by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
Most clinicians typically use paper charts as they diagnose and recommend treatment to patients. The introduction of electronic medical record (EMR) software improved this practice by automating the creation of electronic patient records, which can be easily stored, accessed, and shared with other physicians and care providers. EMR software facilitates historical data tracking for preventive screening and checkups and improves the overall quality of patient care.
In 2021 alone, the EMR software market was valued at over $29 million and is expected to reach more than $47 million within five years. This growth can be attributed to the efficiency delivered by EMR software as it improves documentation by as much as 50% (Businesswire, 2022). Since the passage of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act in 2009 to spur technological advances in science and health, EMR software has continued to grow (HIPAA Journal, 2022).
If you are taking the path toward a career in healthcare administration, you will definitely get acquainted with all the technologies used in providing optimal patient care. The EMR platforms listed in this guide have been identified by the Research.com team as the best EMR software on the market today. To help you in choosing the best platform for your practice, EMR software statistics and trends are provided, including the key features and pricing of each product.
Every patient consulting a doctor will most likely agree that repeating your symptoms for each consultation can get really tiring. Healthcare is one sector that can greatly benefit from technology through faster and more accurate access to patient records, which can improve the quality of care.
Technology can automate and simplify the electronic record management process. Since the introduction of technology in healthcare, the automation of processes has improved patient outcomes. Here, we discuss the current EMR software statistics that are shaping this sector.
Since 2015, physicians have used healthcare technology to integrate, send, receive, and search for health information. The total number of physicians using EMR and EHR significantly increased from 10% in 2019 to 16% in 2021 (ONC, 2021).
Source: National Center for Health Statistics
Healthcare providers support the use of EMR software. Their positive perception is driven by the ease of using the system and the completeness of patient data. A cross-sectional study published in 2021 found that among care providers, 70% prefer using EMR over charting, 60% find that EMR provides more complete patient data compared to paper medical records, 83% think that EMR will be more useful to them if they are involved in the design and rollout, and 89% plan to use EMR in their future practice (Bisrat et al., 2021)
As such, government initiatives were created to encourage healthcare providers to adopt electronic medical technology. Among these are improving data quality at the point of capture, providing efficient data storage and discovery services, enabling data harmonization for research use, integrating emerging health and relevant data sources, and supporting data aggregation.
However, as with every technology adoption, implementing EMR software has its challenges. Bisrat et al (2021) identified poor ICT infrastructure (21%) and lack of training and follow-up (38%) as among the major reasons for the failure of EMR systems in some hospitals (Bisrat et al., 2021).
Nonetheless, it was also revealed that 32% to 45% of respondents suggest that the commitment and involvement of all medical staff would result in successful EMR implementation. This would involve good organizational change management, the involvement of higher-level management, and an interdisciplinary team with IT experience, training, and incentive mechanisms (Bisrat et al., 2021).
Technological advancements and the growing need to improve patient care have driven the demand for EMR over the years. Other driving factors include cost reduction and better patient satisfaction. The following EMR software trends are set to influence the system infrastructure and how healthcare providers and organizations will use it.
Increased use of wearable devices. The wearable medical technology market is expected to grow to $95.4 billion by 2028 (Stratview Research, 2022). This is due to the increasing popularity of smartwatches and fitness bands. A wearable healthcare device uses sensors, actuators, and electronic patches to monitor patient health, which can automatically update their health record. Wearables can be integrated with EMR software. This information will give doctors an insight into the overall health status of the patient.
Source: Stratview Research
The following EMR software have been selected by the Research.com team based on the tools for managing patient records. These include the effective capturing and maintaining of patient records, the management of patient-specific problem lists, medication tracking, and clinical note-taking. The following software offer features that promote efficiency in patient management and elevate patient care.
Epic is a software development company specializing in proprietary telehealth technologies for large organizations such as hospitals. They provide cloud-based healthcare solutions that focus on patient engagement and remote care. This includes a comprehensive patient portal, mobile app, and other telehealth options.
Epic offers standard EHR features. What makes this platform unique is it allows medical professionals to add modules based on their specialties. This high level of customization ensures that practice workflow will be completely captured, thus improving overall operations.
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Offering award-winning and intuitive healthcare solutions, ModMed offers an integrated telehealth platform for the improvement of healthcare. Its specialty-specific EHR system for various types of doctors features synchronous audio and video telemedicine capabilities. This allows specialty physicians to continuously treat their patients remotely.
The audio and video features enable practitioners to reach vulnerable patient communities easily. Hence, they can screen patients wherever they are and meet them before renewing their prescriptions while reducing the risk of exposure.
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NextGen Healthcare offers flexible and scalable EMR software solutions to medium-sized and ambulatory medical practices. These include enterprise-level medical organizations and practices with multiple locations.
Supporting more than 100,000 caregivers, NextGen Healthcare has customizable features that can suit the needs of your practice. It provides tailor-made clinical content, intuitive workflow, and integrated patient experience. Included are tools for telehealth options for on-premise and managed cloud hosting.
NextGen Healthcare’s EMR solution is priced at $299 per provider per month.
WebPT is an EMR software that offers comprehensive patient documentation that lets users create custom evaluation profiles. Designed by therapists for therapists, WebPT comes with auto-scored outcome tools that instantly update patient data.
WebPT is a trusted outpatient rehab therapy software. It is an all-in-one platform that allows rehab therapy professionals to run successful and efficient practices. As a cloud-based application, WebPT allows therapists to access patient data anytime and anywhere.
