eClinicalWorks is a leading provider of healthcare IT systems which offers practice management solutions to a wide range of healthcare providers. Its comprehensive features, including telehealth capabilities, revenue cycle management, and other advanced functionalities, make it a one-stop-shop for modern healthcare practices.
The launch of eClinicalWorks version 12 marks a significant advancement in electronic medical records (EMR) systems. This latest version introduces numerous new features and improvements specifically designed to optimize clinical efficiency and elevate the standard of patient care. eClinicalWorks v12 addresses the evolving needs of the healthcare industry with advanced AI-powered tools, telehealth integration, improved interoperability, and an upgraded patient portal.
Key Takeaways
This eClinicalWorks cheat sheet will help you quickly understand the major enhancements in v12:
- The floating toolbar enhances workflow efficiency with quick access to functions like HPI, labs, and documents
- PRISMA integrates data across multiple sources with improved search capabilities to compile comprehensive patient health records
- The Healow platform provides patients with convenient features including remote check-ins, online bill payments, and personalized health tracking
- The Pre-Visit Planning Module helps practices prepare for visits by reviewing health histories and care plans
- Advanced RCM Technology automates billing processes and offers comprehensive RCM services, covering everything from registration to payment
- @Mentions feature improves team communication by allowing providers to tag their peers in patient notes
- Smart Macros/Keywords optimizes clinical documentation with customizable templates and keywords
- Progress Note Jelly Bean simplifies note creation with an intuitive interface and customizable templates
- Value-Based Care equips healthcare providers with tools to excel in modern healthcare models
- Upgrading to v12 offers a more intuitive interface, improved performance, and advanced clinical tools for enhanced patient care
The Floating Toolbar
The newly introduced floating toolbar in eClinicalWorks v12 enhances user productivity by providing rapid access to essential patient information and documents. This feature allows users to navigate the charting system efficiently without switching windows.
- HPI: The floating toolbar provides quick access to the history of present illness (HPI) to review and update patient symptoms and clinical history
- Labs: Users can access lab results directly through the floating toolbar for reviewing diagnostic tests and making decisions timely
- Documents: Clinicians can view, upload, and manage important files by having direct access to patient documents
- PRISMA: PRISMA is the health information search engine within eClinicalWorks that can be accessed via the floating toolbar. This integration allows users to quickly search for and retrieve patient health information across different systems
- Treatment Timeline: It visually represents a patient’s treatment history, allowing for an easy review of past treatments and interventions
- Eva: Eva, the virtual assistant within eClinicalWorks, is accessible via the floating toolbar. It assists with retrieving patient information, scheduling, and various administrative tasks
- RX: Prescription management gets simplified with the RX feature. Clinicians can quickly write, renew, and review prescriptions for accurate medication management
- Schedule: The toolbar also includes a scheduling module, enabling users to view and manage their appointments for maintaining an organized schedule
PRISMA Enhancements
eClinicalWorks v12 introduces significant advancements to PRISMA by providing clinicians with a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of their patients’ medical histories. Healthcare providers can now locate, review, and evaluate patient health records from various sources more efficiently with the improved interface and real-time updates.
PRISMA in eCW v12 uses AI and machine learning to deliver advanced decision-making tools. These tools analyze patient data to offer personalized insights and recommendations, helping providers anticipate health issues and take preventive actions.
By utilizing PRISMA, healthcare providers can make informed decisions based on a broad and detailed overview of patient data. This functionality supports value-based care by focusing on improving patient outcomes and reducing costs.
The Healow Features
eClinicalWorks Health and Online Wellness (Healow), is an innovative platform that offers a range of patient engagement tools designed to improve communication and administrative tasks. Healow bridges the gap between healthcare providers and patients by making healthcare more accessible, efficient, and patient-centered. Let us discuss some key features of Healow:
Healow Sign For Patient Signatures
Healow Sign allows patients to electronically sign documents from anywhere. This tool eliminates the need for in-person signatures, which saves time for both patients and healthcare providers. Whether it's consent forms, privacy notices, or other private documents, Healow Sign ensures that everything is managed securely.
