Facialcenter

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How to automate your medical office?

We think of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) but much more is necessary.

Appointments
Eligibility
Authorizations
Posting
Charge Capture
Payroll
Check writing
Inventory

An EMR may contain appointment scheduling, hopefully linked to the EMR for demographics.

Then, once patient shows up in office, you will need to collect co-pay and give receipt.

Quickbooks works well for this. Then on checkout you can invoice for charged services or give a sales receipt, accepting payment in Cash, Credit Card or Check.

Body:

How to automate your medical office?

We think of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) but much more is necessary.

Appointments
Eligibility
Authorizations
Posting
Charge Capture
Payroll
Check writing
Inventory

An EMR may contain appointment scheduling, hopefully linked to the EMR for demographics.

Then, once patient shows up in office, you will need to collect co-pay and give receipt.

Quickbooks works well for this. Then on checkout, you can invoice for charged services or give a sales receipt, accepting payment in Cash, Credit Card or Check.

Our receptionist enters data into FOUR separate programs at this time. Medical Manager, ACT, Quickbooks and Dymo.

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We use the check writing, inventory and online banking modules. All work fine, but recently updated from 2006 to 2009 and had to have some support from Intuit.

One of our problems related to 3-user package and remote backup on in-office server.

Then, the finding that *.lmr files are not converted caused some difficulty and could NOT be fixed.

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There are many EMR's available. Free and paid. Some are open-source such as VistA, from the VA, provided by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Downloadable from www.foia.state.gov

Others are not free and in fact charge a great deal for installation and maintenance.

A good article at Wikipedia is worth reviewing (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_medical_record) and a comparison of EHR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_EHR_software_solutions)

Practicefusion (www.practicefusion.com) is a free EMR, soon to have eRx.

Open source systems for Computerized Patient Record Systems (CPRS)adopted for commercial use include:
    Open Vista (www.medsphere.com)
    WorldVista (www.worldvista.org)
    vxVista (www.docstorsys.com/index.htm)
    BlueCliff (www.bluecliffinc.com/vistaemr)
    OndemandCARE (www.sequencemanagers.com/)
    MELE Associates

For a fee, often hefty, several larger software groups have EMR and PM that are integrated. Some are hosted via ASP and/or local.
    Allscripts-ASP and local
    Athenahealth-ASP model
    GE-Centricity Ambulatory which is merger of Millbrook and Logician
    EPIC-Kaiser uses
    Nextgen
    Cerner
    eClinicalworks-Sams Club has a discounted price.
    eMDs
    iMedica
    Alteer
    Allmeds

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Many EMR's are available. Free and paid. Some are open-source such as VistA, from the VA hospital system, availible by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Downloadable from www.foia.state.gov

Others are not free and in fact charge a great deal for installation and maintenance.

A good article at Wikipedia is worth reviewing (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_medical_record) and a comparison of EHR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_EHR_software_solutions)

Practicefusion (www.practicefusion.com) is an interesting option. Free, supported by ads. makes money by selling services such as chart scanning etc. can import data from Excel or data base. Will have eRx soon.

Open source systems for Computerized Patient Record Systems (CPRS) based on VistA include:

FREE-some
Open Vista
WorldVista
vxVista
BlueCliff
OndemandCARE

PAID-some
Allscripts
Nextgen
Centricity Office

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With the federal push for EMR's, beginning in ernest in 2009, electronic prescriptions will be one of the necessities in order to have a meaningful program.

We have tried the free product form Allscripts, called NEPSI. You must enroll and be authenticated. Then you can enter data manually, bulk data upload form existing database, or an interface to your billing system or practice management system. At present, we are uploading it ourselves but plan to get interface going soon.

Download Electronic Prescribing

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You will need to always maintain your computer, whether a client on a network or your own home PC or MAC.

Set up Microsoft Updates to be automatic on a novice computer.

SETUP

I recommend the old school ida of setting up a C and D drive, perhaps TWO separate physical hard drives. Put the programs on C: and the data on D:

Some feel that msconfig helps reduce extra systems running, as well as defragging software helps de-fragment hard drives. You access these on a PC via STARTUP, RUN and CMD and msconfig.

In My Computer and Properties you will see your hard drives. Right click and select _____

BACKUPS

Backups are most important, both local and remote. Locally, you will need a Network Attached Storage device (NAS) Buffalo Terastation is nice. Other external hard drive system that backs up data on regular and automated intervals as a secondary system.

Then, either a routine DVD or other copy of data files is best.

Remote backup is great as third level of redundancy. Sites such as Carbonite, Mozy, and Intuit are some to be considered.

Download Security

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ACT is a great database program from SAGE. This program is an excellent contact manager but can be modified for use in a medical environment.

Multiple fields are set up to match history and physical exam areas of interest.

We set up some to be blank and thus filled in individually, and others to use default templates.

This setup can be used to mai-merge to WORD or ACT word processor to develop an HP, OP report and insurance company letter.

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Dymo printers can be used for labels.

We print a label to identify each patient chart with ID number, which for now is best until we have a full electornic medical record or EMR.

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PM software can be local or remote.

We think it should be related and from same provider as your EMR if possible to avoid finger-pointing.

We have used Medical Manager for years hosted locally; we have transitioned to an ASP model, using Medical Manager with PDS. Using them, we have an appointment system linked to our patient demographics, and can review notes and insurance information.

For a clearinghouse we use Instamed, who helps us with Eligibility and Electronic Remittance. Credit card processing is available.

PDS is transitioning to a web-based system.

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We are located in La Jolla California, on the campus of Scripps Memorial Hosptial.

Coastal/Facialcenter physicians specialize in the head and Neck region.

As such, we treat both medical and surgical problems including:

Facial Cosmetic Surgery - Nose, Eye, Face, Ear, Brow

Sinusitis - FESS surgery using InstaTrak

Voice disorders - Videostroboscopy, Vocal Cord augmentation, Speech assessment

Tonsillitis - Tonsillectomy

Ear - infection, hearing loss

Lymph gland problems - infection, lymphoma

Thyroid disease - benign nodules and malignacy

Cancer of the head and neck - Oral, Larynx, Pharynx

Botox 15units $270
Restylane 1cc $470

THCB

WSJ Health Blog

Government IT

Monthly archive

Primary links

Recent blog posts

Home

We are located in La Jolla California, on the campus of Scripps Memorial Hosptial.

Coastal/Facialcenter physicians specialize in the head and Neck region.

As such, we treat both medical and surgical problems including:

Facial Cosmetic Surgery - Nose, Eye, Face, Ear, Brow

Sinusitis - FESS surgery using InstaTrak

Voice disorders - Videostroboscopy, Vocal Cord augmentation, Speech assessment

Tonsillitis - Tonsillectomy

Ear - infection, hearing loss

Lymph gland problems - infection, lymphoma

Thyroid disease - benign nodules and malignacy

Cancer of the head and neck - Oral, Larynx, Pharynx

Botox 15units $270 Restylane 1cc $470

THCB

WSJ Health Blog

Government IT

Monthly archive

Botox 15units $270
Restylane 1cc $470