EMR Software And How It Can Benefit Your Medical Practice

Rather you are a physician, a dentist, or chiropractor; the day of the electronic medical record is upon us.Not so long ago, all medical practices maintained paper charts for all patients. In fact it is estimated that today, less than 30% of offices have gone to a true electronic medical record.. The stimulus package signed into law on February 17, 2009 by President Obama offers monetary incentives for medical offices to convert their paper charts to a certified medical record. To be eligible for these incentives the qualified physician's office must also utilize the EMR in a "meaningful" way. Meaningful, is defined by legislation as:
Eligible professionals must submit information for the period on the clinical quality measures and other measures selected by the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, also known as HHSAdministrative, clerical, and supply costs are also slashed by the implementation of an EMR. Patient data is available at the fingertips of all users from any preprogrammed PC, laptop, or thin client. Time, salaries, and paper costs decrease by not having the need to search for patient charts and there is virtually no filing, copying, or re-filing involved. As an added bonus, more than one user can view charts simultaneously. This gives the practice improved access and control to better focus on quality of care.

Starting in 2011, "meaningful" users can earn up to $44,000 under the Medicare plan and up to $64,000 from Medicaid.