Radiology EMR Software Guide

Radiology EMR system is designed to serve the unique needs of radiology centers. These systems can either implement standalone RIS or an integrated RIS and picture archiving and communication system (PACS). The decision depends on users’ needs for a standalone RIS or a complete RIS/PACS.

When it comes to EMRs, there are a million choices on the market. Finding quality-care software is a daunting task. While many practices use a paper-based healthcare system, they are time-consuming and prone to errors. 

Hence, needing an EMR software system solution increases customer satisfaction on a whole new level by reducing:

• manual tasks
• hardware maintenance costs
• human errors 

Radiology EMR software solution will add value to your infrastructure by simplifying your clinical and business tasks such as patient entries, diagnosis, imaging, lab tests, accounting, billing, human resources, check insurance updates, follow-up treatments, etc.

Implementing EHR software will make your life a hundred times easier. And to get you started, this guide will help you begin your process of searching for EMR systems for your practice by providing you with information on features and tips to consider. 

Get the hang of all the ins and outs of EMR software with our detailed guide!

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Features of Radiology EMR Software:

Choosing an EMR will help you improve patient care. It makes the entire administrative, clinical, and billing process seamless. To understand the software mechanics, it is advisable to learn about its various features and functionalities. Before choosing, you should check if the software has the following prospective characteristics:

ICD-10/CPT Codes: 

Catering to a specific specialty does not require additional clutter of codes. ICD/CPT codes are designed explicitly for radiology, making billing processes accurate and fast. An EMR software solution should have built-in CPT and ICD-10 codes to assure a seamless, efficient billing process. Better evaluation and management standards ensure that healthcare payers have all the clients’ information at checkout.

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

Lab Interface & Integration: 

EMR systems should be able to integrate with medical equipment such as X-ray machines, CT scans, MRI, and other imaging devices. To enable ease of monitoring, storage, and management; patient documents should also be saved in their respective medical files. Integration with labs, pharmacies, and diagnostic devices automatically imports patients’ files and stores them in their folder. 

Templates: 

Radiology-specific EMR software has templates that save time, increases accuracy, and helps determine a treatment plan. Templates should also be customizable so providers can add and remove items as they see fit. This feature makes it easier for the practitioner to review patient history and diagnosis for future reference. Templates are also timesaving and provide seamless workflow. Radiology EHR should have templates for: 

• Nuclear Radiology
• Interventional radiology
• Cardiovascular radiology
• Radiation oncology
• Chest radiology
• Breast imaging
• Gastrointestinal radiology

HL7 Interface:

HL7 feature allows integration with the following systems ensuring seamless data transfer between order entry, results delivery, patient clinical information etc.:

• Picture archiving and communication systems (PACS).
• Electronic medical records systems (EMRs).
• Hospital information systems (HIS).

Dictation Support:

Voice recognition support can allow physicians to use a microphone for commands, dictating notes & patient reports.

Volumetric Image Visualization:

Radiology EHR software should be compatible to render a lot of 2-D imaging results into 3-D for a comprehensive viewing. 

e-Prescription & Tracking:

Radiology EMRs must have dosage calculators and drug interaction alert systems for patient drug history, allergies. To ensure that patients are being treated safely it should also set reminders for prescription refills.  

Referral Tracking: 

Through a strong interface with other practices, Radiology practices can share imaging and diagnostic reports, and track patient referrals through secure messaging.

Radiology Dashboard: 

Top EMR software features a real-time dashboard that will help practitioners to view patient charts, profiles, track trends, increase profitability, billing processes, scheduling, etc., all in one place. During bill creation, the tool will auto-fill an account with services from charts, or it will let you view the bill and chart alongside. 

Report on a variety of business operations, including exam requests, administrative workflows, and clinician productivity. Track trends and increase profitability through analyzing department metrics such as patient type, modality mix, report turnaround time and more.

Top Benefits of a Radiology EHR Software

Workflow Management: 

Working in any specialty-specific practice comes with dealing with heaps of data. Hence you should make sure your radiology EHR facilitates care and support rather than interfering in direct patient interaction. 

EMR software workflow will give you the comfort of electronic patient charting, diagnosis and surgery, mapping, interpretation, and managing/maintaining the documentation to how you, as a practitioner, practice medicine. 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). This helps doctors better understand patients’ conditions and help them make the right decisions at the right times.

Billing Assistance:

Since many medical practitioners hesitate to accept insurance and Medicaid payments, some vendors have started facilitating billing operations and documentations. Some also partner with third-party billing services. This changes the whole ordeal and simplifies the process and tracking system even more for small to midsize practices. 

Have a quick read on our article about the top medical billing companies.

Health Information Exchange: 

EMRs with HIE connectivity allow doctors and hospitals to stay connected across the US. 

User Interface: 

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. 

Patient Portal: 

The electronic medical record has patient-user workflows and patient engagement (recent doctor visits, lab results, educational materials, 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. 

User-Friendly Interface: 

This feature provides quick access to commands and standard features. It is the most critical factor in facilitating interactions between the customer and doctor through its easy-to-use navigation and customization. 

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

E&M Coding: 

Coding integrated with the EMR presents better evaluation and management standards, ensuring that healthcare payers have all the clients’ information to payout.

Tips for choosing an EMR vendor

When selecting a radiology EMR, 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:

It is important that buyers assess what type of buyer they are before evaluating vendors. Just about all buyers can fall into one of the following three categories:

System Architecture: 

Site computer servers or cloud-based software 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 essential when your software faces a technical glitch. Most of the EHR software vendors provide customer support as part of the plan without any additional cost.  

Beware of the hidden costs that vendors try to sell.

Cloud-based EMR software:

Cloud-based EMR systems offer to maintain and managing patient health files in the cloud (off-site) than on internal servers located at a medical facility or practice. Due to its multiple advantages, Cloud EMR has grown increasingly popular. It can support various devices and can be accessed anywhere, anytime with internet access. Some cloud-based vendors include ChartPerfect, CareCloud, CureMD, and ChartLogic, etc.  

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. 

Small radiology centers:

Buyers working at small radiology center have less than 10 providers. 

Enterprise radiology centers:

Buyers working in enterprise radiology centers have more than 10 physicians on staff.

Hospitals:

Buyers working in radiology departments within hospitals have to manage a large amount of radiological information and images from several locations and users. 

Radiology EMR industry is complex and fragmented. Buyers mentioned above should evaluate systems under the following requirements. 

1. Small radiology centers: RISynergy, Medics RIS/PACS, Sage Intergy
2. Enterprise radiology centers: GE, Medics RIS/PACS
3. Hospitals: GE, Siemens, Philips

Certification: 

This goes without saying that whatever software you decide to opt for in the end should have a certification. For any specialty-specific software, look out for the ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB). They will make sure that your vendor meets applicable 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.

Integration requirements:

If purchasing a standalone RIS system, ensure the system integrates with existing PAC and EHR software. Also, assess the timeline until existing PAC and EHR systems need replacing. If additional purchases will be required soon, consider investing in a single, integrated platform.

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. 

Support for existing workflows:

Evaluate whether RIS solutions support existing workflows or if they will need to be implemented by a third-party vendor. Common workflows include order entry, scheduling, worklist management, examination documentation and interpretation, report generation, results distribution, and billing.

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