Optimization Tips
Do you have a love-hate relationship with your electronic health record (EHR) software? Well, sometimes getting over the hump - as they say- means tailoring it to your needs. Whatever your specialty, you need an EHR workflow that can best help you treat your patients. Here are some great tips I found from the Texas Medical Association.
Work closely with your EHR vendor
Establish a relationship that allows you to ask questions and solve problems quickly.
Get familiar with your Electronic Health Record
Find out what the software can and can't do. Also, identify the options that are helpful or irrelevant to your workflow. Build on the former and get rid of the latter.
Designate a staff champion
Identify at least one person on staff to keep up with electronic health record updates and new developments.
Reduce or eliminate clicks
Look for ways to reduce the number of times you have to move from screen to screen or item to item. Voice recognition software may let you stop using the keyboard altogether.
Get staff input
Set up a system by which staff people can regularly discuss what works and what doesn't in the electronic health record.
Leverage your EHR
The EHR has a wealth of information about your patients. Make sure you know how to access and analyze that data to improve patient health.
Keep the process going
The EHR and the needs of your patients will evolve over time. Make sure your practice is evolving with them
Push for better EHRs
Always ask vendors for better options and make suggestions based on your experience.
Additional Resources
Have questions? I’m here to help.
