Essential Features to Look for in an EMR Software

on
July 21, 2023

Before diving into the essential features of the EMR system, you must know what an EMR system and how/where you can use it is. EMR stands for Electronic Medical Records. They are an advanced and simple alternative to paper reports of patients. They aim to safely collect, store, and access a patient's medical data.

They include your patient’s medical history, medication history, and treatment data collected by the medical practitioner. Whenever required, medical professionals can have access to their patient's EMRs. Additionally, they can clearly see their medical history and add their diagnosis to it.

Paper reports have various risk factors, and this is leading to the increasing popularity of EMR in health services. It has decreased the space needed to store all the reports of various patients. Through EMR, one can never miss out on any details and have no excuse for missing out due to the loss of old paper reports.

It also helps the professionals to interact with each other as EMR is not boundary restricted. Another amazing internal feature alerts doctors to prevent them from prescribing any such medicine. It may lead to an allergic reaction in the patient, as it already has a detailed medical history of the patient.

Now that you understand what is a EMR system, here's a quick guide on how to use emr systems:

How To Use EMR Systems?

EMR can be used through a process called EMR implementation, which is basically the integration of the software in the sector's workflow. It includes the given major steps.

  • Technical Implementation
  • Training doctor’s staff on how to use the system
  • Troubleshooting any issue etc.

Now, let us take a look at the process in an arranged format.

  • The first step is selecting an EMR platform, which also includes budgets, team planning, transferring data, training the teams, etc.
  • Once the first step is taken care of, then the next step is system configuration. It means aligning the software in accordance with the specialisation and device for the doctor who will be using it.
  • After the software is completely installed, customise it as per your practice and convenience.
  • Your system is good to go. You can start with consultations, and migrate older data, if any.

For all of this, the teams need proper training first. With proper training, it is suggestible to operate EMR because it will increase errors and can be risky for patients being treated in your healthcare.

Features of EMR Software

What EMR features make it suitable for healthcare? To answer this question, you will have to go through its features. Its features are exceptionally well-performing and highly relevant. So look at all the features below to decide for yourself.

  • OCR Tools

As we already know EMRs store the complete medical history of a patient. So the consulting doctor has complete access to the last of the details. This information/data can further be improved by adding new reports & finding with the help of Technology. OCR technology would help doctors to extract values from medical reports and organise it Using which a doctor can prepare charts/reports to analyze the patient's condition. It helps doctors to come to a decision quickly. It also prevents unnecessary diagnostic tests again and again.
But wait! How will a doctor prepare diagnosis?
Very Simple. EMRs come with OCR & charting tools that will help doctors to prepare medical file with just one tap.

  • Accessibility

EMR softwares are device agnostic. Doctors can access patient’s medical records and consult with any device- Laptops, iPad, and mobile app- Android & iOs.

  • E-Prescriptions

Unlike the traditional prescriptions on paper, EMR comes with an integrated feature of E-prescriptions. The consulting doctor can enter the prescribed medicines in the E-prescription template, which is sent to the pharmacy so that they can deliver medicines to the patient. But what if they make it mandatory for a patient to buy from any particular pharmacy?

No, EMRs also provide that a consulting physician can direct the E-prescription to the pharmacies as per your choice. This way, the entire history of a patient's prescribed medicines is available in one place. With the help of this, a doctor can keep track of the medication and add or remove any medicine when needed.

  • Billing Desk

EMR also eases the process for the management team by having a feature where one can easily prepare bills for the patient.

Not only is it easing the billing process, but it is also managing healthcare revenue efficiently. This way, it is also reducing the workload and keeping transparency between healthcare and insurance companies regarding reimbursement of bills from the health covers.

  • Telehealth Feature

Telehealth is one of the most used functionalities of EMR. It enables healthcare providers to reach out to the patient remotely for medical consultation. This feature also reduces healthcare costs and makes it easier for doctors to give advice in case of any medical emergency.

