With the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in 2012, HIPAA privacy requirements relative to patient records were strengthened and expanded. The act required that US physicians and medical practitioners transition from paper records to electronic medical records (EMR) by 2014. 

In the years since, adoption has been inconsistent, and medical practices are often plagued by numerous challenges and problems related to EMR adoption and implementation. In this article, Apex Technology outlines several challenges medical practices experience relative to EMR systems, and how our proprietary EMR system addresses those challenges and provides our clients in the medical treatment field the peace of mind that the system they are using is the best available to Charlotte’s medical practitioners.  

Challenges Faced By Practitioners 

As with any organization, deploying a new software tool into the organization’s workflow can be extremely challenging, regardless of the software’s purpose. Deploying an electronic health record solution can be exceptionally challenging to the organization since EMR and the record-keeping process are so integral to a medical practice’s primary workflow. Here are some problems and challenges faced by medical practices looking to either transition from paper record keeping to EMR systems or to change over to a new EHR software. 

Technical Skill Gap in the Team or Increased Learning Curve 

For a practice that has been keeping paper records to transition to a computer-based EHR system, the organization will experience an almost complete paradigm shift in its record-keeping workflow. Mistakes will be made and there will need to be a plan for reviewing and correcting records during the transition phase. 

Similarly, for organizations swapping from one platform to another, there is likely to be a transition period where the practice’s employees have to learn the new interface and methods of inputting patient data. The new software provider should provide support through the transition period as well as robust training to support the process. 

Does the Technology Support New EHR Systems

The medical field is riddled by legacy hardware systems running older operating systems – it’s one of the primary industries where the recently retired Windows 7 still has a significant presence. This makes it hard for practices to adopt new software solutions, as older hardware might struggle to successfully host the new EHR. 

EMR System Doesn’t Match the Practice’s Existing Workflow

For practices that have been operating for any amount of time, routines have been put into place around the existing records management process. Introducing an EMR software without working with the practice to provide customization or adjustment will result in significant errors and omissions over time until the practice either adjusts their workflow or the software adjusts to the practice’s sequencing.  

Privacy

As with any software used for tracking patient health information, EMR’s are targeted by hackers looking to compromise data. The practice would be especially susceptible at the launch of the software, as the learning curve might leave the database vulnerable.  

Apex Technology Has the Answer for Medical Practices in Charlotte Needing an EMR Solution

At Apex Technology, we strive to ensure the software solutions we put into place for our clients to fully address the challenges and requirements the job demands. Our healthcare technology solutions are no exception to this. We provide ongoing support throughout deployment and beyond to our Charlotte-based clientele, and our software is completely HIPAA compliant and our services include ensuring that the practice has the hardware necessary to deploy our software properly. Contact our team of IT professionals to learn more about our healthcare technology solutions for your practice.