Harry E Selent enjoys helping medical offices successfully implement electronic medical billing software and electronic medical records software and is pleased to announce medisoft emr software and Medisoft Clinical - providing cost effective emr software solutions for single and small medical practices.

1. EMR Software Adoption - 8 Driving Forces Prodding You to
Adopt Electronic Medical Records
The art of record keeping has always involved some form of words, images, or diagrams
that were generally written to paper. In the case of many medical offices, their regular
method of keeping records has often relied on paper charting. Usually, a collection of
patient forms, test results, X-rays, and doctor notations are kept in a folder and filed
away in alphabetical order for later use.
Paper charting had become such a routine measure in storing information that many
medical offices have rejected electronic means of medical record keeping, yet, in this
day and age, a variety of factors are causing more and more medical practices to make
the switch to EMR Software for medical records management and storage. Below you
will find eight reasons and factors influencing this decision:
1) Paper Charting Takes Up Too Much Space
For each patient attached to a medical office, a file is assigned, which contains their
initial paperwork, insurance information, and any other details that surround their visit
and various diagnoses. Over the years, the amount of paperwork for just one patient can
become overwhelming, taking up space in a designated record room or collecting dust in
the basement of a building. To free up office space, using medisoft clinical emr is highly
recommended for more current patient records, while older files can be transferred to
disk for offsite storage.
2) Lack of Privacy
A lower level of privacy is connected to medical offices that follow paper charting.
Folders are arranged in cabinets or on shelves (usually in alphabetical order), making
accessing a particular patient's medical history much easier for the average office
worker. When office hours have concluded and the cleaning crew arrives, there really
isn’t much stopping curious individuals from peering inside the tempting folders filled with
information. By switching to an electronic filing system, records are password-protected
– keeping unauthorized parties out of the private records of patients.
3) Papers Get Lost Too Easily
Papers have a knack of becoming misplaced, lost, or simply falling onto the floor when
someone passes by a desk. The misplacement of just one piece of paper in a patient's
file could make the difference between life and death or hinder a doctor in accurately
coming to a conclusion when diagnosing a medical problem. Lost paper-chartered
information also tends to lead to a loss of time, money, and productivity, as missing test
results and insurance information cause redundancy in the work place. With accurate
electronic record keeping, computer terminals linked throughout the office allows
doctors, nurses, and receptionists to quickly pull up important information pertaining to a
patient. To avoid an unfortunate loss of information, medical offices should regularly
backup their computers and take backups off-site.
4) Transferring Information Becomes Harder

2. There are two different transfer issues that appear when dealing with paper-charted
patient information. The first deals with the transfer of information to doctors or patients
located in a different state and sometimes in a different country. At times, the immediate
receipt of patient records is needed in order to save a life. When their records are kept in
paper form, someone has to physically gather appropriate documents, and then scan or
fax the information. In some cases, the process could turn out to become a lengthy
ordeal. When records are kept in electronic form, doctors may share information with
others with the simple click of the mouse. The transfer and sharing of medical
information is much easier and faster.
Another transfer issue occurs when a medical office has decided to relocate into another
building, meaning that all folders and files need to travel as well. When patient records
are in paper form, they need to become packed for removal and then later sorted out in
their new location. The risk of losing vital files and information can seriously threaten the
privacy and safety of a patient's personal information. With electronic means of file
keeping, the transfer of information is made relatively painless for relocations both near
and far.
5) Hard-to-Read Handwriting
In the world of medicine, a multitude of doctors have been notoriously criticized for their
sloppy handwriting and abbreviations made on patient charts and when writing out
prescriptions. Some instances have been so severe that mis-diagnosis and receiving the
wrong medication/dosage have been the result. With electronic means of record keeping
– there are no intangible scribbles to decipher. Easy-to-read typed notes and enhanced
approaches towards categorizing information allows doctors and other interested parties
to easily locate details on a patient.
6) Potential for Damage
Paper charting relies on paper products that over time begin to lose their durability,
strength, and clarity. Over time, the inevitable wear and tear that comes from multiple
hands and fingers passing over filed papers and folders increases potential damage.
Papers become frayed, smudged, torn, or faded, and are also susceptible to smoke
damage, fires, a faulty sprinkler system, flooding, and age. Once a file leaves its place in
a cabinet or shelf, it also becomes fair game for destruction, as a clumsy employee may
accidentally spill a cup of coffee on papers. With electronic record keeping, the only
damage to files that occurs is through the Internet (if applicable) and through computer
malfunction; all of which can be avoided when backup disks, files, and databases are
made.
7) Portability
Carrying around bulky medical files from one place to another increases the risk
regarding a breach of private information, misplacement, or potential damage. For a
doctor taking his or her work home or to an offsite location, the process becomes rather
cumbersome, as a physician must sort through stacks of folders, files, and papers.
Doctors who store patient details in an electronic form can easily access the files of their
patients wherever they may gain access to a computer. The security of personal
information and medical circumstances are also better protected when doctors rely on
password-protected files.

3. 8) Towards a Green Environment
When a medical office switches from paper charting to electronic means of record
keeping, they refrain from using the products made from much-needed trees in the
world.
9) Patient Care
We were amazed back in the 1990's when we were selling alot of voice dictation
software to doctors. We pitched the techology saying that it would decrease healthcare
costs, which it did (and that same thing is happening now with EMR Software, its being
pitched as costing savings by the Obama Stimulus Plan). However, the serendipity that
we discovered what the patient care increased dramatically because what used to take a
few days for a doctor to dictate a note, get it to transcription, get it back, review it, then
put it in the chart, now took minutes. This meant that decisions could be made quicker,
which meant less costs overall, and much better patient care.
Overall, medical offices that switch from using paper charting to emr software or
electronic medical records software are able to increase the security, ease, and
accuracy of both their patients' files and doctor duties.
We invite doctors to visit our website at www.medicalcharting.com to view a demo, and
request a free, no obliglation rate quote for implementing EMR software in their medical
office, or call us at 888-691-8058 or 941-743-6666.