Healow Apps
The Healow app allows patients to manage their health information, schedule appointments, receive reminders, and communicate with their care team directly from their smartphones. Specialized versions such as Healow Mom and Healow Kids are designed to cater to expectant mothers and growing families, offering tailored features that support their unique healthcare journeys.
Healow CHECK-IN
Patients can complete their check-in procedures through Healow CHECK-IN before arriving at the clinic. They can update their personal information, fill out necessary forms, and verify insurance details online. This reduces wait times, enhances front-office efficiency, and ensures a seamless experience for both patients and staff.
Healow Pay
Healow Pay is an integrated payment solution that enables patients to pay their medical bills online. This feature offers a secure and convenient way for patients to manage their payments, view their billing statements, and set up payment plans. By providing an easy-to-use payment platform, Healow Pay helps practices reduce outstanding balances and improve revenue cycle management.
Healow Survey
The feature of Healow Survey helps in collecting patient feedback through customizable surveys. Healthcare providers can use this feature to create questionnaires in more than 10 languages, which helps them monitor the quality of care, and identify areas for improvement.
Healow Telehealth Solutions
Patients can schedule and attend telehealth appointments, access medical records, and communicate with their healthcare providers using this user-friendly solution. This feature supports a wide range of telehealth services, including video consultations, remote monitoring, and virtual check-ins.
Pre-Visit Planning Module
The Pre-Visit Planning Module in eClinicalWorks 12 is designed to enhance patient visit efficiency by ensuring both healthcare providers and patients are well-prepared before the appointment. This module enables providers to review past medical history, current medications, lab results, and recent diagnostic tests in advance.
Healthcare providers can create customized checklists that include specific questions to ask, tests to order, and preventive care measures to discuss. Patients can also contribute to their pre-visit planning by filling out pre-visit questionnaires, updating their medical history, and listing any new symptoms or concerns.
By optimizing the preparation process, the Pre-Visit Planning Module saves valuable time, allowing providers to focus more on addressing patients' concerns rather than gathering information during the visit. This results in shorter wait times and more meaningful interactions for patients with their healthcare providers.
Revenue Cycle Management
eCW version 12 provides advanced solutions to optimize the entire revenue cycle management (RCM) process, including patient registration and payment collection. This approach ensures that practices can achieve financial stability while maintaining a strong focus on delivering high-quality patient care
Revenue Cycle Management Technology
eClinicalWorks v12 incorporates sophisticated automation tools in RCM technology that facilitates automated eligibility verification, claim submission, and payment posting. Automation accelerates the billing process and ensures timely reimbursements.
Additionally, the RCM technology in eClinicalWorks offers real-time analytics and detailed reporting features, which provides insights into key financial metrics such as claim status, denial rates, and revenue trends. Patient payment portals within eClinicalWorks enable patients to view their bills and make payments online.
Revenue Cycle Management Services
eClinicalWorks offers experienced consultants who help practices assess their current processes and find ways to improve, ensuring financial growth. RCM services also handle the entire lifecycle of medical claims, including claim creation, submission, follow-up, and resolution.
It provides specialized services to manage patient statements, payment plans, and collections to enhance patient satisfaction by offering transparent billing information. Denial management services focus on identifying and addressing the root causes of claim denials.
Moreover, support services ensure practices adhere to the latest regulatory standards. These services include regular updates, training, and audits to maintain compliance.
@Mentions
The @Mentions feature in eCW 12 is designed to enhance communication and collaboration within healthcare teams. Clinicians can directly address colleagues by typing the "@" symbol followed by the team member’s name. By tagging specific individuals, providers can efficiently draw attention to notes, lab results, or any other pertinent information within a patient’s record.
@Mentions support effective collaboration by enabling multidisciplinary teams to engage in interactive discussions about patient care. This feature also enhances accountability within the team, as providers can easily review the history of communications and actions taken.
One of the significant advantages of @Mentions is the ability to provide real-time updates. When a provider tags a colleague, the tagged individual receives an instant notification, allowing for prompt responses and timely interventions.
