patient Notes) NOTE: Look for systems that bundle these features in the base cost versus add-on costs!

Standard functions to look for:

Pharmacy Prescription interface

Major Lab interfaces

Automated incoming & outgoing faxing

Make sure you can combine any EMR information for outgoing faxes – some systems can only send static chunks of info.

Scanning to the EMR

Any external electronic file should be able to be viewed from the EMR. (Ex: Radiology Images, Reports, In-patient Notes)

NOTE: Look for systems that bundle these features in the base cost versus add-on costs!

Communicating Patient Information You should be able to send any document to other staff members or to your patients. The system should re-assign documents if a provider is out of the office. More advanced systems allow: Communication with other practices using the same system. Method for patient to share record with other providers. Viewing capability to approved providers (eg. Hospital).

You should be able to send any document to other staff members or to your patients.

The system should re-assign documents if a provider is out of the office.

More advanced systems allow:

Communication with other practices using the same system.

Method for patient to share record with other providers.

Viewing capability to approved providers (eg. Hospital).

Reconnect Providers & Patients Take advantage of systems that are integrated with a Patient Portal You will be able to: Get messages in the patient’s own words. Avoid phone tag. Send normal labs electronically; avoiding phone call. Reduce calls to the office and staff levels. Patients will be able to enter the subjective findings which will auto-populate your note: Note: Make sure your note is in prose and not in computer language!

Take advantage of systems that are integrated with a Patient Portal

You will be able to:

Get messages in the patient’s own words.

Avoid phone tag.

Send normal labs electronically; avoiding phone call.

Reduce calls to the office and staff levels.

Patients will be able to enter the subjective findings which will auto-populate your note:

Note: Make sure your note is in prose and not in computer language!

Billing System Integration Make sure the EMR can: Interface with your billing system, Interface with your billing service’s system, or Has it’s own billing system.

Make sure the EMR can:

Interface with your billing system,

Interface with your billing service’s system, or

Has it’s own billing system.

Future/Bonus Functions Integrated Clinical Decision Making Tools will be helpful, especially for P4P. Insurance pre-certification when patients schedule appointment online. Online bill payment for patients.

Integrated Clinical Decision Making Tools will be helpful, especially for P4P.

Insurance pre-certification when patients schedule appointment online.

Online bill payment for patients.

Results at Dormois, LLP Over 10,000 existing notes from MSWord imported into the EMR – operational w/ EMR on day 1. Paperless environment w/ rapid access to all patient eCharts. Gained 1 hour per day while seeing the same number of patients . Time savings from EMR has resulted in increased revenues with the same number of hours worked.

Over 10,000 existing notes from MSWord imported into the EMR – operational w/ EMR on day 1.

Paperless environment w/ rapid access to all patient eCharts.

Gained 1 hour per day while seeing the same number of patients .

Time savings from EMR has resulted in increased revenues with the same number of hours worked.