Selecting the Right EHR for Your Mental Health Practice
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Selecting the Right EHR for Your Mental Health Practice TheThe purchasepurchase and implementation ofof anan electronicelectronic healthhealth record record system system (EHR)(EHR) isis no small feat—especially forfor independentsmall practices, practices, who frequently that frequently have have limited resources, staff, and capital to invest. limited resources, staff, and capital to invest. According to a recent study conducted by AmericanEHR, nearly 40 percent of providers would not recommend their EHR solution According to a recent study conducted by AmericanEHR, nearly 40 to another provider; only slightly fewer said they would not percent of physicians would not recommend their EHR solution to purchase the same software again. another provider; only slightly fewer said they would not purchase the “Digital“Digital technologies technologies that that enable enable same software again. real-timereal-time claims claims management management and Conversely, in a study conducted this year by an EHR vendor, payment,and payment, automate automate dictation and the approximately 60 percent of providers who are satisfied see Conversely, in a study conducted this year by an EHR vendor, the coding,dictation and and improve coding, physicians’ and improvements to care and workflow. What makes the difference? approximately 60 percent of physicians who are satisfied see communicationimprove physicians’ with each other Those providers who get the most out of their EHRs carefully improvements to care and workflow. What makes the difference? Those communication with each other considered the products, the vendors, the implementation, the and with patients could lower physicians who get the most out of their EHRs carefully considered the training they’d require, and how the EHR would be used on a overheadand with costs patients and could enable lower more products, the vendors, the implementation, the training they’d require, day-to-day basis. efficientoverhead practice.” costs and enable and how the EHR would be used on a day-to-day basis. more efficient practice.” —Jeff Goldsmith, Ph.D., Associate Professor Public Health Most independent practices can’t afford to pay someone to Most small practices can’t afford to pay someone to select their EHR. Sciences, University of Virginia – The Future of Medical select their EHR. We’ve prepared this guide to help you do it —JeffPractice: Goldsmith, Creating Ph.D., Options Associate forProfessor Practicing Public HealthPhysicians Sciences, to We’ve prepared this guide to help those of you in small practices do it UniversityControl Their of Virginia Professional – The Future Destiny of Medical Practice: Creating Options yourself. for Practicing Physicians to Control Their Professional Destiny yourself. It’s the first in a series of resources designed to help small practices purchase, implement, and effectively use an EHR. What if I invest time and money... and then don’t see results? Are the financial incentives worthwhile if my job gets harder to do? 1Selecting | Selecting the Right the EHR Right for your EHR Practice for Your Mental Health Practice 2 Ron Sterling’s Top 14 SelectingSelecting an an EHR EHR TopCritical 8 Critical Features Features And and Functions Your EHR choice is one of the most important decisions Functions Your EHR choice is one of the most important decisions that you will make for your practice. It can dramatically that you will make for your practice. It can dramatically impact the way your practice operates, and how you 1.1. Certified Usability EHR. impact the way your practice operates, and how you interact with patients and other healthcare providers. It Ease ofIf use—youan EHR is hear not itcertified all the time, for Meaningfulbut for independent Use, then its value is limited.Confirm certification for Stage 1 and interact with clients. It can be challenging to learn new practices it really is vital. You don’t have the time, money, or staff can be challenging to learn new technology and adapt to discuss the company’s plan to meet the updated technology and adapt to new workflows—choosing the new workflows—choosing the right solution can help. to haverequirements big drops in productivity of Stage 2. or a steep learning curve. User right solution can help. friendliness is in the eye of the beholder—don’t take someone else’s word for it. You definitely want providers to see the product in action and test it out for themselves. 