Is Your Practice Reluctant To Adopt Emr Software?

Although government incentives encourage medical providers to adopt certified EMR software

, many offices resist the change. Some doctors are concerned meaningful use guidelines may be burdensome to the practice, but are those concerns valid?

Slow Adoption of Certified EMR

Surveys show the majority of medical practices that don't yet use electronic medical records plan to adopt some kind of EMR software within the next two years. This trend has been driven in part due to new federal programs that provide financial incentives to medical providers to incorporate electronic medical records into their practice management.

However intent is not the same thing as action. Certified EMR vendors have seen increases in sales, but not the stampede one might expect from the surveys. When pressed, some doctors still express reservations ranging from workflow disruption to privacy issues to the ability to satisfy meaningful use criteria. They are worried the time and money invested will be for nothing, and yet current users of electronic medical records report the advantages greatly outweigh the few problems they might encounter.

Create A Better Practice

A survey by the online physician network, Sermo, revealed that 80% of their users are happy with their electronic medical records solutions and believe these systems improve patient care. Other studies show these applications improve office efficiency, and practice management software with e-prescription capabilities protects patient safety by reducing medication errors. Although there is a learning curve while the office adopts the new system, with proper planning the disruption is short and the practice benefits from the new software quickly.

Although practice management software can be expensive, three quarters of Sermo members surveyed felt the cost was justified when compared to the benefits to the patients and the practice. If this is true at a time when government incentives have not yet kicked in, the value of certified EMR will be even greater when providers can get partially reimbursed for their costs.

The Problem Of Meaningful Use

Ironically the federal incentives meant to motivate adoption of electronic medical records are also one of the most quoted obstacles because of one phrase: meaningful use.

To qualify for ARRA incentives, providers must not just install an electronic medical records application but must also demonstrate meaningful use. That term was undefined in the first draft of ARRA guidelines but has since been clarified to include specific goals such as availability of medical records, use of e-prescriptions and the ability to generate lists of patients with specific conditions.

Some critics have stated the current guidelines are too strict but it is hard to judge since the program is so new. However without at least trying to adopt certified EMR and meet meaningful use guidelines, practices are denying themselves tens of thousands of dollars in direct financial compensation.

One thing is true: electronic medical records are coming to the healthcare community. Practices who don't adopt EMR software early are in danger of being left behind.

by: Christine Harrell

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