Doctors' offices are under increasing pressure to expand their patient load. However keeping track of all those patients is nearly impossible with traditional paper filing systems. Offices have found medical software makes it easy to organize electronic medical records and improve the quality of patient care.

Centralizing Information

Medical software allows practices to put all patient information in one easy to access place. A patient's entire medical file is available at the click of a mouse. Office staff can easily examine records without flipping through hundreds or thousands of patient files. The file can be updated just as easily and there is no chance of one patient's test results ending up in another patient's file by accident.

Practices use medical software to study the population as a whole. Records can be searched and sorted by diagnosis, treatment, medication and other factors. Doctors can examine these subsets to understand community health matters. It gives them a broader perspective on their patient population. The ability to gather and analyze allows medical practice to approach a new level of patient care.

Safeguarding Patient Health

Doctors find medical software allows them to practice proactively. They take an active role in counseling patients in proper healthcare. Rather than waiting for patients to come in when they have a problem, practices can alert patients to potential concerns.

For example, an office might generate a report of older women who haven't had recent bone density tests. Sending information on the dangers of osteoporosis to these patients encourages them to get the test and discover the condition in time to treat it. Patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes who haven't been in for a while can be reminded to come in for a checkup.

Another situation where medical software helps is with FDA alerts. Sometimes despite clinical studies, serious complications are discovered once a pharmaceutical has been out on the market. Doctors can easily find out which patients are taking the medication and send them warnings about potential problems.

Improving Office Revenue

There is a more practical aspect to using medical software: increased profits. Despite the motivation of wanting to help people, an office has to be financially strong to keep offering services to the public. Medical practice software helps doctors find the balance between public service and profitability.

Doctors can use the searches discussed above to boost patient volume and bring up revenue during slow periods. Downturns are a perfect time for doctors to use the information at their fingertips to find patients who may need care and send them reminders about the importance of regular checkups.

Office schedulers can use software to make patient appointments more effectively. Patients showing a history of serious health problems can automatically be given longer appointments while callers with more routine histories can be given shorter appointments.

Whether used to improve patient care or raise profits, medical software is a critical tool in a modern medical practice.

The dream of the paperless office has proven to be difficult to achieve. Doctors implement practice management software but somehow there still seems to be a lot of paper around. When the practice moves to a new location, it is an ideal opportunity to get rid of the old, inefficient procedures.

Why Can't We Get Rid of Paper?

It is difficult to redirect the bureaucratic momentum even in a small office. The staff has a familiar and comfortable routine, perfected over years of practice. Patients are cared for. Records are filed. Everything runs smoothly so there is unconscious resistance to change.

Fully utilizing all the features of the new practice management software system requires changing many of the underlying procedures. Since office staff and doctors aren't familiar with the new system, it feels alien and clumsy. Records are hard to locate, not because of the software but because people can't remember the new system. Patients have to wait while staff stumbles through the new procedures. Soon everyone is insisting the old system was better.

This learning curve is completely normal and getting past it is essential to proper adoption of practice management software. However it's hard to give up a familiar way of doing things.

When Everything's Changing, A Few More Changes Don't Matter

Some offices resist adopting new practice management software during a change in location because they feel it is too hard. With everything up in the air, implementing a new system seems foolish. Actually, this period of chaos is an ideal time to revamp the organization and bring on new ideas.

Since the office will be a bit disorganized after the move, old procedures aren't as familiar and comfortable. The staff is less resistant to change since so much is different. As they adapt to a new phone system, a different examination room layout and other changes it is just as easy to get used to a new EMR software system as well.

Rebuilding the Operation

Moving can be an opportunity to jump into new practice management software with both feet. The entire office procedure, from appointment setting to patient arrival to e-prescription management, can be rewritten and optimized to the EMR system.

This planning should be done well in advance of the move. Everyone in the office should be involved and allowed to express their concerns about the new practice management software. A well-designed system that addresses the needs and concerns of everyone from the reception desk to the examination room has a much better chance of success than a haphazard adoption of new procedures.

Policies should go beyond the use of the practice management software. Ideas as simple as where lab results will be put for entry into the system or when patient information will be entered streamline the operation and ease the transition.

By combining the learning curves of the new location and the new software, the total disruption to the office can be minimized.

It doesn't take a hurricane or earthquake to cripple operations in a doctor's office. Sometimes an incident which would be an inconvenience to another business would be a major catastrophe to a medical practice.

Small Disasters with Big Consequences

Information is critical to proper medical care. No matter how familiar a doctor is with a particular patient, it's always possible to forget some small detail such as a drug allergy. That omission could threaten a patient's safety. This is why it is so important for doctors to have access to patient records.

There are many reasons a doctor could be unable to get into his office. A storm blows a tree over and blocks access to the parking lot. A leak forces closure until inspector ensures the building is safe. With traditional paper records, the doctor is unable to reach critical patient information if the patient has an emergency during this time. A free EMR system prevents these incidents from blocking or destroying information.

