EHRs aren’t supposed to be like contact lenses — used for a while and then replaced. But unfortunately, according to a 2012 KLAS survey, 50% of practices are looking to replace their current EHR.
Obviously, this can be problematic, as no physician wants to deal with the costs and adjustment period associated with EHR adoption more than once. That’s why practices should look for an EHR with the following elements to keep them satisfied and off the market for a replacement.
Intuitive Design
According to a 2012 American College of Physicians survey, 37% of physicians are dissatisfied with their EHR system’s usability. This lack of user-friendliness is usually caused by flawed design.
A well-designed EHR will be accessible on all popular Internet browsers, especially Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. It should also keep all of the applications you use on one screen. Having to constantly click back and forth between screens complicates the charting process and wastes valuable time.
Customization
Rapid charting is a necessity for getting patients through the office quickly. A prospective EHR should come with customizable templates that allow you to chart the way that’s fastest for you.
Your EHR should also allow you to create order sets as you treat patients, which can then be used later when seeing patients with similar diagnoses. Because you don’t have to input new information for each patient, clinical encounters become faster.
Workflow Overviews
Patients want to be seen at their scheduled appointment time, not sit in the waiting room for half an hour or longer. EHRs with a patient workflow overview show you where each patient is in the patient flow process so resources can be allocated efficiently, thus speeding up clinical encounters.
Connection
An efficient EHR improves the speed and quality of care delivered with features like ePrescribing. A simple click of the mouse sends your patients’ prescription orders to connected pharmacies. It reduces wait time, while also allowing you to confirm patient prescriptions are being filled.
Although it’d be great if all EHRs had the aforementioned attributes, it’s just not the case. Make sure to conduct thorough research prior to purchasing a new EHR to avoid software that will leave you wanting more.
If you’d like to find out why our web-based EHR system is the way to go, please contact us at 1-877-342-7517 or hello@carecloud.com.
Do you know what you need when setting up a new medical practice?