Cardiology EMR Software Guide

Cardiology EMR Software Guide

Being a cardiologist is not an easy job. It involves tracking patient information from several places like patient notes, images, test results, and more. While many practices use a paper-based healthcare system, they are time-consuming and prone to errors. That’s why your practice needs a digitized healthcare system that adds value to your infrastructure and simplifies your clinical tasks. 

A cardiology EMR is designed to streamline your workflows and simplify operations in a vascular or heart practice. Such practice’s workflows are widely different from others. Cardiology practice requires support for Holter tests, Nuclear tests, and Arterial & Aortoiliac Duplex Imaging.

More than 49% of cardiologists have also admitted to having problems keeping up with healthcare regulations like E&M coding, among others. Not to mention you also need templates for patient visits about cath exams, pacemakers, and coumadin.

Cardiology EMR software should adapt to your workflows quickly and function according to your needs. 

They also provide healthcare reminders, which are essential for a cardiologist who caters to many patients daily. Here’s what a cardiology EMR does for you:

• Keeps track of patients’ complex medical records.
• Offers easy access to everything for you and your team.
• Updates educational material.
• Instantly pulls up information of patients’ past family history.  

Implementing EMR software for your solutions will make your life a hundred times easier. And to get you started, keep reading our detailed guide. 

Quick Tip: Get precise guidance by looking at the top EMR platforms for practice management. 

Features of Cardiology EMR Software

Choosing a Cardiology EMR for your solutions will significantly impact your work-life, hence understanding how the EMR software works is essential. To better understand how the software works, it is advisable to learn about the software’s different features and functionalities. Before purchasing a software, you should check if the software has the following key features:

• Cardiology Templates: Top Cardiology EMR Software offers pre-defined clinical templates to practitioners for charting and note-taking, leaving them utterly hands-free through their consultation. They must include templates for hypertension, cardiac cath, exercise stress tests, warfarin interaction alerts, ICDs, cardiac exam, referral letter, pacemaker visit, etc. A good one will have customizable templates for the manual edit option to suit each practitioner’s specific workflows and requirements. It helps save a lot of time, which practitioners can utilize to improve their clients’ health. Some EMR software solutions also have voice recognition and dictation in the templates.
• Workflow Management: If you are working in a Cardiology practice, you should make sure your EMR software facilitates care and support rather than interfering in direct patient interaction. EMR software will give you the comfort of electronic patient charting, managing, maintaining, and documenting all your workflow problems. It eases the process of data entry by allowing users to input information into patient records electronically. Some EMRs also offer speech-to-text functionality (voice command). 
• Radiology Information Systems: For specialty-specific EMR solutions, RIS manages the workflow and operations of radiology imaging centers for large medical practices with radiology imaging departments. Such modules automate the entire process of storing, operating, and distributing patient medical images and related data.
• Rx Helper: Cardiology EMR has a powerful prescription analytics tool that; an assistance program that helps those patients that are having trouble affording their medications. 

• Billing & Coding: Catering to a specific specialty does not require additional clutter of codes. Codes specifically designed for Cardiology make billing accurate and fast. A Cardiology EMR software solution should have built-in CPT and ICD-10 codes to assure a seamless, efficient billing process. Each practice has its specific code. Better evaluation and management standards ensure that healthcare payers have all the clients’ information to payout.  

Have a look at the latest E&M coding changes released!

• PQRI Reporting: Procedures in Cardiology generate a high percentage of PQRI. Thus, most EMRs are equipped with reporting functions and other pay-for-performance measures, which are important for a payment structure.

• E-prescription: This feature enables practitioners to send patient’s prescriptions directly to the pharmacy, allowing you access to many pharmacies across the USA. Patients can also show their prescription at the pharmacy and collect their medicines from the counter. It also helps pharmacies ensure the availability of medication before the patient’s visit. A comprehensive drug database will supply the facility of verifying drug-to-drug, drug-to-food, drug-to-allergy interactions before any medication is prescribed through the interaction system. Online refills can be requested too. 

• Integration: For seamless EMR solutions, the software should have equipment such as the ECG, Holter Monitors, and ECHO to import the data directly to your patients’ electronic charts, ensuring automated patient data integration for immediate access and storage. 
• SOAP Notes: Another commendatory time-saving characteristic is customized SOAP notes (subjective, objective, assessment, and plan). These notes document in a structured and organized way, making charting efficient by matching diagnosis with the built-in prescription. 

