Changing EHRs: Is It Worth It?

by Applied Medical Systems

Is your EHR difficult to use? Is it slow? Is it time consuming? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it may be time to consider switching EHR companies. Specifically if you adopted an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system back when they were a relatively new technology, you may be missing out on new features. Today, there are many different EHR systems available that boast a slew of useful and easy to use features and integrate with tools you use on a daily basis, such as labs and billing and coding services.

Is Your Current EHR Up To Par?

Before making the decision to switch EHR companies, consider the following:
  • Is your EHR expensive to maintain?
  • Does your EHR meet your expectations?
  • Does your EHR include the features you want and need?
  • Does your EHR perform the functions you would like?
  • Is your EHR designed for your speciality or healthcare setting?
  • Is your EHR difficult to use for either you or your staff?
  • Does your EHR integrate with other services such as labs, billing, pharmacies, and patient portals?
From answering these questions, if you have determined it is time to make a switch to a new EHR system, the next step is doing your homework. There are many different EHR providers and you want to make sure you chose the right product for your practice.

What to Look for in an EHR System

Things you should look for in an EHR system include:
  • Revenue Cycle Management (RCM)
  • Meaningful Use Certified
  • ICD-10/11 Compliant
  • Cloud-based
  • Patient Portal
  • e-Prescribing (eRx)
  • Electronic Prior-authorization (EPA)
  • Features relevant to your speciality or practice

Is It Worth The Switch?

Now that you have identified the need for a new EHR system, and outlined the features you would like to see, you need to determine if switching is worth the cost. In order to determine this you must weigh the benefits vs. the costs. Points to consider include:
  • Cost of implementing the new system, including system downtime and interruption of business
  • Training time associated with learning the new system
  • If the benefits and features of the new EHR system are worth the price

AMS Is Here To Help

If you are ready to make a switch to a new EHR system, Applied Medical Systems (AMS) can help answer questions and provide recommendations. AMS has worked with the healthcare industry for over 30 years and consider themselves an expert resource when it comes to technology and EHR implementation. Additionally, when you chose to outsource your billing and coding to AMS, integration with your EHR system is a must. AMS works with a variety of EHR vendors, including working directly within your EHR system, and will do whatever it takes to provide fluid EHR integration. Interfaces can range from simple solutions that outputs patient demographics to complete bi-directional integrations that keep all billing data in sync between the two systems. No solution is too big, or too small, for us to make happen. At AMS, our goal is to make your billing, health records and coding information one fluid management system. Whether you are a physician at a smaller private practice or on the management team of a hospital system, we want to be there to help provide you with EHR integration that will suit your needs. At AMS, we realize that each medical team and provider has different specifications and requirements when dealing with EHR integration. That is why AMS provides the ability to integrate with many different EHR systems and medical technology.

Learn More

If you are ready to say goodbye to your old EHR system, speak to an expert at AMS today. AMS offers medical billing, coding, and the practice management solutions that you have been waiting for. Learn more or request a free quote.
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