Things to look for in an ideal EHR

Launching a new independent practice involves a lot of important decisions. From furniture to staff, from location to marketing strategies, there are many considerations for getting the practice off to the right start. One of the critical decisions for the new practice is what to look for in an ideal EHR.

Electronic health records (EHRs) benefit your patients and your practice in many ways. An ideal EHR will be purpose-built for the way physicians deliver excellent care. That means the technology encourages and supports the patient-provider relationship that is so critical to quality healthcare.

Choosing the right EHR for your practice can be the first step toward delivering transformed healthcare for your patients. Benefits of an EHR include:

• Better health care – improving all aspects of patient care, including safety, effectiveness, patient-centeredness, communication, education, timeliness, efficiency, and equity.
• Better health – encouraging healthier lifestyles in the patient population, including increased physical activity, better nutrition, avoidance of behavioral risks, and increased use of preventative care measures.
• Improved efficiencies and lower health care costs – promoting preventative care and improved coordination of health care services and reducing waste and redundant tests.
• Better clinical decision making – integrating patient information from multiple sources for improved coordinated care.

Learn more about Elation’s EHR solution for your new independent practice, developed from the heart of a primary care practice and the science of health economics.

Things to look for in an ideal EHR for your new practice that will help you realize the benefits for your patients and your practice include:

• Cost – as a new practice, you want to stay within your start-up budget. EHRs can range drastically in price, depending on the features you select.
• Ease of use – the EHR must be intuitive and easy for all of your clinical staff to use. The right EHR for your new independent practice will enable you to quickly and seamlessly view patient data before, during, and after the visit, while continuing to focus on the patient as you deliver quality care.
• Hosting options – cloud-based hosting means that you are not tied to a physical server and will not need to maintain server hardware in your practice. A cloud-based system is typically less expensive and is updated regularly, ensuring you have the best technology available at any given time.
• Implementation and training – knowing how to use the EHR and having it available when you open your doors can be crucial to your practice’s success. An EHR that is easy to use and involves minimal downtime to implement is essential for your operations.
• Integration and interoperability – coordinated care depends on collaborative patient data. An EHR that enables you to view all of your patient’s records, from specialty providers and labs, as well as to send orders for tests and prescriptions electronically, will benefit you and your patients as you are better able to provide the quality, coordinated care they need.
• Quality customer service – knowing you have ongoing support is a critical element in the ideal EHR for your new practice. You need a good working relationship with your EHR provider that offers you the opportunity to reach out anytime you need help and to get the answer you need for your continued success.
• Certification – participating in value-based care will require a system that meets the requirements set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The certification criteria includes robust technical and interoperability requirements as well as cost transparency and disclosure requirements.