A Comprehensive Review of the Top Electronic Health Record Vendors

Modern physician offices, hospitals, and healthcare systems use the latest technology and computer software to store health records digitally. digitally as electronic health records (EHR). Finding the right EHR software is essential, however.

To help you sort through the many different options, we present this review of the top electronic health record vendors.

Electronic Health Records Explained

In simplest terms, electronic health records are a digital version of an old-fashioned paper chart. Every patient visit must be recorded so doctors and other healthcare providers can keep track and make better decisions about patient care. Electronic records can also be sent or accessed by another doctor or specialist, so everyone has the same information.

EHRs contain your patient medical history, including:

• Notes from previous visits
• Diagnoses
• Medications
• Allergies
• Immunization dates
• Diagnostic tests ordered
• Lab test results
• Radiology images

Benefits of Electronic Health Records

The most apparent benefit of EHR software has to do with access. Since the records are stored on a central server, they can be sent digitally or accessed directly by another authorized doctor. Medical personnel within the same hospital or network can access the same information. This makes things faster and more efficient and helps reduce patient errors.

Other benefits of EHR system:

• Access tools that will help doctors make medical decisions faster
• Streamline and automate providers’ workflow
• Organize patient information more effectively
• One system that can be easily managed and updated by authorized providers or staff across an entire network
• Reduces paperwork
• Transfers accurate information quickly and easily
• Helps different healthcare providers coordinate care. Doctor B can tell that you have already prescribed a certain medication or ordered a particular test.
• Reduce unnecessary tests and procedures
• Allows patients to access their own records

EHR systems can be cloud-based or server-based. To see the difference and determine which might be more suitable for your needs, read this related post.

Searching for an Electronic Health Record Vendor

Choosing an EHR company requires you to do an internal assessment. Ultimately, you need to understand the needs and goals of your organization. Make a list of your criteria, and then narrow your search to a few that fit the requirements.

How to conduct vendor assessments:

• What are the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time) goals for your organization? Goals could be to grow your patient base, provide more efficient care or enhance patient care.
• What is your current system for collecting, storing, and sharing patient records?
• What do you hope to accomplish with EHR software?
• What type of integrations will be needed within your system? Do you need to connect multiple locations and/or physicians

Questions to Ask EHR Vendors

After doing your internal assessment, it’s time to approach vendors. Here are sample questions to get you started.

• What is the strength of your platform?
• Is your system cloud-based or server-based?
• How does your platform compare to A, B, C?
• What security measures are in place to protect patient data and confidentiality?
• Are you Meaningful Use certified?
• Are you HIPAA compliant?
• How often are software updates needed? How will they be done?
• Do you charge a fee to do updates?
• What integrations are available with your system?
• Does the program help with MIPS reporting?
• How much does your software cost?
• Do we have to sign a contract for a certain length of time?
• Are there set-up fees?
• How long will it take to set up the system?
• What is your process for setting up the system?
• How will our existing data be transferred to the new system? Is there an extra fee to transfer records?
• What kind of user training do you provide?
• Who do we contact if we have system issues or problems? How do we contact you?
• What type of support is included in our contract?

Top Electronic Health Record Vendors

There are many different types of EHR systems that store electronic medical records. Each system performs slightly different tasks. Choosing software can be difficult. Here is a review of the top HRE vendors.

AdvancedMD

This is the top pick for “best EHR system” from Business News Daily. You can choose from several models and packages to find one to suit your budget and needs. It features reliable, easy-to-use software.

Kareo

Business News Daily chose Kareo as the best software for small practices. The easy-to-use system allows you to schedule appointments, obtain insurance authorization, manage the invoicing, store patient documents, and develop reports.

NueMD

This is Business News Daily’s “best pick for specialists”. The system offers customizable templates designed for over 100 specialties.

Top 10 according to Software Advice

1. AdvancedMD (covered above)
2. DrChrono HER – This system allows you to easily take care of medical billing, manage medical forms, e-prescriptions, scheduling, charting, and eligibility checks.
3. NextGen Healthcare – NextGen is a cloud-based system serving over 155,000 physicians and ambulatory practices. It is designed specifically for private practices and specialists. The solutions include specialty content, a claims clearinghouse, and a patient portal.
4. Athenahealth – Another cloud-based solution, this system is designed for multi-physician groups and hospitals. It offers a modern user interface and can be used with any type of browser. Features include revenue cycle management, billing, patient care coordination, and population health management.
5. Kareo Clinical EHR (covered above)
6. PrognoCIS by Bizmatics – This system is cloud-based, ICD-10 compliant, and MU certified. There are modules for EHR, Practice Management, Patient Portal, and Revenue Cycle Management.
7. Compulink Healthcare Solutions – This is a hybrid medical solution for providers. Functionalities include: EHR, practice management, revenue cycle management, and inventory management.
8. Practice Fusion – This ambulatory EHR platform is ideal for independent medical practices, with the ability to access the system on any device. The features include intuitive charting, e-prescribing, policy support, and seamless connection to lab and imaging providers.
9. CareCloud – This cloud-based management system is designed for ambulatory care centers. Benefits include EMR, practice management, and medical billing.
10. Intergy by Greenway Health – Intergy is a complete ambulatory solution for medical practices with multiple locations. It can be either cloud-based or on-premise. The system helps you maximize efficiency to enhance patient care, improve outcomes, and increase profits.

Manage Care, Manage Your Practice with Electronic Health Record Software

Medical management – whether you operate a private practice, major network or hospital – requires the latest technology. These top electronic health record vendors can make the task simpler, providing innovative solutions for better patient management and outcomes. You can find more information on innovative business solutions, marketing trends, and cybersecurity solutions on BusinessBlogs.