For virtually all practices out there, it's no secret that the federal government is offering $36 billion worth of incentives for practices that incorporate electronic health records (EHR) into their system.
Of course, EHR adoption offers more benefits for a practice than just free government money (although that benefit is usually what gets everyone’s attention). There are several other tangible benefits a practice can enjoy by going down the EHR track.
Here are four EHR benefits for providers who make the transition and perfect their systems.
Less Paperwork
Paperwork has been the bane of many providers throughout the modern era of medicine. Fortunately, going electronic can eliminate massive amounts of paperwork and streamline the process.
A practice that drowns in paperwork can find itself on dry land by adopting EHR processes. This not only makes records easier to find; it also physically reduces the need for storage for all of those paper records and documents.
Increased Productivity and Efficiency
One hallmark of EHRs is the fact that they are inherently more efficient, leading to higher productivity.
This is made possible by things like centralized chart management, faster access to patient information through quick queries, and access to information from virtually anywhere (leading to better coordination of care, as we'll talk about below).
Faster, easier communication made possible by EHR adoption is one reason why this process is more efficient. You can communicate better with other providers, pharmacies, diagnostic centers, and insurance companies, and can share information easier. There are also automated features you can incorporate into your system that work well with EHRs.
Superior Patient Care
Of course, EHRs don't just benefit providers; they also benefit patients by allowing for better care.
Coordination of care between multiple providers, both inside and outside a practice, is the obvious benefit. With electronic records, a patient's information is at the fingertips of anyone who needs it, from a general practitioner to a specialist, an anesthesiologist, or anyone else.
This inevitably leads to more accurate diagnoses, better long-term management of illnesses and conditions, and treatment that more closely matches the diagnosis.
EHR Adoption for Anesthesia Providers
Anesthesia providers can also benefit from EHR adoption, not just for the incentives but also for the benefits listed above. There are additional benefits, which go further to prove that EHR implementation is highly recommended for anesthesia practices who want to increase productivity, save time, and improve efficiency while furthering patient care.
