Benefits of an EMR system (The Value Proposition)

Once a medical office starts using an EMR system, paper charting is virtually eliminated. All clinical charting is done on the computer, or in the case of AcerMed’s system, on a wireless computer pen tablet, at the point of care. The following lists some of the benefits realized by medical offices that use a sophisticated EMR system, such as AcerMed’s:

Increased Revenues

  Avoid lost charges - EMR software can increase revenues by capturing charges for all services performed and avoid lost revenues. Using the traditional paper charts, many services performed in a physician’s office become lost and never get billed for.
Maximize Billings - Providers who use a sophisticated EMR system can increase revenues by maximizing billing codes that the EMR software will suggest based on the service being accurately documented, without the fear of an audit. Using paper charts, many physician down code (use a lower billing code) to be on the safe side of the law, rather than proper coding. Medical Economics magazine has estimated that physicians who routinely down-code to avoid audits, lose an average of $40,000 annually.
Increase sources of income - EMR software can allow providers to apply for enhanced sources of revenue from various payers associated with higher quality of care, such as DOQ-IT (Doctors’ Office Quality-Information Technology.)

Reduced Expenses

Lower labor cost - A typical medical office employs billing and clerical staff such as appointment schedulers, medical billers, collectors, file clerks. While labor costs are soaring, EMRs can significantly reduce the labor needed for the functions mentioned above. For example, office staff time will no longer be necessary to hunt down records or file patient charts. Data entry for billing purposes is minimized. Multi-user access will allow staff to update patient records simultaneously; saving time that would otherwise would be spent in waiting for access to patient records. Patient portal module will let patients enter much of their own demographic, insurance, social, history, and other data into the system directly, saving the office staff all that data entry.
Avoid transcription costs - Many physicians pay hefty fees for transcription of their medical charts. Electronic charting virtually eliminates transcription costs, since all medical charts are created digitally at the time of patient’s visit.
No more paper charts - Once an office successfully converts to an EMR system, all costs associated with purchasing, storing or destroying paper charts can be eliminated. Additionally, the space typically used for paper records can be utilized for additional exam rooms, or increased office space, resulting in a more profitable use of resources.

Reduced Malpractice Costs

The cost of malpractice insurance is constantly rising. Healthcare providers may be able to save on their malpractice insurance costs if they are using an EMR system. Industry sources indicate that certain insurance companies may reduce malpractice premiums as much as 10 percent for use of an EMR system, due to lower exposure to medical errors.

Reduced Medical Errors

A sophisticated EMR system can reduce medical errors in many areas including the following:

Misdiagnosis associated with improper documentation, lost medical records, etc.;
Treating outside of current clinical guidelines;
Medication conflict with allergies, other medications or medical conditions;
Illegible handwriting which can result in interpretation errors;

Improved Quality of Care

Using an EMR system, quality of care could be improved in numerous ways. Consider the following:

EMR systems can provide decision support at the point of care;
EMR systems can be used to track patient’s follow-up activity, patient’s compliance with provider’s orders, and patient’s progress;
Conditional clinical alerts can be set to notify the providers of drug interactions, allergies, latest disease management protocols, etc.;
Abnormal laboratory results can be flagged automatically, alerting providers to issues which need to be addressed immediately;
In the event of a drug recall, such as with Vioxx recently, using an EMR would allow healthcare providers to immediately contact each of their patients who is currently taking a recalled medication;
EMR systems can facilitate disease management activities by features such as “Outcomes Analysis”, which is the analysis of data collected from a group of patients;
EMR systems allow for better flow of information and enhanced communication with patients, providers and staff, all resulting in improvement in quality of care;
EMR systems improve physician’s efficiency, so that more quality time can be spent with the patient rather than on paperwork demands;

Improved Documentation and Accuracy

Test and Lab results, ECGs, and X-rays can all be entered into an EMR software, and become part of the patient’s record, reducing the risk of data entry error and omissions;
EMRs remove the problem of illegibility of patient notes and prescription since the information is stored electronically;
More comprehensive documentation can be provided to referring sources;

Better Access to Medical Information

With an EMR system in place, a clinician can have access to a patient’s file remotely from home, another office, hospital’s emergency room, etc. This improved access to a patient record can be invaluable, especially when the clinician is away from the office or when emergency access is needed;
Around the office, patient information is immediately accessible, which can save every doctor hours per week that would normally have been spent waiting for charts to be delivered;
Multiple staff can access the patient chart simultaneously, where paper charts can only be in one place at a time;
With an EMR system in place, lost or misplaced charts are a problem of the past;

Enhanced Security

The issue of HIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) compliance has become more and more important. Violations can be costly, with penalties running into the thousands of dollars. EMRs can assist with HIPAA compliance and security concerns as follows:

EMR systems can restrict access to specific portions of the medical record;
EMR systems can be programmed to have multiple levels of access for office personnel based on job function;
EMR systems can have audit trails that identify anyone who has accessed, added to or changed a medical record;
Exposure due to charts left inadvertently in accessible areas is minimized;

Increased Time Efficiency

Once clinical workflow is automated, most tasks are done in a fraction of the time previously required.
Thus, more patients are rendered better care in less time.