Benefits of Cardiology EMR software

• Human-Computer Interaction: Not all doctors are not tech-savvy, it would not be right to expect them to be experts in using EMR software. Effortless and straightforward software should be a top priority as it will also be easy for the customers to switch to electronic service. Good software also has in-built recording systems for specialty practices. Some vendors offer free training too. 
• Specialty-Specific Prescription: With a built-in list of specialty-specific EMR software prescriptions, the task becomes much simpler and convenient for medical providers.   
• Patient Portal: Electronic medical record has patient-user workflows and patient engagement (recent doctor visits, lab results, educational materials, discharge summaries, etc.) A comprehensive EMR platform should have an appointment-setting feature that allows team members to quickly register patients, schedule them, and choose a purpose for their visit. It sends automatic appointment reminders to the patients as well to decrease no-shows. 
• E&M Coding: It presents better evaluation and management standards, ensuring that healthcare payers have all the clients’ information to payout. 
• User-Friendly Interface: Provides quick access to commands and common features. It is the most important factor as it facilitates interactions between the customer and doctor through its easy-to-use navigation and customization. 
• Cardiology Dashboards: EMR software solution makes billing as fast, integrated, and painless as possible. You can easily send bills and transfer the data from charts to statements using these systems. During bill creation, the tool might auto-fill an account with services from charts, or it might let you view the bill and chart side-by-side. It is rendering improved financial profitability with incentives.
• Health Information Exchange: EMRs with HIE connectivity allow doctors and hospitals to stay connected across the country. 
• Urgent Alerts: A time-sensitive practice demands for immediate notification bell. Because cardiac issues can often be life-threatening, it is vital to have EMR software with alerts that trigger a signal based on results and data. 
• Medical Device Integration: The field of Cardiology relies mostly on devices for patient examination and monitoring. Therefore, EMR software integrated with such devices generates results automatically to save time and effort. It allows immediate result generation. Additionally, EMR solutions also have analytical tools that take data and support diagnosis and tracking progress through data analysis. 

Top tips to consider for choosing a vendor

When selecting an EMR for Cardiology, providers should consider features deemed necessary to improve efficiency and care at your clinic or solo practice. For example, some EMRs will allow you to create and store custom, reusable notes in a database for quick retrieval during a patient encounter. Besides, many clinics benefit from administrative features, such as a calendar application or patient scheduling for clinical appointments. 

Also, keep an eye out for vendors who will also give you a free EMR demo. Keep reading our guide for an insight on useful facts to consider before purchasing:

• Size: Depending on the size of your practice, whether it is a solo or small practice having a limited number of staff, choose a vendor that either employs free EMR software or works on a low monthly fee structure. Software is always designed keeping in mind the number of users, budget constraints, scalability, and support. For small scale size, opt for cloud hosting storage; it will offer ample storage and backup with improved efficiency, security, and safety. Cloud-based systems also offer greater ease of use for less technical users and minimize the need for in-house IT staff. Some cloud-based vendors include ChartPerfect, CareCloud, CureMD, and ChartLogic, etc.  

The requirements for a medium-sized practice are stringent. Still, the EMR software also necessitates unique features such as interoperability (for smooth workflows and quality care), dedicated customer support, multi-device support, and extensive reporting functionality to keep an eye on the practice’s overall performance. 

Large practices consist of 15-20 medical providers; therefore, a scalable EMR solution is needed to accommodate users and doctors from multiple locations. 

Hospitals and Enterprise Organizations need a list of requirements to be fulfilled by EMR software. Features such as inventory management modules, interface with local labs (LIS), EMAR (electronic medication administration records), machines, and diagnostic equipment, along with drug dispensing, are of utmost importance. It should also integrate easily with other software and medical devices. 

• Design: Site computer server or cloud-based software, it should be available anywhere through the internet. Selecting a design depends solely on your comfort level and choice. Some medical practitioners prefer a computer server as it covers the HIPAA requirements, while others want database access.

• Customer Support Quality: Having an efficient and quick customer support service available all around the clock is important when your software faces a technical glitch. Most of the EMR software vendors provide customer support as part of the plan without any additional cost.  

Beware of the hidden costs that vendors try to sell.

• Certification: This goes without saying that whatever software you decide to opt for in the end should have a certification. For Cardiology, look out for the ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB). They will make sure that your vendor meets useful objectives and, most importantly, is HIPAA compliant. Security of patient data and medical records is a principal concern for clinicians, medical providers, and your patients. Top EMR Software Vendors from today like AdvancedMD EMR, PrognoCIS EMR, Modernizing Medicine, Chirotouch Kareo, etc. use data encryption technologies and other advanced tools in every section of the EMR Software to make sure they safeguard patient records.

• 24/7 Access: Verifying that your EMR is accessible on both PC and Mac is required. You never know what computer you will be accessing the software or which device your patient will be using.

• Mobility: Since smartphones rule the world and are easy to carry around, likewise, a vendor must have a mobile application service for its software solution. 

• 24/7 Access: Verifying that your EMR is accessible on both PC and Mac is required. You never know what computer you will be accessing the software or which device your patient will be using. 

• Mobility: Since smartphones rule the world and are easy to carry around, to keep up with a fast-paced world of technology, a vendor must have a mobile application service for its software solution. Having an application 24/7 on the go will make it convenient for the doctor to take notes of symptoms, patient history and electronically prescribe medication. 

Conclusion:

Choose wisely and find the best EHR service provider for your practice with our vast resources. With the right technology—make your work life easier and your healthcare dynamic. Find the suitable EMR with SoftwareFinder.