EMR and EHR – The Difference

EMR and EHR – The Difference

EMR and EHR are two different terms that are often used interchangeably. Nitin Chhoda discusses the difference between EMR and EHR and why this is important for your practice.

EMR programsThere’s been a lot of confusion about the difference in an electronic medical record (EMR) and an electronic health record (EHR), with some using the terms interchangeable.

An electronic medal record is an integrated software system that allows therapists to interact with patients and submit billing claims online, and increase the productivity of the clinic.

An EHR is a collection of data that includes a client’s medical history, personal statistics, billing information and demographics.

The two are very different and many researchers and vendors are still struggling to define each, though both groups tend to agree that EMRs will revolutionize the way medical professionals conduct business, deliver patient care and boost the prosperity of a practice.

EMR is the New Technology

As the debate rages on, one fact remains. Therapists must implement an EMR by 2014 as per The Affordable Care Act. There are dozens of available EMRs, most of which were designed with hospitals, physicians and critical care facilities in mind. They’re generally expensive to purchase and require huge monthly fees.

The good news is that there are very affordable options available that are designed specifically for physical therapy practices. Clinicians should exercise due diligence when researching an EMR and not install the first system they explore, thinking any system is better than none.

The goals of The Affordable Care Act were many and lofty. Some facets of the act were designed to lower healthcare costs, enhance patient care and provide improved access to healthcare services. EMRs will definitely be a cost saver for insurance providers, but they also have distinct advantages for physical therapy practices.

EMR and EHR

With an EMR, therapists can access a patient’s EHR to discover what tests and procedures have been ordered, prescriptions being taken and how the client responded to treatment. There’s no need to rely on a client’s memory for crucial medical information.

It’s all there in the EHR and can be accessed via an EMR by multiple healthcare professionals. Therapists can begin treatment sooner, without the need for duplicating costly tests. Access to the information in an EHR saves time for both clients and therapists.

The documentation in an EMR is stored electronically and can be submitted online for quicker turnarounds on reimbursements.

Denials can be addressed in a fraction of the time offered by traditional paper methods and postal service, and there’s no need to wait days or weeks to obtain patient information.

EMR web basedAn EMR also offers a convenient means of communication between therapists and patients to send payment and appointment reminders, post test results, request prescription refills and verify insurance coverage.

Healthcare providers can consult and collaborate through the medium of an EMR for more effective patient care.

In contrast, an EHR is a document representing a collection of data rather than a software solution. EHRs provide a complete record of a patient’s illnesses, ailments, allergies, prescriptions and immunizations.

It offers in-depth information about the client’s health history that can be instantly updated and accessed by multiple healthcare providers through an EMR. Along with health information, it encompasses valuable demographic data that therapists can utilize to market their practice and track referrals.

Multiple Tools

The 21st century method of record keeping has arrived with EMRs and they offer therapists multiple tools to create better patient care outcomes, market their clinics, and save enormous amounts of time, effort and money. While many continue to use the terms EMR and EHR interchangeably, therapists need to understand the difference for the good of their business.

EMR Solution: Monitoring and Improving Staff Productivity

EMR Solution: Monitoring and Improving Staff Productivity

Did you know that electronic medical records can not only make the documentation process faster but they can also help to monitor staff productivity?

Critical business metrics (time in / time out, number of patients seen, number of units billed) can give the practice owner important insight on how to improve the business more and increase profitability.EMRAn efficient practice is a productive practice, and one that’s able to treat more patients, expand and prosper. The key to that dream clinic is an EMR or electronic medical records system.

The system has a number of functionalities to help clinicians monitor the productivity of every staff member, identify problem areas or processes, and improve productivity throughout the clinic.

To maintain a steady cash flow within the clinic, practice owners must ensure that each staff member is seeing as many patients as possible each day, but without sacrificing the quality of care provided to each client.

Electronic Medical Record

An EMR can include date and time stamps, or a handwritten copy of the attending therapist or staff member, allowing practice owners to monitor how many patients each staff member is seeing and how much time they’re investing in each.

It’s imperative that practice owners implement an EMR specifically developed for a physical therapy clinic. It will contain the crucial elements needed by the practice and offer customization options that reflect the way the clinic is operated.

Following the implementation of an EMR, it’s normal for productivity to decrease as staff members become familiar with the new system. Speed and efficiency will increase the more they use the system.