2. Usability Ease of use—you hear it all the time, but for small practices 2. Clinical it really content is vital. You don’t have the time, Clinicalmoney, content or comprises staff to have the specificbig drops checklists, in productivity documents, or a steep learning curve. User friendliness is in the eye of and toolsthe thatbeholder—don’t support your mentaltake some health else’s practice. word You’ll for it. want You a definitely want physicians to see the product in action system that has mental health note types and templates already and test it out for themselves. set up with the ability to customize as needed for your practice. The best way to check on the applicability of the clinical content is to sign-up or ask for a trial login and document a couple 3. Clinical Content According to Ron Sterling, an independent EHR According to Ron Sterling, an independent EHR consultant sample notes you have for actual patients. Ease of use—you hear it all the time, but for small consultant and publisher of the popular blog Avoid EHR and publisher of the popular blog Avoid EHR Disasters practices it really is vital. You don’t have the time, Disasters (www.Avoid-EHR-Disasters.blogspot.com), the money, 3. Client or staff summary to have big screen drops in productivity or a (www.Avoid-EHR-Disasters.blogspot.com), the key features steep learning curve. User friendliness is in the eye of key features and functions that small practices need in and functions that small practices need in an EHR are not Client thesummary beholder—don’t screens display take key some information else’s word about for a client’s it. You definitely want physicians to see the product in action an EHR are not necessarily the same ones that larger status or situation. Note that requirements can vary per specialty. necessarily the same ones that larger organizations need. and test it out for themselves. organizations need. Small practices need easy-to-use Small practices need easy-to-use and comprehensive For example, mental health providers might be more interested and comprehensive solutions to clinical operation and solutions to clinical operation and patient service in medication management while surgeons may want a list of patient service challenges. By focusing primarily on those challenges. By focusing primarily on those features that prior surgeries. All providers want a list of medications, current features that improve workflow and support both staff 4. Patient Summary Screen improve workflow and support both staff and doctors, conditions, and outstanding care items. Patient summary screens display key information and providers, you’ll find the most practical solution to you’ll find the most practical solution to the needs of your about a patient’s status or situation. Note that the needs of your small practice. requirements can vary per specialty. Forexample, small practice. Keep in mind that some of these features 4. View options pediatricians are interested in immunizations, are critical if you plan to attest to Meaningful Use or to When surgeonslooking for may client want information, a list of it’sprior best surgeries. to have different All doctors view optionswant built a into list the of EHR.medications, For example, current the option conditions, to see the and chart qualify for Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH). outstanding care items. in either chronological or reverse chronological order, or grouped by type of information (e.g., lab tests, radiology studies, and the like). electing the ight or your ractice 3 Selecting the Right EHR for Your Mental Health Practice | 2 5. Electronic Prescribing & Lab Orders If you prescribe medications to patients, then eprescribing is a must. Don’t get distracted by Ideally, the system should also provide the abiliy to eprescribe for extras you don’t need controlled substances as well. And, if any medications require regular lab work, having electronic lab orders and results is also valuable. “There’s a battle being waged in health IT. If you’ve seen the 6. Messages latest feature grids comparing You’ll want the ability to send messages between providers, staff, and medical software, you know patients. This can speed communications and help everyone stay on top of critical tasks. what I mean—page after page after page of product 7. Patient portal integration features. You’d have to have Your EHR should be able to send patient information, including a photographic memory to clinical summaries, reminders, and results to a patient portal. Patient be able to truly compare portal advancements are being made that support interactions products with a list that with providers and that provide immediate patient access to care long because no one can information. In addition, secured messages between doctors remember them all. and patients are supported through patient portals, and, in some What’s worse is that the cases, patient information entered into a patient portal can be sent to an EHR, thereby enabling providers to fully document patient majority of these features interactions. simply aren’t relevant to most small practices.” 8. Authorization and disclosure tracking —Dan Rodrigues, CEO Kareo Recent changes to the HIPAA Omnibus rules regarding the handling and disclosure of patient information, as well as to the more complicated rules for impermissible use and disclosure of ✔ protected health information (PHI) increase the importance of ✔ ✔ keeping appropriate records for disclosures and uses of PHI.