Maintain Full Accessibility

With a free EMR system, a doctor or other authorized user has access to patient records from outside the office. Even if physical access to the office is blocked, the doctor can still examine information from any other computer with the EMR software installed on it. Many physicians enable access to their office records from home so they can immediately respond if a patient is in a medical emergency.

Although free EMR allows full access, it doesn't allow unrestricted access. EMR systems include strict security measures to prevent unauthorized entry into the system. Doctors can be confident they are observing all privacy regulations while retaining the ability to examine patient records from any location. EMR provides the best blend of accessibility and security.

Preserve Data Integrity

Medical practices must also protect the data itself from destruction. A ruptured pipe, small fire or other incident could destroy all paper records in an office. Even electronic medical records could be destroyed, but free EMR offers the advantage of easy backup.

It is difficult, expensive and time consuming to make copies of paper records and store them off site. On the other hand, backing up free EMR databases is simple, often included as part of the software function. These backups can be small enough to put on a pocket USB drive and easily transported to another location for safety. The data can also be backed up online so a practice can restore it from anywhere.

The importance of retaining 24/7 access to and protecting the integrity of medical records means it is nearly impossible for a medical practice to operate without some kind of EMR system. Since most practices don't need CCHIT certified software, free EMR systems offer an inexpensive solution to a practice's data needs.

Physicians know just because they give patients a prescription, that doesn't mean medication will take them correctly -- or at all. There are a number of reasons for poor patient compliance and the latest generation of EMR software addresses many of these problems.

The Problem of Non-Compliance

It is hard to treat a patient who won't take prescribed medication. It may not be that the patient is intentionally being difficult. Often there are other reasons involved.

Patients may stop medication because they feel better, not understanding that to stay better they need to keep taking the pills. A patient might not have time to wait at the pharmacy today so plans to pick up the prescription tomorrow, but then forgets or gets busy and never gets around to it. Maybe there is a negative side effect and, rather than calling the doctor, the patient simply stops taking the drug. In many cases, these incidents can lead to serious medical complications. What's worse, often the patients will neglect to tell the doctor about the stopped medication leaving the physician baffled as to why the person isn't getting better.

How can EMR software and associated e-prescription services help this problem?

E-Prescriptions Make It Easier For the Patient

Filling prescriptions through e-prescription feature of EMR software help patient compliance immediately. The prescription is transmitted directly to the pharmacy and is ready by the time the patient arrives. With many pharmacies offering drive-up service, it is easy to pick up the needed medication and patients have one less excuse to avoid the medication.

Clearly printed e-prescriptions help both pharmacy and patient. The pharmacy doesn't have to puzzle out sloppy, hand-written orders so don't need to call the doctor's office for clarification, a step that slows the process. The patient receives written instructions, including important cautions such as telling the patient to keep taking the medication upon feeling better, so it is more likely the drug will be taken as the doctor intended.

Doctors Can Monitor Patient Compliance

Medical students learn that a patient statement is one of the least reliable sources of information. A patient who has stopped taking medication may not tell the doctor, perhaps through embarrassment or a desire to avoid a confrontation. Some patients change their dose on their own, not informing the doctor when they do so.

EMR software gives doctors the ability to monitor a patient's compliance. The doctor can check to see a patient has picked up the medication and, if not, contact the patient for more information. A doctor could note the prescription is refilled more or less often than expected, indicating the patient is taking a different dose than ordered. The office can verify the correct drug has been dispensed, protecting patient safety.

Doctors are using EMR software and e-prescriptions to improve patient care as well as improving the efficiency and profitability of the practice.

With so many recent advancements in the technology, software is available that not only allows dental offices to run more smoothly, but also provide an audit trail that serves as a strong form of dental liability protection. Still, many offices continue to resist the use of dental practice software.

Why Do Some Dentists Resist Software?

Dental offices also may have had a bad experience in the past when they expected top dental software that would automatically fix problems in the office. Computers are very efficient at what they do, but if an office is filled with outdated policies and inefficient processes, software can't force those to change. However when dental practice software is part of a well-designed practice management workflow, it can make an office run with almost precision efficiency.

Like any product, not all software is created equally. Having had a bad experience with a primitive piece of software or ineffective dental practice software may have left a bad impression. Offices that suffered through clumsy and inefficient dental practice software will be surprised at how streamlined and powerful today's top dental software is.

How To Ease Into Software Use

No one wants the implementation of the dental practice software to interferes with workflow or get in the way of the doctor-patient relationship. Proper planning will minimize the disruptions a new software system will cause in office operation.

The worst thing to do is simply drop in the software, turn it on and expect everything to start humming. Prior to implementation, office staff should be prepped on the capabilities of the dental practice software and determine exactly how procedures are going to change to fit the new system. Some of these changes can be adopted before the software is installed.

