What Are the Key Differentiators Between an EHR and Practice Management Software?

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What Are the Key Differentiators Between an EHR
and Practice Management Software? Once upon a
time, medical practices had cabinets or shelves
full of file folders. Inside the folders were
records that contained information about their
patients health, contacts, insurance coverage,
and other aspects of their lives. Today, some
health care practices still use paper records to
conduct their business. Some use software, and
others use a combination of paper and electronic
records. Since many practices are using or may
use technology to help them keep records and
manage their practices, its useful to explore
what electronic health records (EHRs) and
practice management software are, what they do,
and how practices can combine them. What is EHR
software? As its name indicates, electronic
health records (EHRs) relate to electronic
versions of patients health records. At its
most basic level, an EHR is like a patients
chart. It includes information about a persons
medical histories, diagnoses, treatments,
vaccinations, medications, test results, and
other pertinent facts. Because they include
detailed patient information, EHR systems make
work more convenient for health care
practices. Staff members could transfer the same
information to different forms, preventing the
need to enter the same data in multiple
places. Instead of digging through thick paper
charts to determine if a patient has undergone a
particular test or procedure, a staff member can
use digital search functions. These records
could prevent patients from undergoing duplicate
or unnecessary procedures or receiving new
prescriptions that could have adverse reactions
with medications theyre already using. By using
current EHRs, patients and practices have access
to up-to-date information that enhances their
medical care safely and efficiently.
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• Combined with other options, EHR management
  software does much more than chronicle a
  patients health history. It could be used to
  perform many office-related tasks.
• To perform these tasks more simply, many systems
  combine EHR and practice management software.
• What is a practice management system in health
  care?
• Running a medical practice typically requires the
  work of multiple people performing several tasks
  and handling large amounts of sensitive, often
  complicated information.
• Practice management software systems help
  coordinate and streamline these tasks.
• What does practice management software do?
• There isnt a single type of practice management
  software or a single way to use such software
  systems. Different manufacturers offer different
  features, and medical practices might incorporate
  some options, refuse others, and modify still
  others.
• But many systems offer features that help eye
  care offices
• Schedule appointments and send appointment
  reminders.
• Store patient demographic information.
• Establish portals that allow patients to access
  their records, receive information, and perform
  other tasks.

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• Her eye doctors office also uses practice
  management software that coordinates with her
  EHRs. The office uses this management software to
• Schedule appointments where they check on Lindas
  glaucoma.
• Issue reminders for these appointments via text
  message,
• phone, or Lindas preferred form of contact.
• Track when doctors have prescribed her
  medications and the dosage of these drugs.
• Send Linda information about glaucoma and other
  topics.
• Bill insurance providers for her office visits.
• Collect any copays or additional fees Linda is
  responsible for paying.
• Using the well-organized and accessible
  information in her EHR, Lindas eye care practice
  can assist her with several aspects of her eye
  care with accuracy and without duplication.
• How can health care practices find EHR and
  practice management systems?
• A quick internet search produces several
  manufacturers that offer systems that integrate
  EHRs and practice management systems. But
  practices could also do a little research to
  determine which systems could work for them.
• For one, they could ask their colleagues who work
  in the same field. Practitioners could ask if
  their professional organizations recommend
  systems that integrate EHRs and practice
  management, give tips about installing them, or
  offer other advice.
• Health care practices, in fact, could narrow
  their search by profession. Some EHR and practice
  management systems work with specific fields,
  such as eye care or mental health. Practices
  might find it easier to implement and ultimately
  use such systems if theyre tailored to address
  the needs of their medical specialties.

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Even practices that have used EHRs and practice
management systems before might find it
challenging to use new systems or transfer
information from their old systems into their new
ones. It could be even more challenging if their
systems involve modifying software or using
different platforms to conduct different
functions that could include keeping patients
records, communicating with patients, billing
patients and insurance companies, and performing
other tasks. To overcome these challenges,
health care practices can designate one staff
member as a superuser. This is a person who is
well-versed in the offices EHR and practice
management system, knows how it works, and could
help others navigate it as well. A superuser has
received advanced training on the offices
software system and could use and even modify it
to meet the practices needs. When medical
practitioners and staff members have questions
about their systems, they could turn to the
superusers for help instead of asking
manufacturers who might have little knowledge of
how their products operate in specific office
situations. Such quick answers could save health
care practices time and aggravation. Although
its rewarding, health care is also a difficult,
ever-changing field. EHRs and practice management
software could make work easier, but they carry
challenges of their own. Contact us if youd
like some assistance. We could help you make
practice management software and EHRs work for
you, not against you.