What is a patient portal? Like the name suggests, a patient portal can serve as a door to your medical practice. Unlike the doors of your brick and mortar office space, however, the portal is designed to always be open, giving patients access to a variety of helpful information and services. The more medical organizations can empower their patients, such as by giving them easier access to the vital information they desire, the more they will feel engaged with the practice. This can go a long way when it comes to patient satisfaction and retention, and can also lead to new business as patients refer their friends and family to you because they are pleased with the many benefits of using the patient portal you’ve set up.

Medical organizations typically record and store a great deal of confidential information about their patients, and it’s of paramount importance that they take all necessary precautions to safeguard this data. The consequences of unauthorized people gaining access to private medical data can be disastrous. Patients could run into trouble with criminals stealing their identity, draining their bank accounts, and having their most private medical information exposed to people who have no business seeing it.

Medical organizations using electronic health record or EHR software need to get ready for the upcoming switch to the latest International Classification of Disease code set. ICD-9, the previous version of the code, dates back to more than a decade ago and is being phased out around the world. The United States government is requiring all users to begin implementing ICD-10 by October 1, 2015.

It’s not uncommon for people to learn how to use a system to the point of proficiency. Then, they resume going about their daily work routines without giving much of a thought to how they will need to change their behavior when the system is improved and upgraded. Medical organizations from across the country will need to take this fact about human nature into account when they consider their use of Electronic Health Record or EHR software in the face of the impending switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10. Transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 With the advent of computerization in the medical industry, standards were needed to encourage more precise communication among health care providers, insurance entities, the government, and researchers. The World Health Organization developed and maintains the International Classification of Diseases or ICD code. It is updated once every decade, and the latest code is already gaining ground across the globe. The United States government has extended the deadline for medical organizations to transition to ICD-10 by October 1, 2015. If your organization hasn’t yet begun making preparations for the big change, it’s not too late. It’s important to go with a software company that has a good reputation and a proven track record of excellent customer service to make sure your team will make a smooth transition to ICD-10.

If your radiology practice has been using radiology information or RIS software for a while now, you already know about the many benefits of using this technology to speed up workflow and achieve greater efficiencies and cost savings. For example, you can use radiology software to store X-ray and CT scans so they are accessible directly from a patient’s chart. You can use the system to make this information available to other specialists, such as when a consult is called for. If you haven’t yet connected your radiology software with electronic health record or EHR software, you will want to consider implementing this solution as soon as possible.

One of the best areas a radiology practice can make real improvements is in its automated, computerized systems.

Many of your patients will be in discomfort from illness, injury, and worries about their condition. Even if they aren’t suffering from such problems, they typically will find it more unpleasant the longer they have to wait or fill out what seems like a ceaseless barrage of repetitive paperwork. Prudent owners and managers of medical organizations are quite aware that it’s in the best interest of your organization to make patients feel as comfortable as possible. Accordingly, we’d like to present tips to make your patients fall in love with your practice. Don’t Make Patients Wait While You Call Their Insurance Company Your patients are likely already feeling under the weather or apprehensive about their situation. There’s no need to make them wait at the reception desk while your staff remains on hold trying to reach someone at the insurance company. Use electronic health record or EHR software to communicate quickly and efficiently with insurance entities. Your staff can easily check a patient’s insurance status with a few clicks of the keyboard. The faster you process patients, the quicker your medical team can move them out of the waiting room and get started with diagnosis and treatment.

As computers become a more common feature in medical organizations, the benefits of using Electronic Health Record software systems have become increasingly clear. EHR systems are designed to help organizations enter, store and retrieve important patient data for a variety of purposes both from a medical and a financial perspective. You use EHR software to track and treat your patients, as well as connect with insurance agencies and government entities. Whether your organization is new to using EHR software, or you have been using it for a while, you can always benefit from tips on selecting or upgrading your EHR system. Evaluate Your Staff’s Particular Needs Before Selecting or Upgrading EHR Software If your organization doesn’t currently use an EHR system, it’s wise to discuss electronic health records with your staff and to evaluate what they need before you select a new system. If your team already has experience with EHR, consult with them to find out what works and what they still need before you make a decision about upgrading the software.

Managing a patient’s pain is essential for recuperation and well being. When patients are in pain, it’s more difficult to get better. The stress of pain and discomfort, especially when they are chronic, can even contribute to patients taking a turn for the worst. When medical groups begin implementing electronic health record software solutions, they are often motivated by the prospect of saving time, improving efficiency and being able to communicate more effectively with governmental and insurance entities, as well as other healthcare providers. As the boss or owner of a medical organization, there are some features that your team will want in EHR software to help you with pain management. Make Sure Your EHR Software Can Scale Up Even if your practice is working wonders in the community in terms of managing pain, it’s a good idea to recognize the importance of using EHR software that is scalable. Assume your practice will continue to grow and that you will need to help even more patients in the future. Verify that your prospective EHR software can not only accommodate the number of pain management professionals on your staff, but that it will also scale up as you add new members to your team.

Many medical practices prefer to remain independent because they are happy with their patient load and the freedom they enjoy in practicing the healing arts as they see fit. However, the price of independence can mean worries about the financial aspects of the business and issues with retaining employees as well as patients. If you’ve ever received an offer from a hospital or other major health organization to sell your medical practice and refused it because you want to keep your practice independent, you may be wondering what you can do to help ensure that you not only thrive but continue to succeed and grow. You should know that the right partnership with software companies can really make a difference in helping your medical practice remain independent without being alone. Your Own IT Department You can consider that an outside software firm will serve as a virtual IT department devoted to helping you and your practice. You’ll want to take advantage of all the training materials and customer help that the software firm provides, of course, and allocate sufficient time for staff training. If you have a medical practice that continues to use an old-fashioned paper-based system to handle patient charts, insurance and other documentation, you will most assuredly want to use the latest in electronic health record and related software solutions.