Urology EHR Software Buyers Guide
Last updated: December 06, 2023
As you know the primary purpose of any medical entity is to treat people and save lives. That’s why general practitioners and specialists spend years acquiring in-depth knowledge about how the human body functions.
But know this: To treat a patient successfully requires a holistic approach. Apart from the care giver’s knowledge, the success of any medical entity relies on the systems and processes it uses. This means utilizing systems that not only streamline the workflow but allow for quicker diagnosis and treatment of the patient.
Thankfully EHR software packages are now at your disposal to help your practice better treat the patients that walk through the door. But bear in mind, not all packages will suit your particular field of expertise—in this case, Urology. That’s why it’s important to know what features & templates to look out for to pick one that matches your niche.
Pre-requisites
Before we go any further, know that each medical field has unique requirements. We’ll briefly look at the pre-requisites for a Urology EHR Software:
Discretion: Like all patients, discretion is non-negotiable. The system must allow the urologists to treat their patients in a highly discreet and confidential manner. As you know urology deals with the intimate parts of the human body, for instance, the sexual organs. Sensitive information is consequently captured onto the system. A system that’s secure and designed to respects a patient’s privacy is ideal. An exception, of course, is if the information is required by other persons handling the patient’s medical case, such as other specialists. In this case, you must be able to send data to them without it being accessed by hackers or unauthorized personnel.
Customization: You must also be able to customize the system to match the unique requirements of your urology practice. Different industries require different information and processes. Make sure the software package you pick has the necessary templates needed to help successfully treat the patients. Using a standardized template means you’re at the risk of paying for features you’ll never use which is just a waste of money.
Integration: As a urology practitioner, you won’t be working in isolation. There are other persons whom you might have to liaise with in order to give your patient the best all-round treatment possible. These may include laboratories if there’s any blood work to be done. Ultimately your system must allow for integration with all the necessary parties involved. Information should be readily accessible when needed and you must be able to share it easily.
Features Relating to Urology EMR Software
As mentioned earlier each industry has specific needs and requirements for the successful treatment of their patients. Below we’ll look at the features you need in EHR software.
Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan (SOAP) Notes
This is the first template you need to ensure is available on the software package being sold to you. As opposed to utilizing standard templates rather opt for those that provide you with the specific conditions you’ll deal with. This template in most cases will cover the following conditions:
- Cystoscopy
- Hematuria
- Infertility
- UTI
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Prostrate Screening and Cancer
- Incontinence
- Vasectomy
- Kidney Stones
- Medication Management
Practice Fusion
After establishing the patient’s diagnosis, he or she will need to go through treatment. Picking a Urology EHR Software means it’ll have medication management processes that are urology specific. The system can help with managing the patient’s treatments via the following:
Suggest the best possible treatment plans and medication
- Alert physicians if they try to prescribe a fatal or incorrect drug
- Notify the physician if they have prescribed the wrong or ineffective dosage
- Note that these alerts are easily customizable by the Urology practitioner.
Coding and Billing
The right package will incorporate the necessary coding systems such as the ICD-10 and CPT coding. Sure, these coding processes aren’t limited to Urology however the ideal EHR system will incorporate the unique vocabulary and codes associated with Urology.
This means you won’t have to deal with other terminology that has nothing to do with your area of specialization.
Compatibility
As mentioned above, the system must allow you to communicate with the other parties involved in your patients’ treatments as and when necessary. This means it must allow you to receive results of various tests such as:
- Kidney MRIs
- Electronic urinalyses
- Urine samples
The most important thing is to ensure the system is compatible with your medical practice’s devices and urology reports.
Why Consider EHR Software?
Still not convinced if you really need this system? We’ll quickly list some of the advantages of this software package:
- Efficiency
- Moving from manual tasks to automation will greatly reduce the time spent on administration and menial tasks. It allows you to do the following:
- Send e-prescriptions to the pharmacy
- Schedule appointments
- Set auto reminders for repeat visits
- Generate health reports
- Quality Time with Patients
With the administration out of the way it means you get more time to deal with the most important thing—your patient. Dealing with people’s lives require high levels of accuracy. There simply can be no room for error. Digitizing information greatly minimizes manual errors related to capturing your patients’ information. It allows you to document the following:
- Medical history
- Medications
- Diagnosis
Not only will you give your patients the attention they deserve but you also get to see more patients in a day.
Increase in Revenue
You might be wondering how much employing such a sophisticated system costs right? But the right question you must be asking is how much revenue will it help bring in. And it will. Because this software has up to date information regarding your practice you’ll enjoy the following:
- Timely insurance claims
- Timely medical aid claims
- Pick up on outstanding bills
Apart from these payments a quality system also allows you to process digital and credit card payments easily.
Conclusion
It’s clear: This system is a must-have if you expect to deliver a service in a quick and professional manner. The EHR software will bring a world of convenience to you and more importantly—your patients.
