Document Management VS. EHR

Document Management VS. EHR

Many healthcare organizations are still managing records in paper format. Paper processes are more laborious and time-consuming, reducing the time medical providers can devote to patients because they have to make sure the documentation is done properly. EHRs have been a great tool for getting rid of a lot of paper processes: medical providers can make notes in the patient’s file, doctors can prescribe medicine, and billers can bill insurance and keep track of payments for each billable event. 

However, even with the implementation of EHRs, some healthcare organizations still rely on paper because EHR systems aren’t designed to store, manage, and access patient documents. Plus, if you’ve ever experienced switching from one EHR to another, due to the proprietary structure of their software, extracting YOUR patient’s data can feel impossible or, at best, expensive. From an overall, company-wide perspective, EHRs create an information silo because all other company records (employees, taxes, etc), are kept in separate systems. It doesn’t have to be that way. 

Digital patient records, if done right, provide a secure, HIPAA compliant way to easily store, search, retrieve, and share records as needed. Imagine being able to search for information by patient DOB, patient ID, patient name, document type, date ranges – or a combination of any of these search parameters such as “show me all documents for Patient #12345 in the past 6 months” or “show me all HIPAA signature forms in the past year”. And then imagine being able to select all of those records and create a secure link that can be shared with the requestor instead of having to individually email or print each requested document.  

If you cannot easily search, retrieve, and share records at your medical practice, contact us today for a free consultation to discuss ideas on how to get the functionality you are looking for!