The Greatest Challenges

Loss of productivity is one of the greatest challenges facing clinic owners. The problem may be staff members who are stealing time from the practice with extended breaks or lackluster performance, or the problem could lay within the office processes.

An EMR will provide the information needed for practitioners to pinpoint problem areas and take steps to effect improvement. Staffing requirements change as practices grow and an EMR provides clinicians with the information needed for the strategic allocation of employees.

Practice owners strive to maintain a full patient schedule, but some clients may require more involved treatments that are time intensive or there may be an increased need for specific services at certain times of the day.

All of those types of statistics are readily available with an EMR, allowing practitioners to schedule staff for optimum effect or terminate redundant employees. Improving on staff productivity isn’t confined to therapists within the clinic.

An EMR provides the tools to monitor and improve upon billing, coding and reimbursements, along with scheduling and communicating with patients.

Practitioners who have implemented an EMR can coordinate efforts with other healthcare providers to eliminate information gaps or duplication of tests that delays treatment.EMR solutionEMR Must Be Fully Understand

Many therapists fear the loss of productivity that immediately follows the implementation of an EMR without fully understanding the benefits to be had once employees are trained in the system.

An EMR offers metrics to identify the most productive employees and areas within the practice where processes and workflow can be improved.

Identifying problem staff and more efficient ways to operate the practice results in significant savings and greater revenues for therapists who want their clinics to grow, prosper and thrive.

EMRs increase profits, efficiency, documentation and staff productivity throughout the practice. An integrated EMR represents a major change for any clinic and provides practitioners with the tools needed to streamline their business, monitor and improve staff productivity, control employee costs and increase revenues within the 21st century practice.

In Touch EMR Eliminates Scanning and Uploading of Patient Documents

In Touch EMR Eliminates Scanning and Uploading of Patient Documents

With the technology of an iPad and the In Touch EMR, there’s no reason to scan and upload documents to a patient’s record ever again. At this time, the In Touch EMR has the only dedicated iPad app for physical therapy.

In Touch EMRIn Touch EMR stores information securely in the cloud and can be retrieved at any time. Implemented on the iPad, the EMR offers a fast, easy and simple system with almost unlimited uses.

Say Cheese

With the iPad’s built-in camera, patients can take a photo of themselves for identification purposes, right in the office.

The photo automatically goes where it needs to be with the integrated In Touch EMR and it’s permanently stored in the cloud.

Patients can also complete forms and photograph them for inclusion in their records.

It’s essential to verify each patient’s identity for reimbursements, prevent fraud and avoid identify theft.

A photo of the patient’s insurance card can be taken and added to their file for quick verification of coverage and services, thereby increasing front desk efficiency.

Photographic Documentation

Clinicians can take photos of individuals during the patient encounter to document their posture, injuries and other visible data. The photos are instantly attached to the patient’s record to create a visual profile and establish medical necessity.

Clinicians can snap a quick photo of referrals, documents and records from other providers, all of which becomes part of the patient’s record almost instantly.

Education

Clinicians need to understand the various elements of Obamacare so they can provide explanations to patients.

The In Touch EMR is an important tool for patient education.

Clinicians can use the In Touch EMR and iPad as a visual aid to help clients understand what they’re being told verbally. Instructions, examples and pertinent information can be called up, printed and given to patients to peruse at home.

Automating The Workflow

In Touch EMR and the iPad automates the before, during and after patient experience.In Touch EMR

Staff members spend less effort on time-consuming tasks and patients receive more quality time with their clinician. Billing can be completed and submitted, even before patients leave the office.

The combination of the In Touch EMR and an iPad eliminates the need for scanning, photocopying and uploading information to patient files.

The EMR in In Touch EMR stores data quickly, safely and securely in the cloud where it can be retrieved any time it’s needed.

Office processes are greatly improved for better efficiency, and clinicians have the ability to create a photographic profile of their patients, allowing them to bill quickly and reduce turnaround times on reimbursements.

 

Billing:  The Importance of Keeping Records in Your MIB Business

Billing: The Importance of Keeping Records in Your MIB Business

Documentation is the backbone of a medical insurance billing (MIB) business. It’s essential to file claims for clients and interacting with the IRS at tax time. In this informative article, Nitin Chhoda reveals the many reasons for maintaining proper documentation within an MIB business.

billingTools of the Trade

Billing software is designed to handle virtually any billing related task an MIB chooses to offer, but MIBs should consider the option of employing electronic medical record (EMR) technology in their business.