Digital Offices Are Inevitable

Industry analysts tend to agree that in order to remain competitive, offices are going to have to adopt dental practice software. Right now there is a lot of pressure toward adopting electronic records over in the medical field and it is only a matter of time until that spills over into dental practices as well.

Offices are encouraged to get involved with these software tools sooner rather than later. Modern dental practice software does a lot to enhance the efficiency of an office and improve its competitiveness. Well-developed dental practice software also serves as dental liability protection. When procedures and processes are documented properly, there is less chance that the practice can be proven liable for errors in court. The best dental software is transparent to office operations, smoothing operations without interfering with patient care.

There is a revolution going on in dental insurance software. The industry is embracing a new concept in software design known as Software as a Service or SaaS. Those of us who don't know a gigahertz from a megabyte might wonder what all the fuss is about.

What Is Software as a Service?

In traditional dental insurance software design, an application comes on a CD-ROM or DVD. When you install the software it copies the application onto that computer. If you need to install it on several computers, you have to by multiple copies of the software and install it on each machine.

Dental insurance software designed using the SaaS model keeps the software on a central computer called a server. Each computer using the software needs only a small client program to access the server over a network. Very large companies might run their own servers, but a typical dental office would access the software over the internet on servers provided by the software manufacturer.

But how does this arrangement benefit the customer?

Technical Advantages of SaaS

When an office has a complex dental insurance software package, many things can go wrong. Dental practices can't afford full-time computer support staff so depend on the software company's tech support. When using SaaS, the software is maintained directly by the publisher. If anything goes wrong, they have a team of IT professionals who address the problem immediately. The small, simple client program each dental office uses seldom has technical problems, so the office no longer has to deal with software headaches.

Another problem with traditional software is staying on top of the latest version. Companies must regularly check for updates then download large files to be installed on top of the existing application. If anything goes wrong during the upgrade, it could require complete reinstallation. With SaaS, the software at the remote server is automatically upgraded as new versions come out.

Administrative Benefits of SaaS

A huge obstacle faced by offices looking for dental insurance software is cost. These packages can cost thousands of dollars and many small practices can't afford the capital outlay. Without the benefits the software provides, they find it hard to stay competitive.

SaaS software is funded differently. Rather than a huge initial purchase, you pay a small fee every month for access to the service. The cost is lower and easier for small offices to absorb into their book.

The SaaS dental insurance software can be accessed from any computer with the client. Dentists can access patient records from home or from remote offices. If the practice buys new computers, it isn't necessary to copy patient information over to the new machines.

It's easy to see why SaaS is the new trend in all software design. It won't be long before the traditional model of computer program design is a thing of the past.

The US government is encouraging medical providers to adopt medical practice software that includes the ability to process e-prescriptions. In 2009, providers who do so will receive an additional 2% reimbursement for Medicare patients when e-prescribing is used. If your office doesn't have many Medicare patients, is e-prescribing a good idea? Yes, for several reasons.

Private Insurers Follow Medicare

It is common for private insurance companies to mirror Medicare policies. They observe the industry to see what effects these new policies have and if the outcome is positive, private companies follow suit. Analysts predict that private insurers will offer a similar incentive for offices that use e-prescription medical practice software.

Why? Electronic prescriptions are easier to process. Claims can be read in, processed, and paid without human intervention. This saves insurers money and with the rising traffic in prescriptions as baby boomers age -- and this savings can amount to significant cost cutting. The 2% Medicare reimbursement is a fraction of what Medicare will save as providers convert over to modern medical practice software. When insurers see this, they will take the same path and speed up industry conversion that much more.

Reduce Costs and Liability

Even in the absence of direct incentives, providers are discovering that using medical practice software and e-prescriptions saves them money from day one. The streamlined electronic system means less time required from doctor and staff. For example, office staff answers fewer phone calls from the pharmacy requesting clarification.

Patient safety is improved, as there is significantly less chance of the pharmacy misreading an e-prescription than a handwritten one. Central databases ensure pharmacies and doctors have a full profile of a patient's medication use, reducing the chance of overmedication or adverse drug interactions. This reduces practice liability and business costs.

Pharmacies save money when providers use this type of medical practice software. The automated system allows them to fill the order more quickly, often before the patient arrives from the doctor's office.

Medical Practice Software Doesn't Have To Be Expensive

CCHIT-certified medical practice software costs more than non-certified systems, but many practices don't need the certification. There are a number of inexpensive or even free medical software packages, although typically the e-prescription component requires a monthly fee.

Even considering the fee, practices can expect to save money each month through improved office efficiency, reduced liability and the Medicare incentive. Physicians and office managers have discovered that converting to electronic medical records is a positive investment in the business. It makes the practice more competitive in the market and allows them to provide better care to the patients.

E-prescriptions are going to be a fact of life for medical practices in the not too distant future. Offices would be well advised to adopt medical practice software now and get ahead of the curve.