Over half of surveyed physicians are dissatisfied with their electronic health records (EHRs), according to a study by the Mayo Clinic. Technology, oftentimes touted as the silver bullet for practice efficiency, is in reality giving many dermatologists more headaches than help.
In most cases, the problem is not the technology itself, but rather how that technology is integrated into the practice. In order to fully realize the benefit, out-of-the-box technology solutions need to be tailored to meet the practice’s specific needs. But perhaps even more important is the user training and ongoing support.
Source: American Medical Association / AmericanEHR Partners 2014 Survey
Training
A learning curve is to be expected when implementing an EHR. Most EHR vendors provide a good first-step tutorial for the practice’s staff. However, as previously mentioned, the best-functioning EHRs are tailored to the practice’s specific needs. Therefore, the training must also be tailored.
QualDerm’s IT team creates customized educational documents for our affiliated practices. This documentation differs from the standard EHR vendor training materials, as it was specifically developed to coordinate with dermatology practice workflows. QualDerm also provides on-site training sessions to ensure the practice staff is well versed in using the EHR platform.
Thorough training can also ensure that the practice is getting the most out of its EHR investment. For example, QualDerm-affiliated practices learn to utilized analytics reports that help them close patient charts an average of 25% quicker.
Ongoing Support
Even after implementation, EHRs require technical support. System upgrades, customization, new user training and troubleshooting are just a few problems that can arise. Oftentimes, its these types of issues that cause the most strain on the practice when dealing with EHRs. A dedicated IT support staff can be invaluable to a practice in these situations.
QualDerm’s affiliated practices have access to an in-house IT support team to help manage their EHRs. This team handles the bulk of the practices’ EHR management tasks, which gives the physicians and clinical staff more time to spend with patients. QualDerm’s team also oversees the IT security measures for its affiliated practices.
This team also works with each practice to develop data analytics reports to improve practice workflow efficiency and to capture the necessary quality reporting requirements to avoid MACRA reimbursement penalties.
Learn more about how affiliating with QualDerm can help you manage your practice’s EHR to enhance efficiency and meet government reporting requirements.
Contact us to find out more about partnership opportunities or to discuss selling your practice.