EMR also comes with a telehealth feature, using which patients can reach out to doctors, even if they are sitting in two different cities. All these advanced features of the EMR system help the patients keep their chill and have no mental stiffness because of their health conditions. It is also helping the healthcare industry to use its resources efficiently and reduce operating costs.

  • Treatment Tracking

EMR systems have an exceptional feature that tracks a patient's recovery completely. But how is it possible for the software to track down the recovery of a human?

EMRs have made this possible because of all the data present, which prepares all the required analytics to help the doctor understand a patient's health condition and also keep a check on their recovery. With the help of this feature, it is also helping healthcare providers to identify any potential obstacles that may arise during the patient's treatment. They can also modify the treatment plan and make it suitable for their ongoing recovery.

  • Workflow Optimization of HealthCare

To generate a revenue and offer better care, it is necessary not only to increase the daily number of patients' treatments but to manage them efficiently. This is not possible without a highly robust administration. So to make your reception desk robust, EMR is available with an integrated platform to cover all the required features.

It could be self-assessment module, follow-up screening notifications, diagnostic lab management, management of all the required documents, medications, diet, etc. So once EMR has taken care of all these things, the administration desk's work is just to keep preparing all the data with just a few clicks on EMR.

  • Secure Storage

It is very important to have a secure storage system. All the EMR software has a secure storage system allowing only authorized personnel to access records. This ensures no privacy breach and keeps all the data safe from any external attack. This way, all the important documents of a patient are stored securely. EMR software also provides an audit log, which tracks all the activities done on it, helping identify any potential security threats. Doctors should also get option to download their data in case they wish to. The control should always be with the doctor.

  • Alert System for Doctors

Along with the patients, EMR systems also provide certain features for doctors. It includes an alert system that notifies doctors about their schedules or any other information. This helps them manage their time efficiently and also alerts them in an emergency. It also helps monitor the health status of a patient under their treatment and keeps providing notifications about any change in the report or any other situation.

Overall, with the help of the EMR systems examples, it is now possible to provide better healthcare services to patients and improve the system's overall quality. The efficiency and accuracy have improved drastically, which makes it easier for doctors to provide better healthcare services. It also ensures that all the records are safe and secure, which makes it easier for doctors to keep track of a patient's progress.

Conclusion

EMR is a very beneficial system not just for healthcare facilities but also for patients. It efficiently saves time, ensures the security of reports, and makes healthcare services accessible and simple.

It is a major yet good investment for doctors. It will not only optimize the workflow of a healthcare facility but will also help healthcare to get more popular and trustable among its patients. This will ultimately result in better patient care and more healthcare revenue. So, go ahead and get EMR software to enhance your healthcare services. You won't regret it!

FAQs

Is the EMR software even worth it?
Surely it is. It brings efficiency, helps doctors build a strong relation with their patietns, , store & organise their health records. It keeps the flow of the sector smooth. It gives more security and reduces the cost of hand-to-purse paper report service. It also increases the trust of patients in the service.

How much does EMR software cost?
The cost of an EMR system depends on the specific system and whether it is deployed on-site or on the cloud. Generally, an on-site EMR system costs INR 2-3 lakhs, while for cloud-based EMR systems, the cost starts from INR 10k. The exact cost depends on the customization and features present in the system.

How often should passwords be changed in the EMR system?
To ensure the security of the reports and data, the password of EMR systems should be changed at regular intervals of at least three months. The passwords should also be of long length and include upper case, lower case, symbols, and numbers. This will provide better security for the data present in the EMR system. ​​​​​These days, the most secure passwords are the OTPs that get delivered to doctor’s registered mobile number.

Is it possible to use the EMR system without hiring extra personnel?
Yes, using the EMR system without hiring extra personnel is possible. However, if you want to maximize its potential and use all the system's features, adding your clinic staff who are familiar with the usage of EMR systems is advisable. They can set up and manage the system effectively and efficiently.