Columbia Orthopaedic Group Case Study
In 2013, business continued to thrive for the Columbia Orthopaedic Group. Dr. Patrick Smith, an orthopaedic surgeon and longtime physician for the Tigers football team, had just begun to direct a sports medicine fellowship program at the University of Missouri while his colleague and expert surgeon, Dr. Byron Tarbox, made history by performing the very first subchondroplasty procedure west of the Mississippi River.
And while all 26 physicians who comprised the practice continued to advance their work under the roof of a brand new 72,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility, the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system they relied on remained woefully outdated.
“Our selection process started with eight EHRs claiming to be orthopaedic-specific, or for whom orthopaedics was a major component of their customer base,” says Gene Austin, CEO at Columbia Orthopaedic Group. Unfortunately, however, very few lived up to the claim.
The Ultimate Solution
Exscribe EHR is the first EHR system of its kind developed by orthopedists for orthopaedic practices, which means its workflow is ready to implement without requiring time-consuming or extensive customization on the part of the physician. Rather, its built-in clinical knowledge base allows physicians to create custom one-click treatment plans for specific conditions.
“It is a specialty-specific EHR designed to support and enhance the efficient workflow of orthopaedic physicians,” says Austin. “The Exscribe workflow is much more physician friendly than that of the first EHR our group had implemented.”
In other words, Exscribe won out by living up to the claims of its competitors. In addition, Exscribe impresses orthopedists by offering integration with leading practice management systems, optional integration with PACS, fax and other systems as well as e-prescribing and a patient portal.
For Physicians and Administrators
In addition to easy-to-use workflows, simplified documentation means doctors can focus more intently on their patients.
“Providers taking advantage of the Exscribe functionality are always more productive,” notes Austin. “Documentation support for the precertification process is more streamlined with Exscribe, which speeds up patient treatment and aids in the claims filing process. Plus, due to a streamlined documentation process, the Group recouped the software investment within two years.”
Exscribe’s EHR also ensures better coordination of care among clinical staff. Any time a physician logs in, the data displayed is up-to-date and pertinent to his or her practice. If a chart is done by hand, on the other hand, two doctors might accidentally find themselves looking at two different versions of the same medical document, which leads to mistakes down the road.
Exscribe EHR enables orthopedists to use “one click” treatment plans for specific conditions, including orders for surgery, therapy, prescriptions and patient education. This streamlined process prevents repetitive data entry and enables quick reimbursements on submitted claims.
For Patients
Centralized records available at all times and in full compliance with HIPAA requirements eliminates the time and frustration associated with medical paperwork that too many patients – already under stress – experience. Exscribe makes engagement with their health data easy.
Thanks to the simple record-keeping system of Exscribe EHR, patients are able to access all of the information they need concerning appointments and messaging from one simple interface. The user-friendly patient portal allows patients control over their own health information and the ability to educate themselves on a secured network. Patients can complete health history forms, request prescription refills, review their medical records and view education materials.
Conclusion
As a busy 26 physician orthopaedic group in practice for 50+ years, Columbia Orthopaedic Group needed a simple, uncluttered EHR interface that focused on the specialized needs of orthopaedics.
After almost three years, the resulting partnership between Exscribe and Columbia Orthopaedic Group has led to better patient care and an improved quality of life for physicians. “I am seeing the same number of patients as before, but now I am done at the end of clinic,” says Dr. Mark Adams. “I don’t need to come back later to finish dictating.”
And he’s not alone.
Today a growing number of orthopaedic practices throughout the U.S. rely on Exscribe EHR to streamline their workflow and maximize productivity.
Guided by an advisory board of active surgeons, practice administrators, and industry consultants, Exscribe is committed to making your life easier – so you can focus on what matters: improving the lives of your patients.
