While many small facilities are putting off the switch to electronic medical records due to the magnitude of the project, these institutions have much to gain by implementing the software. For example, a recent report demonstrated that EMR software helped diabetes patients receive a higher standard of care than the traditional pen-and-paper method.
Another reason to switch to the new technology may be the free publicity it can provide. In the latest issue of U.S. News and World report, the media outlet detailed an extensive list of the Most Connected Hospitals in America. This distinction was given to the organizations who have already achieved Stage 6 or 7 on the HIMSS Analytics EMRAM, according to InformationWeek.
By making the switch and powering ahead with the transition, hospitals can join the 4 percent of U.S. healthcare facilities that have embraced the technology at a similar level, according to the news source. And earn the praise that comes from being a leader in the field using sophisticated technology like software provide Medisoft or Practice Choice.
Ben Harder, the general manager for health at U.S. News and World Report talked to InformationWeek about the reasons many of the hospitals who received a high ranking had adopted EMR software.
"[An advanced EMR] has a significant input into quality when used appropriately," Harder told the media outlet. "I think it's more evidence that hospitals that have reached this stage have real improvements in quality and efficiency."
While the list was confined to major U.S. hospitals, small providers can look to the list as a point of guidance. The findings may convince these doctors and facility mangers that it's time to make the switch. To start, these professionals may want to seek the guidance of an experienced company that can take the burden that comes with the installation process off the shoulders of an already overworked staff.
Once it's implemented, the facility could even earn praise from other healthcare publications and facilities in the field for its willingness to adopt methods – such as those provided by Allscripts or Lytec – that can increase patient safety.