The Biggest Obstacle in Healthcare – Unproductive EHRs

So the Federal Government decided to pay each doctor that implemented a certified EHR up to $44,000.00 per doctor. Since the government was picking up the tab, the majority of doctors did little to no due-diligence and simply purchased one of the first few EHR systems they reviewed. The attitude amongst the physician community was that all EHR systems were pretty much the same. This could not be further from the truth. When defined the definition of truth: (1) the state of being the case, fact (2)  the body of real things, events, and facts.

We have all been told the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. When it comes to unproductive EHR systems there is no shortage in the market. In fact, the majority of EHR systems cost clinics somewhere between 20%-50% in lost production. This is due to the fact that unproductive EHR systems slow down these providers forcing the clinic to schedule fewer patients each day. At a 20% reduction, a solo physician is estimated to lose $125,000 – $300,000 in lost productivity. So what should a physician look for when evaluating an EHR?

• The EHR must be able to keep pace with the clinic workflow
• The EHR must have a proven track record in your specialty
• The EHR must be able to provide references in your specialty
• The EHR should have a track record of attending regional or national trade shows in your specialty
• The EHR should be able to take a clinic live within five working days MD Logic, the leading U.S. provider of High Performance Electronic Health Records Solutions understands what it takes to automate the workflow of a clinic.

We understand that doctors cannot afford to be slowed down in clinic. As the innovator in EHR technology, MD Logic continues to develop innovative time saving solutions. When evaluating EHR solutions, several key questions should be asked to ensure success.

• When calling for software support, do I get a live operator or am I forced to deal with “press 1 for this and press 2 for that….
• When calling for support, do I get a support person based in the United States or in another country? How stable is your EHR software?
• May I speak to customers to ask them if they have experienced any down time in the last year?
• Does your EHR software allow me to document care “real time” in the exam room?
• May I speak to doctors that can substantiate this claim?
• How many days of training will it take to go live with your EHR? Is the training onsite or remote?
• How do you control the workflow of the clinic?
• How do you automate the patient check-in including gathering the patient’s most current medical history and required new patient forms?

Implementing an EHR for the first time is a huge step for any clinic. If done properly, the clinic should have minimal interruption and the EHR technology should increase productivity, reduce overhead and maximize profitability. To learn more about MD Logic EHR solutions, please contact our corporate office at 800-273-7750.