Privately owned podiatry practices—along with much of the medical provider community—are experiencing an unprecedented amount of change when it comes to technology. In an effort to increase operational efficiency, many are embracing things like electronic health records (EHR) and practice management systems that can make everything from patient check-in and scheduling to coding and billing more streamlined.
Whether you transitioned to these software programs years ago or you’re exploring them for the first time now, one thing that can significantly improve efficiency within your clinic is integration between your EHR and practice management systems.
Scheduling & Check-In
When a patient calls to schedule, that information is entered into your practice management software. The basics—including demographic information and insurance coverage—will ensure proper patient billing and the ability to contact your patients. Having an EHR that is integrated with your practice management system allows all that demographic data to transfer seamlessly into the electronic medical record as soon as the patient arrives for check-in, and the podiatrist begins the visit. No need to manually transfer information, which creates opportunities for error.
During the Visit
During a patient visit, podiatrists can easily work in the EHR to include information about the reason for the visit, treatment protocols, and other observations, SOAP notes or photos of injuries and disease. These things are securely stored and can provide information to coders as they prepare to bill for the services. Integrated systems make it easier for your billing team or third-party medical billing service to get necessary documentation.
Check-Out & Post-Visit
At check-out your front office staff can easily find information from the patient visit to provide accurate discharge instructions or disease information, as well as collect payment for services if required. In an integrated system, information is instantly available to the billing staff to submit a claim and avoid unnecessary delays that could limit your ability to collect payment.
Bonus Efficiency Tip: Patient Portals
In addition to the benefits of integration with the EHR and practice management software, adding a patient portal that is also connected to both systems allows patients to access their medical records, pay bills, message providers, and more without extra phone calls or unnecessary appointments.
Find out more about how easy it is to integrate your EHR and practice management systems for podiatry clinics. Hippocratic Solutions partners with AdvancedMD to provide the best EHR and practice management systems for podiatry. Schedule a demo to learn more today.
