Practice Management Software & EMR - Single Source or Best-of-Breed?

1. Practice Management Software

2. Practice Management Software & EMR - Single Source or Best-of-Breed?

3. Introduction One thing is certain - we are living in the era when medicine is irreversibly making technology a vital component of record keeping, practice management and ultimately, patient care. From government initiatives and mandates to private payer incentive programs, the push is definitely on for doctors to embrace not only electronic claim submission through their practice management system (PMS), but also the adoption of electronic medical records systems. Knowing that you'll need to implement this type of software is one thing, figuring out which programs are best for you is an entirely different matter. If you do a little research, you will find that there are over 300 companies that market practice management software. Dig a little deeper and you'll find that there is another 300 plus companies that say they have and EMR solution. To cloud the issue further, some vendors offer all-in-one or single source solutions while others stick to their niche and offer either a PMS or an EMR solution only (best-of-breed). Even if you find software vendors that you think are reputable and have good software, you usually have to choose between a single source and a best-of-breed solution.

4. A Single Source Solution Although both PMS and EMR are meant to be used in the same doctor's office, they have completely different functions. Practice management software typically handles the billing and scheduling while EMR packages are on the clinical side - assisting practitioners with note creation, storing patient charts electronically, managing test results, X-rays, etc. While both systems are used by different people with different job functions, they are both involved in managing the same business transaction: the patient encounter. Doesn't it make sense for these two software systems to work together seamlessly, passing information back and forth as the patient wends his or her way through a doctor visit? The short answer: yes, absolutely. One approach to getting your PMS and EMR programs to work together is to find one company that sells and supports both programs. Often bundled or sold as a suite, these single source solutions offer the promise of seamlessly integrating the office workflow. Other benefits can include having only one contract to sign and one point of contact for sales, service and support.

5. Best-of-Breed On the EMR side, the clinical demands on a system can be radically different from specialty to specialty. For example, the need to track dosage regimens and patient progress over long periods of time by an oncology practice is completely different from the types of clinical support a family practice might need, which differs even more from the needs of an orthopedic surgeon. Because of this EMR specialization, many practices have opted to go with an EMR vendor that has a long history and extensive expertise in their particular specialty. They choose the best-of-breed for their specialty. While EMR tends to cater to specific specialties, practice management tends to be a bit more generic. Most offices have similar needs for scheduling, billing and collections. That is not to say there aren't many best-of-breed choices to be made with practice management. There are wide ranges in cost, complexity and technology. Some systems have been designed for single doctor offices while others are priced for very large groups and clinics. Practice management best-of-breed choices often come down to the extras: features beyond basic scheduling and billing, ease-of-use and the quality of service and support.

6. Full Integration Model A third approach is emerging for PMS and EMR integration that can provide the benefits of both the single source and best-of-breed. This approach, which I'll term full integration, is when best-of-breed PMS and EMR vendors partner and enhance their products so that they work seamlessly together. Many systems have been interfaced so that basic information such as check-in and patient demographics are passed from the practice management system to the EMR. A deeply integrated solution would include all of those typical interface functions plus much more. For example, systems can be deeply integrated to achieve the following benefits: Improved Workflow Management - Going well beyond basic check-in/check-out functions, deeply integrated systems can share workflow messaging, tasks, procedure charges and provide a single point for login and authentication. For example, after seeing a patient, the nurse practitioner could send a message or task from the EMR screen to the front desk PMS screen. Single Source Benefits - Similar to purchasing a complete system from a single vendor, companies that have successfully integrated their products can offer many of the advantages of the single source one-stop-shop. When considering the purchase of deeply integrated systems, you may have one point of contact for sales. Companies that have successfully partnered may also offer streamlined contracts and pricing, making it easier to understand your total investment.

7. Conclusion At this time, the market for Practice management software PMS and EMR is still dominated by stand-alone applications that may or may not be best in their breed. Increasingly, vendors are feeling pressure to offer complete, turnkey solutions. As a result, companies are acquiring other companies in the hopes of providing complete solutions. Still others are opting to develop the parts they need to offer what they feel will be a complete solution. A few companies have realized the considerable expense and risk involved with acquisitions and development and have opted to partner with other solutions to fill out their product offering. If you can find companies that have partnered to provide a complete solution AND they are each best-in-breed AND are experienced in your specialty and type of practice, you might want to strongly consider going with the deeply integrated solution. Source: http://EzineArticles.com/738624

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