Running a small medical practice can be daunting. From financing to billing to human resources, many physicians who have previously worked for larger organizations may find it initially overwhelming to handle the daily intricacies that come with overseeing a business.
Recent trends in the past decade, such as the sweeping impacts of the Affordable Care Act, also seem to favor larger medical organizations. This has led to an overall decline in small and solo practices. In 2008, the Physicians Foundation— a group that surveys of America’s doctors—reported 62% of physicians were independent. Less than a decade later, in 2014, that number plummeted to 35%.
Whether it’s specialists or family care facilities, small practices are still an extremely valuable component of the American healthcare system. They can no longer afford to fall behind today’s larger medical providers, and investing in a quality EHR is one of the best ways to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Like so many things, however, it’s all about the choices practices make with EHRs and practice management software implementation that can make all the difference. Since cost is one of the biggest factors for small practices, they should consider cloud-based EHR platforms over legacy systems. Not only are cloud EHRs more affordable, but 70% of small and solo physician practices express confidence in them, as opposed to server-based systems, according to Black Book Rankings research.
One the of big reasons cloud-based EHR for small practices have such a cost-effective advantage over legacy software can be found in the total cost of ownership. Cloud-based systems are more agile and easy-to-use from an operational standpoint. A common signifier of a solid cloud-based EHR, for instance, is zero setup fees.
Investing in a cloud EHR also means you won’t be needing to purchase any additional services to run the system, for instance, or pay an IT technician for regular maintenance. And you shouldn’t have to fork over additional funds for the latest updates, as cloud-based systems typically offer free upgrades.
Staff training is also a common cost with legacy EHR for small practices. Many times server-based, legacy EHR platforms are so complex, it can take multiple days of expert training to bring team members up-to-speed on the systems. Solid, cloud-based EHR systems for small practices usually provide free support and ancillary training, and are so easy to operate that it doesn’t take much effort to master.
Then there’s the changing landscape of healthcare to consider when researching EMR for small practices. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), for example, has been drastically altering the way physicians are compensated by Medicare. MACRA can be a real headache, especially for those still relying on paper-based billing processes. Getting a MACRA-ready EHR system will remove a lot of the pain points from the process by simplifying billing and coding.
On top of these benefits, an EHR with a patient portal can significantly boost the overall efficiency of your practice. With a patient portal, you’ll be able to move to a process where you’re all but eliminating paper billing. That’s because patients will be able to receive bills and settle payments through the online portal.
Patient portals can also reduce resource strains so common to small medical practices. Since patient portals allow for appointment scheduling, confirmation, and cancellation, it’ll reduce the amount of time your administrative staff spends making and receiving phone calls. Not only that, but everything from lab results to prescription refills can be handled via the patient portal. These changes can result in stronger, more attentive customer service for each patient.
There are lots of other ways to improve patient care with a small practice EMR. If the software has a patient portal, for example, doctors will be able to message patients directly about any updates or concerns, and via a method that’s compliant with Meaningful Use standards. A cloud-based EHR with iPad-native technology, in particular, will also give physicians greater mobility with information, from charting at the point of care to accessing patient history even when they’re out of the office.
There are lots of other helpful features, such as customization for specialists, and byproducts that small practices will receive with an EHR and practice management software. Knowing what to look for when you’re doing initial research on EHRs can make all the difference in a successful transition. It’s also important to note that implementation of EMR for small practices isn’t something that should be rushed. The early diligences you invest in selecting a quality EHR, and gradually migrating to its everyday use, will more than pay off over time.
Author Bio:
Christina Scannapiego has been a technical, health and lifestyle writer for more than 10 years. Christina currently writes the technical documentation and educational content for HealthFusion MediTouch, an EHR software platform. HealthFusion and its MediToch cloud software suite is a subsidiary of Quality Systems/next Gen. MediTouch is comprised of a range of web-based software solutions for physicians, medical practices and billing services.
