Clinic Management EMR Software Buyers Guide
Last updated: June 01, 2023
Clinic Management EHR – A Quick Guide to Help You Pick the Best
A Clinic Management Software integrates an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) solution with Practice Management (PM) to create an all-in-one solution for your clinical and administrative needs. This is an ideal EMR system for small clinics that can’t afford to spend much on administrative or clinical processes.
The EMR part of Clinic Management EHR solution helps practitioners in automating clinical operations, digitalize and organize patient data, keep track of medications and lab results, and handling SOAP notes.
On the other hand, the PM part aids in administrative tasks like managing appointments, handling all billing-related processes, and storing, organizing, and managing patient history and demographics. Managing these processes manually is a real headache because not only does it take a lot of time, but it’s also prone to errors. So, by investing in a Clinic Management EHR solution, you can have workflow efficiency, and save time and money. With the right usage, this might even result in a higher reimbursement rate from the healthcare insurance companies.
Determining Your Needs
Before deciding which EHR solution to implement, it’s important to understand what your practice’s needs are. When it comes to EHR solutions, one size doesn’t fit all. This will not only help you decide the best solution for your practice but also help you use your EHR solution to the fullest. Clinic Management EMR software are ideal for small clinics because it helps save time and money.
Features of a Clinic Management EMR Software
To make the most of your investment in Clinic Management EHR, you must first understand its capabilities and features. Here are some of the most useful features to help you get familiar with the solution.
Automated Billing Procedures – A Clinic Management EHR solution helps simplify your medical billing procedures by automation and providing timely verification of insurance coverage.
Scheduling Appointments – This software also offers customizable color-coded calendars that can help keep track of individual patients as well as the doctor’s schedule.
Coding – An effective Clinic Management EMR solution also offers you the option to insert the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), International Classification of Diseases (ICD), and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding sets.
Tracking Claims – Oftentimes your patients might sign claims, a Clinic Management EMR Solution helps keep track of all the claims throughout the entire revenue cycle.
Automated Reminders – An effective Clinic Management EMR helps you by sending automatic appointment reminders and your administration’s job easier.
Patient Demographics – The EMR solution also helps you record, manage, and organize patient demographics along with their respective insurance providers.
Reporting – The solution also offers customizable reports based on your practice’s parameters.
EMR Software Requirements by Practice Size
Similar to a medical specialty, requirements for effective EHR software depends on the size of your medical practice. Whether you run a solo clinic or a multi-specialty medical facility, the EMR software you purchase will need to address your unique inherent challenges.
Small or Solo Provider Practices
For a small doctor’s office, the number of staff members and budget for EMR software is extremely limited and low as compared to large enterprises. Due to these budget constraints, the majority of the providers opt for either a free EMR software or an affordable one with a low fixed monthly fee. For EMR Systems in Small Offices, cloud-based access is one of the most important requirements as it allows the providers to access patient charts from anywhere on any device.
Why does your practice need EMR Software?
With the introduction of Meaningful Use, the majority of Healthcare Practices have shifted their practice operations to EHR software. With a diverse range of options available in the market, the majority of medical providers need to perform an extensive search to evaluate the best option based on specific needs and requirements. With an EMR software in mind, potential buyers typically have the following questions in mind;
- Do I know what I am looking for?
- I know what I want, but where do I start looking?
- Relying on opinions or advice from their peers or colleagues with prior experience in EMR software
In case #3, the important thing is to remember how every provider and practice workflow is unique, and therefore what suits one may not give the same results as the other. In short, ‘One Size Fits All’ does not apply in the world of Healthcare IT. For authentic and efficient information, make sure to contact software experts and industry specialists for professional advice and making the right decision.
What to Look For in a Potential EMR Software?
In order to select the best EMR software for small clinics, you need to consider the following aspects;
Cloud-based EMR software
Cloud-based EMR Software technology is particularly beneficial in small doctor offices as it eliminates upfront management costs and allows the software to be accessed from any location at any time from any device. This means you can easily access it from your smartphone (Android and iOS) while sitting in the comfort of your own homes.
Mac EMR Software
In the United States, Apple products, particularly MAC, dominate the market for digital devices and computers. For this reason, the majority of EMR software buyers specifically look for software that supports MAC operating systems (MAC EMR Software).
It is important to note that not all of the software is compatible with MAC devices. For this reason, it is important to look for a vendor that supports your choice of devices and operating systems (whether it is Windows or MAC). In this way, you’ll save yourself the additional investment in computer systems. To ensure your choice of software is compatible with your choice of OS, it is best to try the Clinic Management EMR Demo before your purchase.
ONC-ATCB Certified EMR Software Vendors
EMR Softwares must comply with the guidelines and standards set by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC). Online repository details all software vendors and details related to their respective compliance with the measures set by the ONC-ATCB. This software need to undergo rigorous testing to confirm at a benchmark level defined by the federal body.
During this exercise, the software testing checks all areas of the EMR software systems from Patient Portal access to the way the EHR Software communicates with other programs and entities like labs, hospitals, HIEs, Pharmacies (via e-Rx), etc.
Integrated Practice Management Software
EMR software companies that feature Integrated Practice Management Software provide extensive reports tracking clinical performance and management strategies. For this purpose, you’ll need to observe a few Clinic Management EMR tutorials for a little guidance.
Integrated Medical Billing Software
EHR Softwares with Integrated Medical Billing Softwares allows medical professionals and financial managers to generate claims, patient statements, verify patient eligibility, and more. Furthermore, it allows practices to handle billing in-house with greater efficiency and effectiveness. Furthermore, you’ll need to take Clinic Management EMR pricing and costs into consideration as well before making your final decision.
Security
An EMR Software must ensure the security and safety of patient records while ensuring privacy and HIPAA compliance for patient/doctor communication. The majority of the providers (Epic, Cerner, Athenahealth, AdvancedMD, PrognoCIS, Modernizing Medicine, eClincalWorks, etc.) ensure safety of the patient records by using advanced tools such as data encryption technologies.
