Electronic Medical Record also referred to as EMR is one of the best things to happen to the healthcare sector. When it came into existence, it was believed to change the way the medical sector functioned, and it did to some extent.
However, with time the requirements of the medical sector increased and so the expectations from EMR. At the moment, the healthcare sector is very dependent on the EMR as it has far transcended the actual purpose it was designed for. Now EMRs do and are expected to do a lot more than just storing the medical record of a patient in digital form.
So, if you are looking for a new EMR system, then you must ensure that it has the required features in it. We have listed these features so that you can choose an EMR that will be able to serve the purpose. Let’s have a look:
Easy Patient Scheduling
The medical sector is already a chaotic place, and an efficient EMR with easy patient scheduling feature can undoubtedly manage it. An EMR should allow the hospital staff to set appointments and schedule visits of the patients. It should also send prior notifications to patients as well as doctors to streamline meetings. This system will help avoid any chaos and improve the efficiency of the hospital.
Patient Portals
Information is of no use unless organized, and when it comes to hospitals, there is a ton of data that needs efficient handling. An EMR can make it possible if it has the patient portal feature. Using it, all the necessary info about the patient such as lab results, allergies, immunizations, discharge summaries, recent doctor visits etc. can be stored in one place. It also allows the patient to keep track of their check-ups and everything around their treatment. Patient portals increase the productivity of the staff as well as improve the patient experience.
Electronic Prescription
Gone are the days of handwritten prescriptions on paper; digital is the way forward. So, an EMR system must have the e-prescription feature. This facility enables doctors to write and send prescriptions electronically to the patients. One of its significant benefits is that it reduces the probability of mistakes. Without e-prescriptions, the medications may be wrongly interpreted and distributed to the patient.
Easy Access
The healthcare sector is an unpredictable space. You never know when and where you might need to access a patient’s details. An ideal EMR system must facilitate easy accessibility on both PC and MAC. It should also be compatible with Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and other different browsers. The Electronic Medical Record systems should allow 24*7 accessibility of patient’s data on all the devices for efficient treatment.
Interoperability
Interoperability is the ability of the EMR systems to exchange a patient’s data with other EMR systems hassle-free. The purpose of EMR can’t be fulfilled without interoperability. It’s crucial to share the patient’s data with other EMR systems as it will offer flexibility to the patient of getting treated wherever they want. With Interoperability, a complete historical data of the patient can be easily accessed even if he/she decides to switch hospitals. They don’t need to go through the entire process again. It saves money and time both for the patients as well as the doctors. So, a smart EMR must have the interoperability feature.
Lab Integration
We all understand the fact that the healthcare sector is very dependent on labs to function smoothly. Without lab tests, it’s impossible to imagine the medical sector. So, the EMR system must be able to monitor the delivery results of lab samples digitally. This increases the efficiency of doctors as well as the support staff in the hospitals. So, the lab integration feature should be present in every EMR system.
Ability to Create Templates
Why do we create templates? The answer to this question is that it saves us time and also increases our speed of doing work. The same applies to hospitals too. Tons of documentation is involved in the healthcare sector, and a lot of time, the information that has to be documented is similar. This is where templates can help. So, if the EMR system is capable of creating templates, then staff can do a lot of similar tasks very quickly. A lot of time of hospital staff gets wasted in doing redundant work and templates can help in freeing up some of it.
Simple UI
You can have as many features in a system but if its user interface is very complicated, then that system would be of no use. The healthcare sector is always in a rush, and if a system that is very crucial for it has a complicated UI which is challenging to understand, then it can have a negative impact. As the EMR is designed to improve the healthcare sector, it should be able to do that. It should have an intuitive and interactive user interface which anyone can learn and use effortlessly.
Today, the EMR system is not just for medical records, it has to serve numerous purposes, and for that, it needs the features mentioned above. Also, it’s not just about having the features available; it’s about the necessity of the healthcare sector, and a smarter EMR with the advancements can help fulfil many needs of this sector.
So, if you are planning to get an EMR system, then do look for the essential features so that you can work well and serve well.
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