In order for your small practice to operate optimally, you need an easy-to-use, comprehensive solution to streamline your workflow. By focusing primarily on features like ease of use and comprehensiveness that improve workflow and support both staff and doctors, you’ll find the most practical solution to the needs of your small practice. Due to the HITECH Act, which mandated the adoption of EHR and supporting technology to ensure meaningful use in 2009, that solution for your practice is an EHR platform.

Your EHR choice is one of the most important decisions that you will make for your practice. It can dramatically impact the way you and your team operate, and how you interact with your patients. The EHR platform landscape is highly saturated and competitive — but while many options with higher price tags are more robust, they are not all designed specifically for small practices, in terms of both functionality and cost.

The big question is, how can you determine which EHR system is right for your small practice? Will your EHR have all the features that your practice needs, while being easy to use and learn? How easy will the EHR integrate with other systems that may already be in place?

Here, we’ve outlined which questions you should ask yourself and which features you should not overlook to help you better understand what constitutes an effective EHR solution as well as provide better care for your patients and save significant time.

Features To Consider

 
Ease of Use

At the end of the day, running a small practice means being realistic. You likely don’t have the time, money, or staff to have big drops in productivity or a steep learning curve. User friendliness is key when it comes to your EHR. When considering which EHR system enables ease of use, make sure you and your team able to test out the system to get a good sense of the user experience.

 
Comprehensiveness

Comprehensive EHR platforms will enable you to perform a number of activities from one central location. Instead of using a tool for prescriptions, a tool for lab tests, and a tool for appointment setting for instance, you can take the cost-effective route of using one comprehensive system that delivers a streamlined workflow. With a comprehensive EHR, you can fulfill all of your practice’s needs from a single place.

Practice Management

Practice Management is a key selling point, as integrated EHRs with this feature simplify the patient’s payment process through automation. Practice Management automates activities such as patient care, scheduling, billing, and claims processing. A cloud-based payment portal is extremely convenient for patients to access anywhere. Furthermore, Automated Revenue Cycle management can significantly reduce time for the physician and increase revenue, as claims are scrubbed and submitted automatically.

 
Product Development 

It’s important that the system you choose should be regularly enhanced and improved. Be aware of product improvements and development plans. If the vendor isn’t transparent about their information or doesn’t show signs of making substantive improvements, the solution may not remain sufficiently competitive and viable.

Training and Support

Small practices will benefit from EHRs with excellent online help and training materials. Because they often have limited resources, small practices should have on-demand access to online tutorials and materials that are not only easy to understand, but also complete and concise. Similarly, look for a vendor whose help desk is staffed by people who can target the problems of your type of practice, and can address those problems at an appropriate level of sophistication quickly and efficiently. The ability to expedite the resolution of issues will help you remain focused on your job: providing exceptional patient care.

Interested in diving into a platform that covers all of these bases? Take a look at Practice EHR by starting your free trial below to determine whether this specialty-specific EHR is right for your small practice!