Why Are Patient Portals More Important Than You Think?

Patient portals facilitate the exchange of information between patients and physician practices.  What was once considered a nice option for your EHR is becoming a necessity.  Unfortunately, not all patient portals offer the same features.  Failure to acquire an adequate patient portal could limit your EHR benefits and increase your costs.

What ACO Features Are Needed in an EHR?

Most EHR systems are based on strategies that predate accountable care organizations (ACO) and Certified EHR standards.  The key EHR requirements for ACOs are the ability to electronically exchange patient information, support provider collaboration, and monitor patient care.  The EHR focus to date has been on creating patient exam notes and specifically meeting the Evaluation and Management documentation standards.  In many cases, EHR products that have evolved to date do not adequately accommodate the operational or management needs of the ACO structure.

What is a Certified EHR?

In order to receive the Medicare or Medicaid stimulus monies, you have to attain Meaningful Use using a Certified EHR.  One would think that all Certified EHRs offer a high level of capability and functionality.  Unfortunately, you would be wrong.

What are the Key Issues in Selecting an EHR?

The key difficulty in selecting an electronic healthcare record (EHR) is that few practices have a clear vision of what the EHR should have and what constitutes an effective EHR.  With several hundred potential EHR options, the average practice is faced with a dizzying array of options and products.

Surprisingly, the EHR product selected can affect medical professional liability (MPL.)  Not all EHR products are the same or have the same capabilities.  If you buy an inappropriate product, you may have to make operational and management compromises that affect how well you track and administer patient care.  In order to avoid such risks, you need to purchase a product that effectively handles three key needs: