Specialty EHR is the backbone of any specialist’s practice. It creates workflows, tailored specifically to the needs of a specialist. Providing customized templates, reducing data entry, documentation, and allowing physicians to spend more time treating and caring for patients.
Studies have even shown that administrative costs are nearly 25% of all hospital spending in the US. With specialty EHR software, there are considerable savings on time and money within each department.
Connecting Specialty EHR & Specialists
Electronic health record (EHR’s)are the lifeblood of any medical practice They provide a comprehensive, holistic approach to patient care and management. A fully integrated EHR includes medical billing, practice management, and integrates with pharmacy, labs, radiology. It enhances ease, speed, accuracy, and transparency of workflow and documentation. There is an excessive burden on providers when there is the duplication of work in the absence of an EHR – leading to a decrease in productivity and patient care.
There are specialists in a particular field, for example – Cardiology. Within Cardiology, some doctors could be a cardiac surgeon, some might specialize in congenital heart defects, while others specialize in coronary artery disease. EHR software vendors have often struggled to mirror the granular level of specificity within one Specialty, in their systems. This usually results in EHRs that fall short of including specialty-specific modules.
A practice that specializes in gynecology, for example, will need to be able to effectively schedule bills for smears, but not prostate exams. Specialty-specific templates should calculate due dates, have ultrasound analysis capabilities, and track contraception history. Having a system that is fully adaptable to the needs of physicians and their patients is key to saving time, money and providing better patient outcomes.
Specialty-specific workflows enhance productivity, so finding an EHR vendor who accommodates every aspect of your practice is the key to success. Other greater benefits of having specialty-specific software for your practice are as follows.
Streamlines Workflows And Processes
The Healthcare environment is fast-paced and dynamic. A specialty software system can add efficiencies and streamline processes, whether it is the end to end documentation of patient notes or quick generation of the progress note. All these workflows have a direct impact on the clinic’s ability to achieve quality patient outcomes. Specialty-specific EHR’s also offers a standardized system for maintaining peak performance. Errors and redundancies are minimized, this helps staff operate smoothly and reduce patient wait time.
Improved Practice Organization
Practices are able to focus on better quality care rather than cumbersome administrative tasks when they have the right specialty specific software. Automating processes such as scheduling, billing due dates and patient tracking creates value addition and makes a great difference to the financial and administrative aspects of the practice.
Improved Billing Processes
Revenue Cycle Management streamlines payment processes which help to facilitate faster reimbursement. One of the workflows that help to achieve this is the verification of insurance eligibility early in the process. This insurance eligibility check simplifies appointment scheduling and prevents loss of revenues for practice through denied claims.
Medical billing features of the software help billers to work diligently with the patient’s financial records and reports and fill in gaps to minimise errors in claim submission. This speeds up the reimbursement process and minimises denied claims which could lead to costly delays.
Documentation With Fewer Errors
Enhanced documentation is a key benefit of EHR software, as the technology provides a standardised system that effectively reduces errors compared to hand-written provider notes. Various functionalities like the end to end documentation of patient notes, generation of medication history when transferring from one EHR to the other helps in simplifying and reducing the tedious and time-consuming documentation process.
Focus On Quality Care
Specialty software systems allow providers to focus on the patient by streamlining and automating processes and administrative tasks. Procedure templates specifically designed to focus on easing the workflow of the specialists. The more time and energy devoted to the patient and the less time spent on scheduling, documentation, and other considerations, the better for everybody.
Hassle-Free Scheduling
Intuitive scheduling and calendar tools allow staff to input appointments and make calendar adjustments without double-booking or scheduling during a time slot when a given provider is unavailable. Many systems also include alerts that will notify when a balance is due or allow medical personnel to quickly address potential patient issues.
Fewer Errors and More Accuracy
Patient records can quickly and easily be updated, such as contact information and point of reminder emails. More accuracy is achieved with features like dictate and transcribe, text reminders for appointments and copy function features for follow-ups appointments especially for chronic care and workers compensation.
Versatile Technology That Is More Scalable
EHR software can now manage a range of challenges and functions. The technology is scalable hence these systems can be implemented into practices of just about any size, whether a small, medium or large practice. The technology is scalable, as its storage and processing capabilities are not limited like a traditional storage room.
Better Patient/Provider Satisfaction
Specialty-specific software is satisfying for both the patient and the provider. Specialized and specialty focussed workflows and automated features help providers work more efficiently. This improves the overall care and timely treatment provide to the patient. For patients, the ability for a physician to access their records in an instant and make informed decisions with the benefit of having their medical history right in front of them is a key benefit. Providers can be sure that the focus on quality care enabled by this software is appreciated by patients.
The US healthcare system is continuously evolving, and practices of all sizes are transitioning to value-based care models. Specialty software systems play an important role in streamlining and coordinating effective care. Implementing new technology and training staff can be daunting and overwhelming, but the benefits far outweigh the challenges in the long run.
Practices can benefit from specialty-specific software through added efficiencies and quality patient outcomes. To further explore medical specialty Software, Contact Us today.