Smart Macros/Keywords
eClinicalWorks v12 introduces Smart Macros/Keywords to optimize the clinical documentation process by improving both speed and accuracy. This feature allows providers to create predefined templates for routine check-ups, chronic disease management, or follow-up visits. By using these macros, providers can quickly populate notes with relevant information.
eClinicalWorks v12 offers flexibility in customizing Smart Macros/Keywords to suit the unique workflows of different specialties. Clinicians can tailor macros to include specific phrases, clinical guidelines, and treatment protocols relevant to their practice. This functionality enables the insertion of large amounts of standardized text with just a few keystrokes by selecting from an extensive library of pre-installed words and phrases.
eClinicalWorks continually updates its Smart Macros/Keywords to incorporate new medical insights, guidelines, and user feedback. Providers benefit from these tips and tricks in eClinicalWorks 2023 by maintaining documentation practices that are current and aligned with the latest healthcare standards.
Progress Note Jelly Bean
The progress note jelly bean feature integrates advanced functionality with a user-friendly design to facilitate the creation and management of patient notes. In the bottom left corner of the progress page, numeric values indicate the available data. Providers can easily incorporate lab results, imaging reports, and other relevant patient data into the progress notes through the jelly beans.
The interface of the progress note jelly bean is designed to streamline the documentation process. Its intuitive layout includes easily accessible fields and drop-down menus that simplify data entry.
Excel In Value-Based Care
Bridge Gaps In Quality
eClinicalWorks v12 supports healthcare providers to deliver high-quality care while optimizing costs. This value-based care model includes comprehensive quality reporting tools that help providers identify and bridge gaps in care delivery. The system offers real-time dashboards and reports that track key performance indicators, patient outcomes, and adherence to clinical guidelines.
Bridge Gaps in Coding
In eClinicalWorks v12, the hierarchical coding categories (HCC) module analyzes historical data and identifies areas where coding may be incomplete or inaccurate. Furthermore, the module displays risk adjustment factor (RAF) scores, which are essential for predicting patient costs and managing risk in value-based care models.
Bridge Gaps In Care
The system offers HEDIS performance measures and point-of-care tools that enable healthcare providers to identify and manage high-risk patients and measure compliance with treatment plans. Additionally, the Disease Explorer feature helps in prioritizing patient care by grouping them into cohorts.
CMS Programs
eClinicalWorks has introduced specialized modules to the needs of chronically ill and vulnerable patients. These modules provide comprehensive tools for Principal Care Management, Chronic Care Management, Transition Care Management, and Care Plan Oversight. By utilizing these modules, healthcare providers can effectively manage care for high-risk patient populations.
Advanced Primary Care Programs
The eClinicalWorks Primary Care First Module supports advanced primary care initiatives by monitoring various program activities. This module helps healthcare providers keep track of wellness visits, manage chronic conditions, and address Social Determinants of Health, among other critical aspects of patient care.
Cost And Utilization Explorer
The Cost & Utilization Explorer is a powerful tool in eClinicalWorks that provides access to Medicare claims data. This tool supports CMS's Data at the Point of Care initiative by allowing providers to view patients' visits, vaccination status, and procedures. Additionally, administrators and quality analysts can analyze patterns in ER visits and determine overall costs.
Upgrading From V11 To V12
eClinicalWorks v12 introduces numerous enhancements and new features to improve overall user experience and patient care. The new version features a more intuitive and user-friendly interface compared to v11. Additionally, it performs faster and offers greater system stability. The update also introduces new clinical tools, such as the Progress Note Jelly Bean and Smart Macros/Keywords, to enhance communication and documentation.
Before upgrading, it is advisable to conduct a thorough assessment of your current system and workflow. The actual upgrade process involves installing the new version, migrating data, and configuring the system according to your practice’s specific needs.
Conclusion
eClinicalWorks v12 represents a significant advancement over its predecessor, v11, by introducing new features and improvements to improve patient care. The introduction of advanced clinical tools and (RCM) ensures that healthcare providers can deliver high-quality care while optimizing financial performance. Additionally, the upgraded Healow features empower patients with greater access to their health information.
Version 12 stands out as a versatile solution that equips providers with the necessary tools to excel in delivering patient-centered care. It is a strategic move to transition from v11 to v12, where healthcare practices can stay ahead in an increasingly competitive environment.
