Comprehensively covers the selection and implementation of electronic medical records for the physician practice.
The Second Edition of the breakthrough book for medical practices eager to minimize the costs, confusion and outright risks of choosing and implementing an Electronic Medical Record system. By Ronald Sterling, CPA, MBA (paperback, 304 pages).
Ron Sterling
The 1st Edition of Keys to EMR Success was the HIMSS Book of the Year Award and was selected because it, "comprehensively covers the selection and implementation of electronic medical records for the physician practice. The book contains solid advice, work lists, and other tools to help physicians and office managers succeed in leveraging EMRs to improve patient services and practice performance."
In this revised Edition, nationally recognized expert Ron Sterling has included up-to-date information on this daily-changing topic of Health IT. A new chapter on EHR and Malpractice Risk has been added as well as detailed coverage of conversion issues for practices that have an old EMR. New additions also on ARRA and Meaningful Use, helped many medical practices evaluate whether an EHR investment makes sense.
The book starts with an overview of preparing the practice for technology, from there, Ron Sterling helps the reader define requirements, choose the right system, get physician and staff buy-in, and take the system "live" as smoothly as possible. Now, in Keys to EMR/EHR Success, 2nd Edition, Sterling translates his experience into a step-by-step process any medical practice can follow with ease, from first considering an EHR, all the way through post-implementation training and updates.
"There is no question," says Sterling that the selection and implementation of an EHR is a 'bet-the-practice' proposition. If you fail, you end up with more costs and greater frustration. On the other hand, few practices will be able to avoid implementing EHRs these tools become necessary to meet patient expectations, payer quality requirements and pay-for-performance demands." Keys to EMR/EHR Success provides a proven path medical practices can follow with ease – and the confidence they’re making the right decisions about features, vendors, integration with the practice management system, and other critical factors.
Chapter 1: Should I Invest in an EHR? Who should — and shouldn’t —make the leap.
Chapter 2: Evaluating an EHR Investment How to compare the system’s cost to potential ROI in patient care, document management, compliance, and other key practice areas.
Chapter 3: Your Practice Management System and an EHR Best practices for getting these systems to work together — and with your practice management team.
Chapter 4: Compiling a Practice-Focused Evaluation List How to define requirements and anticipate features you’ll need in the future.
Chapter 5: EHR and Malpractice Risk Covering patient service and operations risk issues faced by medical practices that have an EHR.
Chapter 6: Selecting Products to Review Narrowing the field of 400 EMR products to find the best candidates for your practice.
Chapter 7: Reviewing Products for Your Practice How to complete due diligence in two months, including what to look in demos.
Chapter 8: Making a Final Decision Using a weighted score system … and asking the right questions about server support, hardware specs, and other potential hidden costs.
Chapter 9: Negotiating a Contract How to avoid tricky situations with warranties, termination clauses, upfront fees, and more.
Chapter 10: Implementing an EHR. From clinical standards and policies, to data conversion and training: who does what, when.
Chapter 11: Activating an EHR How to keep personnel and logistics issues from sabotaging your success with the EMR system.
Chapter 12: Supporting an EHR Maintaining standards (e.g., clinical charting), motivating proficiency, training new employees, and regularly refreshing staff EMR skills.
BONUS!...an EHR glossary and an up-to-date list of CCHIT Certified vendors and products including company names, contact information and dates of certification.
Ron Sterling, CPA is President of Sterling Solutions, Ltd., Silver Spring, MD. A nationally recognized expert on practice-based computer tools, he has authored four books the topic, has reviewed electronic medical record and practice management systems from over 150 vendors, and has guided a variety of primary care and specialty practices in over 30 states in the selection and implementation of electronic medical record and practice management systems.
