Successful implementation of medical EHR software can only be achieved by following a sound and comprehensive process for evaluating potential solutions and implementing the chosen solution. This post outlines top 10 best practices that providers should incorporate into their EHR selection and implementation process.
As soon as you have successfully passed the Health IT readiness survey provided by the AMA, secure full support from stakeholders in your organization who are responsible for strategic, medical practice, clinical, operational, and financial functions. As part of the selection
Key goals should include:
Begin the selection process for an EHR System with a clear understanding of what your EHR should deliver for your practice. This is perhaps the most critical step of the journey. The EHR selection team should help lead the effort to identify the essential features and components a
RevenueXL provides a detailed checklist which can be used as a starting point. Depending on your current situation, one of the following scenarios may apply to you.
Start with a broad needs assessment for the practice and follow it up with a much more detailed list of features. You require a clear understanding of what your system needs are. Functions and features of the latest technology are not necessary if they don’t improve or enhance your business needs or business objectives you want to address.
Make a careful assessment of your current software. Compile two lists: one of the features that you are satisfied with and one of the features that are below your performance standard. Check with you vendor to determine if an upgrade to the latest version of the software can solve outstanding issues. As part of the upgrade (and cost agreement), consider purchasing new modules and functionalities that help to simplify and streamline practice workflows. Look into changing your data storage. A cloud-based solution might be more effective and less expensive.
There are many reasons why replacing your EHR may make more sense. To ensure smooth EHR replacement process, do the following:
In general, the replacement process should not be as lengthy and time-consuming as a new installation because EHR users already have a much better understanding of how EHR software "feels and thinks". Here is a detailed guide on how to overcome replacement challenges.
Currently, there are roughly 1100 vendors that offer EHR Software. Hence the task of finding the right vendor is not only daunting but complex as well.
While you can use free online resources like the EHR Product List and paid services like Black Book Research and KLAS Research, you can also refer to the guide provided by RevenueXL.
EHR Vendor selection is a 5 step process:
Step 1: EHR Planning: Decide between Cloud-based EHR and locally hosted EHR solution.As in personal life, before entering a long-term relationship you need to ensure that your future software partner meets your expectations. The list of desired attributes is long.
RevenueXL helps you to ask the right questions and address key areas.
Here is a list of important questions to ask. Take the time to enhance the list below and create your own list so that you can discuss it in a one on one conversation with the vendor representative.
When choosing an EHR System it is best practice to choose a fully integrated system. EHR and practice management software should work together seamlessly.
Here is a list of the most important benefits:
RevenueXL offers an integrated practice management and EHR solution. Schedule a demo today!
Many EHR solution systems are not efficient or lack the “intelligence” and context-sensitivity to present or request data to the right person at the right time and the right place. A study at the University of Wisconsin found that primary care physicians spend nearly 6 hours per day interacting with the EHR during and after clinic hours. It is paramount to carefully compare workflows provided by EHR software with desired workflows. This practical assessment will reveal multi-user and multi-tasking capability of the software. Data entry needs to be granulated enough to allow simultaneous data entry and nearly instant display of the same information at different places in your practice.
As soon as you have made a list of 3-5 of your preferred vendors, schedule a demo. RevenueXL is a leading provider of cloud-based EHR systems.
It is imperative to test the software in a planned and structured way. Ideally, the practice team should have a good understanding of their workflows and current business solutions. If not reviewed already, the Workflow Assessment for Health IT Toolkit by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provides invaluable information on how to approach this task. Another useful resource provided by HealthIT.gov is "Workflow Redesign for EHRs". You may also review our blog on how to get the maximum from any EHR Demo.
Make your own list of features that you want to evaluate. Here are some assessment tasks you need to consider:
As part of the final contract, make sure that everyone on staff will receive EHR training by the vendor. Depending on the size of your practice, it is good practice to train super-users first who will then make themselves available during further roll-out of the EHR software. Ask your
According to the ONC, the cost of purchasing and installing an EHR system ranges from $15,000 to $70,000 per provider. Obviously, the final price tag will depend on your individual specific requirements but keep in mind that the benefits of EHR software outweighs its cost.
To understand the total cost of ownership, it is important to understand the different components of cost involved in implementation of a new EHR or even replacement of your existing EHR.
Please refer to RevenueXL's online blog to learn how much an EHR system cost.
This topic is complicated because of many new regulations and the paradigm shift from fee-for-service to value-based reimbursement. As part of this process, you need to ensure that your vendor delivers certified EHR Software. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) marks a new era in physician reimbursement. Discuss with your vendor how to optimize your EHR for MACRA.
RevenueXL's EHR software helps you to prepare for the new reimbursement system. Contact us and ask us how we can make tour practice more efficient and improve your revenue!
Healthcare analytics will become a normal part of your daily routine. It will enable you to gain even more insight into complex scenarios and diagnostic challenges. As part of the evaluation process, this is the right time to determine whether your new EHR system is ready for new
Here are some important questions to ask your vendor:
Soon you will either be ready to install a new EHR system or ready to replace your existing software. Our full-featured, specialty-specific EMR systems are easy to use and give you all the functionality you need to practice medicine and manage your practice workflows your way. Focusing on the needs of small to medium-sized practices, RevenueXL offers affordable and cloud-based EHR solutions that can be deployed straight out of the box or customized to your precise needs.
At RevenueXL, we offer a completely customizable and flexible suite of billing and practice management tools you can configure to your unique practice needs. These tools are far from template or cookie-cutter – our systems are carefully designed to work with you and your workflows, not to replace them with something different, redundant and difficult to learn. You know what works for you and your practice – we simply help you do it faster and more efficiently, with fewer errors and less duplication of effort.
Contact us today to schedule a live demo and discuss a custom solution for you practice.