How the Right EHR System Can Save Your Orthopedic Practice Money
More than 80 percent of doctors have already implemented Electronic Healthcare Records (EHR) systems. While the initial challenges to setting up an EHR system may seem intimidating, when done correctly, these systems offer many benefits. If you’re running an orthopedic practice, problems like employee errors and dwindling revenue may be costing you big time. Some orthopedic practices are hesitant to spend money on this technology, but with careful planning, implementing the right EHR system can result in savings.
Improved Productivity in the Office
At first, orthopedic practices report that it takes a bit of time to learn to use a new EHR system and adapting and redesigning workflow can take some time. However, as the practice’s entire staff learns to leverage the power of the system, productivity will increase, which results in big savings. After staff members and physicians become familiar with the system, billing processes, scheduling, and documenting patient visits takes far less time. With a specialty-specific EHR system for an orthopedic practice, staff and physicians won’t be left navigating a system that doesn’t meet the practice’s needs. The right, specialty-specific system will meet the specific needs of an orthopedic practice, increase productivity and overall efficiency. Increased productivity makes it possible to schedule more appointments than before, boosting revenue for the orthopedic practice.
Save Time to Save Money
Going with a general EHR system for your orthopedic practice can leave you struggling to find practice-specific information. This not only wastes time, but it makes your office more prone to errors. With system specifically designed for your specialty, it’s easy to find the information you need quickly. You’ll save money on costly errors, and staff members and physicians will save time, too, which results in monetary savings for the practice.
Orthopedic Practice Revenue Watchdog
The right EHR system also has the potential to be a practice revenue watchdog, helping you make sure that you aren’t losing money and helping you find ways where you can increase revenue. It takes away a lot of the human error that can cost your practice big time. When programmed correctly, these systems can alert you if a patient checks into your orthopedic practice and no payment is ever made. It’ll make it easier to catch patients that try to bypass checkout without the staff noticing. These systems can also make sure that you don’t miss any charges for a patient visit. For example, if a patient is charged for a medication delivered by injection, the computer can ensure that there’s a charge for the injection as well to ensure your practice isn’t missing out on associated charges for each patient visit.
Gain More Office Space
Going digital with an EHR system also offers the benefit of more office space, and that can also save your practice money. Once paper files are scanned and store in the system, you’ll no longer need to store all those paper patient files at your orthopedic practice. That extra office space can be turned into another exam room to help bring in more revenue for your practice. Freeing up space with the right EHR system gives small orthopedic practices the chance to grow, whether the practice decides to have existing orthopedic surgeons take on more patients or they decide to bring in another associate.
Allows for Cutbacks in Staff
Orthopedic practices that use paper records generally spend $2,000 or more per month on a medical records clerk. By implementing an EHR system, the need for a full-time medical records clerk is eliminated, which offers huge savings. If a practice doesn’t want to let a staff member go, then a medical records clerk can be cross-trained for other jobs, reducing the workload for other staff members and reducing the overtime paid out.
Choosing the right EHR system can improve your orthopedic practice in several ways, and in the long run, it can save your practice a significant amount of time and money. If you’re ready to boost revenue, save money, and increase productivity, learn more about implementing a specialty-specific EHR system for your orthopedic practice today.
