Typically, physicians, nurses, medical transcriptionists and hospital staff members spend many of their waking moments recording and carefully filing information about patients they have treated. Countless rooms have been constructed in physicians’ practices and in hospitals to hold all of this information. When the patient is separated from his information by sudden illness while traveling or an unexpected accident, it is virtually useless if the treating physician cannot obtain it quickly. New computer technology is available to help every member of the medical community with this heavy workload and to see that the patient has the very best care provided to meet his specific needs. Doctors in many practices and hospitals are using handheld wireless computers that can instantly retrieve up-to-the-minute test results, any allergies known, history of treatment and all other information on file with a simple touch of the screen. |
Dr. James Holly, founding partner and CEO of SETMA; Ike Ellison, vice president for business development for NextGen; Pat Cline, founder, president and CEO of NextGen.
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And, this information can be accessed by doctors from anywhere with a password, computer and modem. Many physicians have stated publicly that these computerized systems make care more efficient, and certainly time-saving.
In fact, Pat Cline, founder and CEO of NextGen Healthcare Information Systems Inc., a subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc., said that more than 20,000 providers are using the electronic records software founded in 1996. Quality Systems, the parent company of NextGen, has been in business for more than 25 years developing and marketing computer-based practice management and electronic medical records systems for medical and dental group practices.
Cline said, "The Electronic Medical Records module is designed to improve quality, reduce risk, cut costs and increase revenues. It creates and maintains complete medical records with minimal effort while it streamlines workflow, controls utilization, and manages critical data related to patient care outcomes. NextGen EMR automatically creates documents and letters, manages prescriptions and clinical images, provides patient education, and exchanges data with other systems within, and external to, the enterprise."
Dr. James Holly, founding partner and CEO of Southeast Texas Medical Associates in Beaumont, is an avid user and proponent of NextGen, and ably demonstrated some of its advantages in a visit to SETMA this week. Dr. Holly said, "NextGen EMR here in the SETMA practice delivers a variety of clinical and administrative benefits that enhance patient productivity and give providers more time to focus on patient care. We have found that using the computerized record keeping and management in this practice that it allows us to see more patients without decreasing face-to-face encounter time, provides an improved management of referral and eligibility data and optimizes coding and improves managed care." Dr. Holly added that the program minimizes transcription costs and reduces supply, storage and chart access costs related to the maintenance of paper records, and increases employee productivity.
One of the most important things noted in the demonstration in the SETMA office was the improvement in the quality of the documentation. No handwriting or quickly taken notes had to be deciphered and placed in the file. Liability risks were reduced and the security and integrity of the data was maintained. Seeing every part of a patient’s file quickly improves patient safety by allowing the treating physician to see medications currently being prescribed, allergies and past illnesses, surgical procedures and outcomes.
Should a patient become ill away from home, or distanced from his regular medical provider, his electronic medical record can be sent upon request. Records are securely monitored for safety and privacy issues and can only be seen with the use of password.
Dr. Holly pointed out that the physician also benefits from the electronic medical record keeping and practice management because the doctor has access to patient information at the point of care when he is with the patient. "It also improves outcomes through patient health tracking and clinical alerts, and speeds responses to patients and increases the satisfaction experienced by them.
Another feature is that the system promotes proactive care management and increased collaboration among the provider team caring for an individual. And, it provides diagnosis support, clinical reference information and patient education."
SETMA has been a pioneer in the use of electronic medical record keeping and practice management and has been the recipient of several awards including the Microsoft Clinic of the Year International, American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation - Exemplary Practices in the U.S.A. and Physician Practice Magazine’s Southwest Regional Clinic of the Year. Dr. Barbara Fleming, assistant to the director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, wrote, "When we talk about systems of care, electronic records, practice management, etc. and need a poster child, I recommend Dr. Holly. The American Medical Association loves him, too."
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