Improving the four key areas of scheduling, billing, documentation and marketing allow a private practice to grow in a progressive manner.
This is now possible with the help of electronic medical records systems. Nitin Chhoda shares the advantages of an end-to-end integrated system for your private practice.
An EMR represents a major change in the practice management workflow and the way business is conducted.
It will integrate freely into every facet and department, offering clinicians a more productive and efficient means of managing their practice and patient care.
EMR as a Tool
An EMR offers business and marketing tools to easily track and monitor a wide range of variables that used to take hours or days to assemble.
Scheduling, documentation, billing and marketing are the four key areas in any healthcare practice management and EMRs facilitate the process, allowing therapists to expand their clientele and obtain quicker returns on reimbursements.
Documentation is available in precise detail and from multiple providers for a more accurate picture of the patient’s condition. EMRs offer advanced tools for marketing, allowing practitioners to develop, execute and monitor advertising efforts and their success.
A Complete Solution
A completely integrated practice management solution provides a multi-pronged approach to scheduling. An EMR allows therapists to schedule patient appointments complete with the date, time and client information, rather than a simple notation that includes a name and date.
Other events can be scheduled in the calendar, including meetings, times when other providers are unavailable, and personal appointments, along with vacations and sick days. Calendars can be set up for each provider within the clinic.
A scheduler provides therapists with multiple resources to coordinate services with other healthcare professionals in multiple locations. Patients of practice management can be scheduled for x-rays, surgeries, lab tests and a wide variety of ancillary services. A web-based EMR allows therapists to view a real-time calendar from anywhere in the world where an Internet connection is available.
The Old Way
Few patients have just one healthcare provider. Under a paper system, therapists often had to wait days or even weeks for medical records to make their way to the clinic, leading to delays in treatment. EMRs can be accessed by multiple providers and instantly updated when information is entered for the most current and up-to-date medical history available.
Medical professionals don’t have to rely on their client’s memory to recall tests that were administered, medications they’re taking or surgeries they’ve had. Integrated documentation allows practice management clinicians to create custom forms that reflect the clinic’s special needs, import provider notes, prescribe medications and refills, and make referrals when needed.
A physical therapy practice runs on its reimbursements. Integrated billing and coding virtually eliminates errors, the need for clarifications and rejection rates.
It includes complete diagnosis and CPT codes, and claims are submitted electronically so information reaches insurance companies and clearinghouses in record time, while maintaining HIPPA requirements for privacy and security.
Supporting Material
A variety of supporting practice management material can be attached to expedite the reimbursement process.
Marketing is an essential part of operating a successful physical therapy clinic and an EMR provides tools that allow practice owners to develop strategies that target specific demographic groups.
Practice management owners can monitor the success of those campaigns and ascertain where referrals are originating to create more advantageous alliances.
Integrating scheduling, documentation, billing and marketing under a single system streamlines all facets within a practice management for increased efficiency, better patient care and timely reimbursements. EMRs provide clinicians with the high-tech tools they need to succeed in a highly competitive field without sacrificing the well-being of clients or the clinic.
