Optimizing Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems is a crucial topic that demands attention from healthcare professionals. From the perspectives of a CEO & plastic surgeon and a medical director, this article offers invaluable strategies to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes. Discover how eliminating paperwork with EHR tablets and adopting standardized clinical templates can transform your practice. This post features eight expert insights that promise to revolutionize your approach to EHRs.
- Eliminate Paperwork with EHR Tablets
- Implement Two-Way Real-Time Syncing
- Use Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning
- Track Metrics and Offer Patient Training
- Integrate Reminders and Automated Follow-ups
- Standardize Workflows and Optimize Processes
- Categorize Essentials for Efficient EHR
- Adopt Standardized Clinical Templates
Eliminate Paperwork with EHR Tablets
Part of the problem with paper forms is that people simply do not want to take the time to fill them out, and this is where EHR has really helped our office. Patients often find waiting rooms uncomfortable, and paperwork always adds to the anxiety, leading many to just give a half-hearted effort in filling out forms, leaving us in the dark about crucial information.
Going to an EHR system through the use of tablets eliminates the clumsiness of paperwork, helps put our patients at ease, and allows them to fill out forms with the details that we need to increase safety and better our services. By incorporating EHR systems, we have been able to streamline our data-collection process and acquire the details we need to improve our overall practice.
Robert Applebaum
CEO & Plasitic Surgeon, ApplebaumMD.com
Implement Two-Way Real-Time Syncing
A powerful move to optimize EHR systems is two-way real-time syncing. This involves connecting all the data across different tools and platforms seamlessly—such as scheduling, patient intake, and communication platforms. Linking them up ensures full alignment between different teams, cuts down on manual input, saves time, and reduces errors.
Another benefit is ensuring real-time updates and notifications to your team in the communication tool of their choice. Why is this important? It prevents duplicative work, keeps patient records accurate, and enables healthcare providers to make informed decisions more quickly. It’s also vital to simplify the doctors’ and nurses’ experience, particularly when working with older systems, which in turn improves overall healthcare delivery and reduces physician burnout.
Conno Christou
CEO & Co-Founder, Keragon
Use Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning
Implementing predictive analytics and machine learning in our Electronic Health Record systems was one of the best strategies I’ve used to enhance healthcare delivery. This approach allowed us to identify patients at risk of adverse health events before they even manifested.
For instance, I remember a patient who had a history of heart problems but hadn’t come in for a checkup in a while. By analyzing data patterns, we could see that her risk levels were rising, prompting us to reach out and schedule an appointment. It felt rewarding to be proactive, knowing we could potentially prevent serious complications just by paying attention to the data.
As a healthcare professional, I can’t stress enough how impactful this has been for our team. We’ve witnessed a significant improvement in patient outcomes, which is ultimately what drives us in this field. Early patient engagement has increased communication and trust, resulting in a more cooperative healthcare environment. Also, by taking care of problems before they get worse, it has lessened the load on emergency services. Being proactive not only improves our care but also provides me comfort in knowing that we are genuinely improving the lives of our patients.
Maria Knobel
Medical Director, Medical Cert UK
Track Metrics and Offer Patient Training
The key strategy I’ve implemented in my office with our EHR system is ensuring patient compliance by tracking important metrics like glucose, weight, and body circumference. Additionally, we have a shared file accessible through the patient’s portal, allowing any of my providers or me to quickly review lab reports or patient history to ensure proper care. We also offer live chat support, where patients can reach out, and any of our trained providers can assist them with their concerns.
Furthermore, we provide a training option to help patients learn how to maintain their health. In addition to my blogs and YouTube videos, we actively educate our patients, which has significantly improved both their outcomes and the overall quality of our services.
Dr. Jonathan Spages
Doctor, Author, Advanced Natural Health Center
Integrate Reminders and Automated Follow-ups
As an experienced dentist with years of experience, one strategy I’ve implemented to optimize our EHR system is integrating customized templates for different dental procedures. By creating specific, easy-to-use templates for common treatments, we’ve drastically reduced the time spent on charting, allowing us to focus more on patient care. The system also includes reminders for follow-up visits and automated health alerts based on patient history. This not only makes the process more efficient, but also ensures that nothing important falls through the cracks.
This approach has improved overall healthcare delivery by providing a more personalized and organized workflow. Patients appreciate how quickly we can retrieve their records, and the system helps track treatment progress effectively. Additionally, by analyzing data from EHR reports, we can identify trends and gaps in patient care, leading to better outcomes through more targeted interventions.
Nagesh Chakka
Dentist, Positive Dental Health
Standardize Workflows and Optimize Processes
Electronic Health Record systems act as the backbone of modern healthcare systems. EHR is crucial in improving patient care and operational efficiency. As a VP of Technology Solutions at OSP, I have mentored numerous projects where we have optimized EHR systems for healthcare providers.
I recall a project where we helped a client optimize the EHR system by deploying workflow optimization and standardization. We aimed to redesign and refine healthcare processes and standardize a uniform procedure across the organization.
To implement the strategy, our team comprehensively assessed the organization’s existing workflow. We collaborated with the client and interviewed their team to understand their needs. With data analysis and observation, our experts identified areas that could be improved.
The challenging part was to look out for the bottlenecks causing delayed patient care. And we detected all the manual processes that could have been automated.
The client asked us to create separate guidelines for procedures, like patient intake and discharge processes. We leveraged the best practices and achieved a nearly 30% reduction in patient wait times.
After implementing the redesigned EHR system, we conducted adequate training sessions to educate staff about the new workflows. Additionally, we extended technical support to ensure adherence to standard protocols.
The outcomes were more than satisfactory for the client. The newly optimized and standardized EHR system improved data accuracy and accessibility. Data entry errors were reduced, and access to relevant patient information became easier. Our optimized EHR solution enhanced team coordination and communication, leading to effective patient care through its consistent procedures.
Automation of manual processes reduced the time spent on administrative tasks. The client’s organization saved time and invested it in direct patient care. Ultimately, we helped the client enhance patient outcomes, empowering them with quicker diagnoses and treatments.
Our thought behind using workflow optimization was to improve the EHR system. Developing the EHR will eventually improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
John Russo
VP of Healthcare Solutions, OSP Labs
Categorize Essentials for Efficient EHR
One strategy I’ve employed to optimize EHR systems is focusing on the essentials that actually matter. I split it into sub-stacks, like creating categories—patient history, treatment outcomes, and real-time data tracking. This isn’t about adding extra features, but about refining the system to work more efficiently, so healthcare providers can get what they need faster. It’s similar to how I’ve recommended key books—you don’t need everything, just what truly works. This approach has helped improve overall healthcare delivery by making the system more practical and focused.
Zita Chriszto
Licensed Psychologist, Dubai Psychology
Adopt Standardized Clinical Templates
A standardized clinical template is one method of optimizing Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems that has worked for me. We ensure that data is consistent and available more easily by creating templates specific to a particular condition or patient demographics.
By reducing the time it takes for healthcare providers to document their work without compromising accuracy, this approach reduces the possibility of errors and the risk of failing to record important patient data. This data can be quickly found when needed. This results in better-informed decisions by clinicians, leading to better patient outcomes and an overall streamlining of the healthcare delivery system. Interoperability between different EHR systems is also improved with the adoption of standardized templates, fostering better coordination of care between different healthcare settings.
Monelle Burrus
Family Nurse Practitioner and Health Expert, Verve Health
