Technology continues to improve practically all aspects of our lives – and health information technology is no different. Software and hardware developers are working fast to introduce new innovations and applications to electronic health records (EHR) technology that will dramatically improve the delivery of health care.
Recently the first iPad-native EHR platform gained ONC-ATCB certification qualifying it for Meaningful Use incentives. Then after just three short weeks after gaining certification, the same developer launched an iOS app to replace paper-based patient check-in. This new patient check-in app can be integrated into a medical practice as a stand-alone application as well as integrates with the iPad EHR platform. Many other top-rated EHR software developers are in the process of introducing similar iPad and tablet capability to their EHR platforms.
This new app digitizes the waiting room and eliminates significant barriers to mass adoption of patient check-in technology. The app is designed to be intuitive for both physician and patient users to create a better patient check-in experience.
The app features customizable templates that enable physicians to eliminate traditional paper forms and clipboards in the waiting room. The functionality of the app allows patients to:
Complete family medical history and demographic information.
Snap a profile photo.
Sign the required HIPPA consent form with digital signature.
Complete insurance forms.
The information is then populated to the EHR platform providing accuracy, convenience, and a little more fun to a doctor’s visit. As a patient, imagine visiting a new doctor prepared to complete several time consuming forms and instead being handed an iPad.
This tool will also eliminate patients having to complete duplicate forms and will simplify the review of their information and make any necessary changes on the iPad. For the operations of the practice, entering insurance information alone takes a lot of time not to mention having to decipher patient’s handwriting that may lead to data input errors and inaccurate recorded health history.
People love gadgets and this technology will not only enhance the patient experience, it will save medical practices time and money too.
Another EHR innovation building momentum is medical speech recognition solutions. The technology is designed to help clinicians create medical notes directly into their EHR platform in real-time. With this real-time, voice-driven clinical documentation capability, clinicians will become empowered to capture a more complete patient story. This feature alone will enhance the patient experience and improve overall care, while enabling healthcare professionals to feel they are not sacrificing precious time.
Leveraging this technology is also saving medical practices money, particularly in smaller practices. A leading developer of this technology has validated that these practices are saving as much as $10,000 per clinician, per year in reduced medical transcription costs. The technology also helps decrease report turnaround time, improve the comprehensiveness of patient medical records, which leads to more accurate reimbursement.
With this improved speech recognition technology, the patient will feel they are being heard and the physician will be equipped with the information to provide better and efficient care. Now that’s a win-win.
Frank J.Rosello is CEO & Co-Founder of Environmental Intelligence LLC.
Environmental Intelligence LLC is a Complete Outsourced Health IT Company providing End-to-End meaningful physician workflows consulting, integration, and implementation in (EHR) Electronic Health Records and Practice Management to private and public medical practices and facilities differentiated by our experienced, physician driven administrative staff and dedicated IT team.