What are the Economics of Delay?
Early adopters of electronic medical records (EMRs) have had varying experiences from "very good" to "disastrous". These results can almost be predicted if one correlates the user's expectations and technological ability relative to the software capabilities, environment in which the software is to be deployed, and level of commitment to staff and physician training.
Newer technologies and capabilities have been developed based on the experience gained from the success and failures of these early adopters. e-MDs has developed unique, patented capabilities that will empower a new generation of physicians to finally use computers as tools, not only to improve patient care, but to enjoy the full economic impact of EMRs and the true satisfaction this brings back to the practice of medicine. This is not done without some sacrifice. It is not possible, nor desirable, to duplicate the inefficient workflow processes of a paper-based office or hospital. Physicians who understand this and make certain compromises, can have outstanding results.
How much is your time worth?
What if you could save an hour or two per day? If you currently dictate or scribble patient notes, you are wasting a non-replenishable resource -- time.
Examine your typical day.
Take a patient history, perform an examination, and then dictate or write the entire visit note (be sure not to leave out any important documentation). Try to calculate the E&M code for the visit -- does your documentation accurately reflect your level of service? Create superbills, deal with messages, answer questions from the nurses, handle pharmacy and managed care hassles. Wade through your end of day paperwork, and go home late. Repeat this day after day.
Computers excel at automating repetitive tasks.
Dictating the same details over and over, while tedious for humans, can be replicated with a few clicks on a computer. A well-designed EMR will save a few minutes of documentation time for every patient visit. The EMR places relevant patient information on one screen and organizes the entire chart for rapid review. Prescription writing becomes a matter of just a few mouse clicks. No more lost charts. Documentation meets or exceeds HCFA/CMS standards*. Security and audit trails prevent unauthorized viewing and meet the evolving HIPAA requirements, something paper records will never be able to do.
With approaching HIPAA deadlines, public awareness of patient injuries published by the IOM** and the dramatic timesavings created by our recent EMR innovations, the impetus for change has never been stronger. The economics of using an EMR in your practice or hospital are no longer in dispute.
*HHS has changed HCFA name to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS).
**The IOM (Institute of Medicine) has published that as many as 98,000 patient deaths per year are due to errors (medication and otherwise) and are largely preventable.