You know your endocrinology practice either needs a new EMR or needs to upgrade to another Endocrinology EMR, but it can be difficult to narrow the field down to software that offers real solutions for your office. This checklist of essential EMR functionality, as well as some specific features to look for in an Endocrinology EMR for small practices, helps you find an EMR that closely meets your needs.
Read MoreEHR adoption challenges for small clinics
A small clinic faces several challenges in the quest to purchase and implement an EHR, and then qualify for the incentive payments from CMS (referred to as Meaningful Use).The most overwhelming issue being faced by these practices is that the deadline for beginning the process of proving an EHR for Meaningful Use is 2012. Ninety days of data collection are required in the first year which means that October 1, 2012 was the deadline for starting the data collection process. If a small clinic is not already running a certified EHR, there is no chance that it can meet the requirements necessary to collect the maximum incentive payment.
Whether you call them electronic health records or electronic medical records, making the move to computerized medical records for your documentation is pretty much a necessity in today's health care environment. In addition to the financial incentives from the federal government, increasing numbers of insurance carriers, managed care organizations and quality improvement initiatives expect that you will be able to provide them with data in an electronic format. The problem that faces most physicians is lack of expertise in selecting the best EHR or EMR software. However, there are some basic strategies that will help you make a good decision for your clinic.
Want to know where other physicians and provider networks stand on implementing electronic medical records? We're a lot closer to widespread adoption than many small practices think. According to recent studies into the use and implementation of practice management software and electronic medical records, small medical practices with one physician - or joint practices with two physicians - are the fastest-growing group among those working to implement EHR and EMR software.
Implementation of a comprehensive Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Software is essential for effective caring of patients in any medical setting. Small to midsized clinics that do not have the immense resources of large hospitals must find an EMR software solution that allows them to accurately and efficiently manage their clinical operations.
Finding and implementing the best EMR for small practice poses a lot of unique challenges when you have fewer than 5 physicians practicing together. When you're trying to decide on the best EMR for a small practice, you are dealing with so many moving parts that it becomes a nightmare to put all of them together in a cost-effective manner which also does not hinder your productivity. That's one of the barriers many physicians have to implementing electronic medical records. It's also why less than 12% of small practices utilize EMR technology.