Fully functional EMR software is available for free and only requires a modest monthly user fee.

EMRs are in compliance with HIPAA privacy standards and submit claims electronically. They have the ability to maintain multiple databases for any number of patients, providers and payers. The billing software maintains a comprehensive array of information digitally or in the cloud, eliminating the need for paper medical records.

Avoiding the Litigation

Perhaps the greatest need for documentation in a biller’s arsenal is to avoid running afoul of litigation on behalf of their clients. It offers protection against accusations of billing for services and procedures that weren’t provided, altering or falsifying claims, misrepresentation, and billing for non-covered services.

Daily Documentation

Armed with a medical provider’s day sheet, MIBs are tasked with submitting a client’s current claims, complete with the necessary patient data.  Documentation must be kept that supports the medical provider’s diagnosis, treatment and procedures performed when claims for billing are sent.

It’s a simple matter to import written records into an EMR for storage and easy retrieval should a claim be denied, rejected or need correction.

Billing software provides a running account for each client that documents which claims have been paid, patent balances owed and payments posted to a clinician’s practice. Billers can quickly refer to their software when dealing with clearinghouses, payers or recalcitrant patients.

Patient IDs and Coverage

A patient must provide a photo ID and a copy of their insurance card for a claim to be filed. All that information can be kept securely within billing software, allowing billers to update the data as needed. Copies of all those insurance cards provide billers with necessary information to submit claims that get paid in a timely manner.

The billing documentation provides essential information about the client’s medical coverage, insurance exclusions, co-insurance, deductibles and co-pays, and who is covered, along with any financial maximums or caps. The documentation contained within the software allows billers to ascertain if the patient’s coverage requires pre-approvals or referrals.billing software

Contracts and Databases

To deal with clearinghouses with authority, billers need a copy of the contract between clients and their clearinghouse. Digital documentation puts the necessary information at their fingertips.

Multiple databases can also be created to provide an array of information that billers have agreed to track for their clients, from referral sources and revenues to the number of procedures performed each month.

Operating Costs

Documentation and receipts are critical for billers at tax time. The data allows MIBs to claim the cost of operating expenses, from equipment replacement and depreciation to loan payments, office supplies and coding updates. Don’t forget to document income.

With the elimination of paper forms, digital documentation becomes a critical element in business, especially in the medical billing industry. Billers who want an affordable full management system that will grow with their business should consider an EMR for comprehensive documentation, storage and retrieval.

Proven Tips on EMR Implementation Provides Physical Therapy Clinics with an Advantage

Proven Tips on EMR Implementation Provides Physical Therapy Clinics with an Advantage

Physical therapy clinics will gain an advantage by utilizing the proven tips on the implementation of the EMR for physical therapy services which Nitin Chhoda keeps on sharing to the practitioners.

EMRThe decision to integrate EMR for physical therapy services is the best choice due to the remarkable shift in the management of the patient files and the workflow.

The EMR system was specifically created in order to improve the accuracy for better patient care and management.

The implementation of the EMR system is important as well as the type of EMR system that was selected.

Certain aspects that range from the government standards up to the training of personnel must be carefully planned out during the implementation of the EMR so that the best results can be achieved.

EMRs Main Purpose

With the main objective of the EMR systems to reform the health care system as well as improve quality of health care, patient safety and efficiency, practitioners can achieve a better workflow and even provide the best patient care.

Today, physical therapy clinics that concentrated on providing superior care to their clients while at the same time managing the daily practice efficiently with the help of the EMR system, has a better stand in gaining monetary incentives in the long run.

Physical Therapy Staff Involvement

The involvement of the personnel in the implementation process will result in a highly efficient and effective EMR system that can greatly improve the workflow. During the implementation of the new EMR for physical therapy services, important personnel can voice out their own perspectives, which can help improve the patient care.

Staff should also receive training on operating the EMR system in order to make the implementation successful and highly effective.

Creating Plans for Implementing EMR

Implementing EMR for physical therapy service should require a plan B just to be prepared for unexpected surprises during the implementation process. EMR software

Doing so will help save a lot of hassle in the future. Even opting for a secondary electronic medical records system can help maintain the functionality while certain issues are dealt with to recover the main system.

Proper implementation of EMR for physical therapy services can greatly help out the practice in achieving better management, workflow and even the patient care they provided.

There should be adequate planning as well as working with the personnel involved to achieve a successful implementation.