Be Careful - Unproductive EHRs are Everywhere

15 October 2016

Unlike every other business in the country, physicians are the only business that has seen huge reductions in their fees. To counter these reductions, physicians must see more patients in the same amount of time. Unfortunately for most physicians, the healthcare market is littered with cumbersome non-productive EHRs that simply slow down physicians and staff while killing productivity. These physicians and their staff end up spending more time entering data into their EHR then actual time spent with the patient. So what are the most important factors in selecting Electronic Health Records for a clinic?

Below is a list of items to consider when investing in your next EHR system:

  • History of the EHR Company: How long has the company been marketing, selling and supporting electronic health record software? Does the company selling the EHR software own the EHR software or are they a reseller of the software? Does the company have a solid track record (10 years +) in business? Where is the software developed (USA or Overseas)?
  • U.S. Based Support: Is software support based in the U.S. or a third world country? Many EHR companies are outsourcing EHR support to enlist cheap labor. If your EHR company support is offered outside the U.S, do your patients know that their health data is being made available to 3rd world countries? What is your liability in exposing patient health data outside the USA?
  • Ownership of Company: The vast majority of EHR companies are owned or backed by Venture Capital. The #1 goal of Venture Capital is to make big profits and the bottom line. Venture Capital backed EHR Companies are typically bought and sold every 4-6 years. Once an EHR company is sold to another EHR company the goal is to transition users of that EHR software to the new company EHR software. In most cases software support is degraded as the company is forced to support multiple EHR software platforms. Who owns your EHR software company?
  • Meaningful Use Certified: Is the company Meaningful Use Stage I and Stage II Certified? What is their plan in preparing for Meaningful Use Stage III? How do they train their customers on new certification software? Do they have national user meetings?
  • Physician Involvement: In many cases, the physician was not involved with the purchase of the 1st, 2nd or even 3rd EHR. This is a big mistake as the physician will be the one utilizing the EHR technology each day in clinic. Physician involvement in the EHR selection is critical.
  • Front Desk Automation: Time saving begins at the front desk. If the patient check-in is bottlenecked then the clinic will fail to maximize efficiency. How does the EHR Company automate the check-in of patients from the time they enter the clinic? What technology do they use to streamline the front desk? What gives the EHR Company a competitive edge?
  • Speed with Clinical Documentation: It is essential to adopt EHR software that enables a physician to quickly document patient care. How quick is it to document patient care? Were you able to follow the software demonstration without getting lost? Did the clinical record generated during the software demonstration look computer generated or read more like a dictated progress note? How easy is it for you to change what is being documented in the clinical record?
  • Ability to Customize: Every EHR Company claims there system is user friendly and easy to customize by the end user. Were you able to customize the software during the software demonstration?
  • Smart Phone Technology: Lots of companies talk about smart phone apps but is the app available and currently being used by other physicians? How easy is it to use the app? Are there additional costs for using the app?
  • Speak to Referrals: Before investing in any EHR software, it is critical to speak to current EHR customers to get unbiased feedback on the EHR software.
  • Onsite Training –vs- Remote Training: Regardless of whether this is your 1st, 2nd or 3rd EHR, opting for onsite training to ensure a successful go-live date is critical. Does the company offer onsite training? Are the onsite trainer’s contractors or employees of the company? How long has the trainer been with the company? Will you have access to that trainer after onsite training is completed?
  • Policy on Exporting your Data: In the event you decide to switch EHR companies, what is the policy of the company in terms of exporting your patient health data? How is the process handled? What is the cost to export your data? Is the data easily identified to make it simple to import into a new EHR? Will the EHR Company hold your data hostage?
  • Cloud –vs- Server Based: Does the company offer Cloud or Server based solutions? Many companies offer one solution or the other but not typically both solutions. Cloud based solutions require less up front license fees but higher monthly fees. Server based solutions required higher upfront license fees but lower monthly fees. Cloud based solutions are typically offered in 12 months periods.  

Whether your specialty is Primary Care, ENT, Orthopaedic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Plastic Surgery, General Surgery, Cardiology, Foot and Ankle or any other sub-specialty, all physicians have a limited amount of time each day to see their patients.Choosing a non-productive EHR makes practicing medicine cumbersome and time consuming.

MD Logic, the leading U.S. provider of High Performance Electronic Health Records Solutions, delivers over 20 years of success in healthcare technology.The MD Logic software is designed for busy clinics and physicians that want to focus their attention on patient care.Thousands of users in the U.S. and internationally depend on MD Logic each day to manage their patients' health records.

To learn about how MD Logic can turn your non-productive EHR into a super-charged EHR call us at 800-273-7750.