General Practice EHR Software

General Practice EHR Software Buyers Guide

Last updated: December 05, 2023

EMR For Small Practice: What do You Need to Know?

Yes you started your practice to benefit your patients’ lives, but that’s not your only focus, right? You also need to manage your bottom line. After all, if you don’t run your practice like a pro-business leader it won’t flourish so you can still help people 10 years from now.

Is there a solution?

Here’s a second challenge: You want to help as many people as possible but a day only has 24 hours. You and your staff’s schedules determine your impact on the community.

Can you be more efficient?

Solving both these challenges is the reason the market for EMR (Electronic Medical Record) software is expanding. You can find a product for practices of all shapes and sizes.

Which one will work for you? Let’s help you answer that.

What Matters in EMR?

A simple list of the benefits EMR software adds to your life also shows the general features your software should have:

• User-friendliness: When it’s a user-friendly, easy to use interface your productivity increases almost instantly. This is mostly because of automated features, so manual and paperwork become less.
• Always on: You need a service provider who will provide 24/7 service and mobile integration. With this, you’ll have access to files no matter where you are so you can help patients in emergencies or do prescriptions on the go.
• Security: You’re storing private information in digital format. While this could be more secure than having files in an office, just make sure your vendor provides protection against hacking and other digital risks.

Now, which vendor will you trust?

Respect Your Uniqueness

It’s easy to think you can use almost any EMR products since you handle many different health concerns. There’s nothing further from the truth. You will only see productivity and profits improve if your software is relevant to your niche. If you are starting out with a new medical practice, you absolutely have to go with an EMR for small practice.

Therefore, for starters you can’t allow marketing jargon to confuse you. Use the list below to discover software that is:

• Relevant
• Niche appropriate
• User friendly based on your tech experience

Let’s discuss a few traits of a good EMR for small practice, so you can easily vet any options out there.

Know Who Sits in Front of You

While few people actually like going to the doctor, there’s one thing that will give them peace of mind about visiting you: When they feel understood—a sense of familiarity.

But there are many families coming through your door every day so you can’t be expected to know each one by name; never mind their medical histories.

This is the value of quality EMR: Documenting a patient’s history. Note that this isn’t simply a practical benefit to make your consultation more effective. Yes, you’ll make more informed choices when you view historical facts but your patients also feel more comfortable when they don’t have to repeat their health facts again and again.

The benefits keep on coming as a greater sense of familiarity will prompt them to share more facts with you, even those they’re ashamed of. That helps you make more accurate deductions.

While this helps all doctors, it’s paramount for GPs. While everyone expects to feel awkward when seeing certain healthcare specialists, it’s imperative they feel comfortable at the idea of seeing you.

Be Ready for Anything

You’re probably used to patients arriving with multiple complaints. For them it’s getting a lot done in a single day—for you it becomes a nightmare to chart correctly for future reference. But it’s easy when you have the right EMR on your system that provides space for each problem.

EMR helps you keep order effortlessly.

Plan for Easy Referrals

When you’ve made your diagnosis you may have to partner with other doctors to get your patients the best care. Your EMR is supposed to assist with this process, allowing for easy referrals.

Once again this has benefits for both you and the patient: Digital referrals go much faster than writing lengthy letters by hand. Your patients also have the benefit of administration being done for them so they can focus on their health.

For all the healthcare professionals involved it becomes easy to share notes, images and test results. As a team you can help plan the best way forward.

For this reason, make sure your EMR will easily work with others’ in your medical network.

Effortless Patient Engagement

Throughout the journey with your patients, there will be communication such as:

• Booking appointments
• Providing school excuse documentation
• Check-up reminders

Using paper and even the telephone is old school. Going digital is more efficient and reliable.

Greenway Health

Make Billing Easy on Everyone

We started off by mentioning the importance of running a good business. To guarantee this you need a proper billing system and EMR software can be your instant solution:

• Fewer mistakes if the billing component is connected with your schedule. You won’t forget to bill someone for anything again.
• The software can help you manage coding so you have fewer rejections from insurance companies.
• Sending out regular statements without adding more to your staff’s workload (everything automatically happens via the EMR software) can improve income.

Smart Networking

For the patients that only see you (not other medical professionals) you also need a more effective way to manage your network:

• High-end EMR software can connect you with pharmacies so e-prescribing becomes your new time saver.
• When you need results from a laboratory, why wait for a letter and enter the detail manually if your EMR software can integrate it instantly?

Is it Worth the Investment?

Do you see our word choice? This is NOT a general expense. This is how you invest in your future because with more effective service you’re nurturing relationships with patients. That’s what will make them and their families return time & again.

You want the children that come with their parents today to bring the next generation to your practice in a few years’ time. The technology and software you pick determine whether that will happen.