Electronic Medical Records Buyer's Guide
Introduction to electronic medical records systems
Table of Contents
What is EMR?
Electronic medical records (EMR), also called electronic health records (EHR), allow medical practices to replace traditional patient charts with computerized systems. These systems store physicians' notes, x-rays, prescriptions, and other medical information in electronic format rather than paper files. They make searching for, retrieving, and sharing patient data easier and more efficient.
They are also the primary focus of the federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) which encourages the adoption and standardization of such technology.
Implementing an EMR system offers huge benefits for your medical practice. EMR have been proven to reduce malpractice by curtailing mistakes caused by poor handwriting and by calling attention to possible drug interactions. They streamline billing and insurance procedures by integrating with your medical practice management software.
And they help ensure that your practice complies with the privacy regulations and security standards set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
For all these reasons, choosing the right EMR system for your practice is a critical business decision. This BuyerZone EMR Buyer's Guide will help you ask the right questions to properly evaluate EMR software and vendors so you can find the best solution for your practice.