Pricing for WebPT starts at $99 per month per provider.
Oracle Cerner is an EMR software that provides intuitive and secure tools that drive informed decisions. As a provider of digital information solutions in hospitals and health systems, Oracle Cerner enables clinicians to make evidence-based decisions.
This platform offers various Java and cloud-based library solutions ideal for small and midsize medical practices that deliver behavioral health services. Using Oracle Cerner can reduce treatment discrepancies and enhance care for common high-risk disorders.
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Pabau is a CRM platform for the healthcare service industry that offers all-in-one software for running a clinic. If you are aiming for a paperless workflow in your practice, Pabau is the EMR software for you. From online booking to billing, this EMR software offers a solution that helps clinicians manage every aspect of their practice.
Pabau allows patients to book online appointments, while clinicians can view their records in one place. Patients can receive automatic emails and appointment reminders, eliminating the need for clinicians to do repetitive administrative tasks.
By quote. A free trial is available for practices with less than 50 clients.
TherapyNotes is an EMR system for mental and behavioral health practices. This solution has various specialty note templates for psychotherapy, psychiatry, and behavioral health. You can create and customize treatment plans, progress notes, psychological evaluations, termination notes, and more.
This cloud-hosted platform is designed for mental/behavioral practice and integrates EHR and practice management. Among the tools offered are patient notes, electronic billing, payment processing, and scheduling. In addition, TherapyNotes is compliant with regulatory requirements.
Pricing for TheraphyNotes starts at $49 per user per month for private practices and $25 per user per month for non-profits.
athenahealth is an award-winning application that provides cloud-based EHR services, medical billing and revenue cycle management, patient engagement, and care coordination. It has a homepage where medical professionals can review their daily schedule and patient information.
The athenahealth network enables seamless patient record sharing, and offers customizable workflows for efficient and accurate documentation. This EMR solution also has a billing module that streamlines the invoicing and payment processes.
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Practice Fusion is an EHR platform that includes a smart charting tool that lets practitioners chart efficiently. It is an intuitive platform that has automatic favorites lists and notes assist shortcuts that dynamically populate patient information.
With Practice Fusion. Practitioners can chart naturally as it automatically searches for diagnosis codes by keyword. Using flowsheets, it reviews patient health longitudinally and comes with complete dictation and transcription support.
Pricing starts at $149 per provider per month.
Intergy is a user-friendly and customizable specialty-focused EMR software for ambulatory services. This allows physicians and clinicians to manage patients with chronic conditions and verify payer incentives.
This solution provides consolidated functionality for medical professionals who want to thrive in the value-based care industry. With Intergy’s simplified notation, automation, and workflow optimization, you can focus on your patients rather than on tedious administrative tasks.
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The Kipu EMR is designed for facilities that cater to substance use disorder (SUD), eating disorders, and other behavioral health treatment facilities. It is a cloud-based, end-to-end platform with CRM and billing functionalities, patient outcome measurement, and built-in communication tools.
This EMR software also allows therapists to track and document a patient’s care continuum with the help of Golden Thread. Designed for behavioral healthcare, Kipu EMR includes a patient dashboard that promotes efficiency in operations.
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Sevocity is a cloud-based EMR solution that offers customizable features. This means you can tailor the platform based on your specialty, practice, and provider preferences. Sevocity provides free training and seamless integration.
The software is used in over 30 specialties and has pre-built templates and practice-specific workflows. As an ONC 2015-compliant software, Sevocity includes an ePrescribing feature, direct email, automated updates, MIPS reporting, and an E&M coding calculator.
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AdvancedMD is an EMR platform that offers a unified suite of solutions for mental health, physical therapy, healthcare organizations, and independent practices. It has an efficient EMR and EHR dashboard that provides schedule snapshots and work volume alongside critical items that need to be prioritized.
One of its key features is the Integrated Workflow where physicians and clinicians can automate a patient’s journey. This includes booking an appointment for on-site or virtual visits. Patients can also receive automated notifications via SMS, improving their experience.
Pricing for AdvancedMD is provided upon request.
Azalea Health is a cloud-based EHR software that provides practice management, revenue cycle management, and telehealth solutions. Suitable for community and rural healthcare settings, this platform allows for SOAP notes documentation and captures billing in one place. In addition, it can be integrated with laboratory software for quick requisition of lab test orders.
It also has a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform that enables real-time charting. The unique selling point of Azalea health is the unified patient data system. This allows practitioners and clinicians to access a single record to get patient history as well as the most current diagnosis.
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ClinicSource is a physical therapy EMR software that covers documentation, scheduling, billing, and practice management. It maximizes the efficiency and profitability of therapy practice by seamlessly integrating the EMR program with other essential tools.
Mainly catering to therapy practices, ClinicSource makes scheduling appointments easy and documentation fast. It also has a database that stores patient information, claims, invoices, and medical records. Ultimately, the benefit of using the EMR solution is that medical professionals can spend more time with patients and less on paperwork.
Pricing for ClinicSource Therapy Practice Management starts at $72.95 per month.
Ultimately, EMR software can help improve the quality of care you provide to your patients. It will also allow you to manage your practice efficiently by reducing paperwork and automating repetitive tasks such as scheduling appointments.
To enhance patient care in your practice, follow these steps for EMR implementation:
Once the contracts are negotiated and signed, you are ready to plan the EMR implementation in your practice.
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by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
