Medical practices everywhere are getting affected by the governmental budget cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance reimbursements. Thus considering the use and implementation of EMR has become important for practices. Medicare has changed the guidelines and the change in these guidelines directly affects the reimbursements rates. With EMR it gets easier to enter the detailed and complex medical information regarding the patients in order to get maximum reimbursements.

Improved Revenue 

Coding and billing is time consuming but at the same time it’s important to practitioners as they receive maximum payments for the services they offer.  If a certain code is entered incorrectly while using paper based system which happens often, then the practitioner will not be able to receive the full payment and the claim can be rejected.

Using the EMR practices can perform better coding that result in decrease in claim rejections and faster payment. Processing the claims for private insurances gets easier and reimbursements are received faster.

Increase in Quality of Care

Using the EMR system patients can access the patient records 24/7. Doctors can view the lab results and EMR system helps alert practitioners in case when abnormal ranges are posted. EMR helps saves time while treating the patient efficiently. Prescriptions are sent to the pharmacies at a single click of a mouse.

Financial Incentives 

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was created to help grow fuel the economy. The Act provides financial incentives to Eligible Professionals who have achieved the Meaningful Use. These incentives are issued through Medicaid and Medicare to EPs and hospitals. Thus implementing an EMR system is a benefit to both physicians and patients and it provides monetary benefits as well.

Accurate Documentation 

Documentation gets much easier and faster which means that practitioners can spend more time with patients. Some of the EMRs offer patient portals that allow patients to easily communicate with their practitioners and at the same time view their medical information. Using the patient portals patients can easily schedule their appointments, and patients further receive reminders through email and text messages.

Reduction in Expenses

Practices can experience reduction in cost by streamlining their tasks. Streamlining the tasks helps reduce paper work and time. Medical documents are automatically generated and help eliminate transcription costs and reduce the expenses by eliminating the need for paper and paper files.  

Risk Reduction 

An EMR that is properly encrypted have a low risk in facing any legal issues. Issues with EMR system erupts when there is a breach of electronic data and patients medical records are altered.

Using EMRs practices can avoid that as EMRs keep track of the practice personnel who have access to the patient’s medical records.

When the patient’s medical data is in paper form then the biggest fear is that how easily it can be lost. Data can be lost by misplacing or misfiling the medical records or the whole data can be lost in case of a fire or theft or a natural disaster. Using the EMRs patient medical record information is kept secure by eliminating the possibility of loss of data.
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