ROI rules: 3 steps to realizing EHR profitability quickly and easily

Achieving return on investment (ROI) on a new electronic health record (EHR) system can be difficult, but it is one of the most critical aspects to successful implementation.

From selecting the right system to streamlining its integration into the practice management function of your office to optimizing training time for staff members, realizing a solid return on the investment you make can result in a world of difference for your chiropractic practice’s overall profitability and productivity.

1. The Right Stuff

The key to selecting the right system for your practice involves keeping a keen eye on the system’s usability and ability to integrate with your office’s practice management functions. Selecting a system with cloud­based delivery can also augment your bottom line, since this form of delivery circumvents the need for costly in­house equipment and information technology professionals.

Regarding usability, the system you select should be intuitive – easily understood by those who will be using the system on a daily basis. Select a system that offers the minimum amount of mouse clicks and screen openings to get the job done. This will reduce training time and documentation times, which means higher patient volume – and profitability – for your practice.

2. Plays Well with Practice Management

As we said, it’s crucial that your EHR system be able to deliver seamless practice management capabilities that can track, manage and bill patients. The system should be able to automatically administer patient scheduling as well as billing and collection tasks. This takes the time­intensive burden of overseeing patient appointments/cancellations off of front­office staff so those team members can shift their focus on other matters than can ultimately increase profitability. This also mitigates the need for costly third­party services that you pay to conduct collections and related activities.

3. Tips on Training

An easy­to­use system will reduce training time and get your staff up and running as quickly as possible. Your system provider should also be able to help you organize and map out workflows for each user of the system, as well as provide customized training for these users so the new EHR can enhance – not hinder – productivity.

Make sure you make implementation a team effort by explaining to employees the importance of going paperless and how it can improve their personal job performance. The more people who buy into the new system up­front, the sooner you will realize savings from its implementation, which is key to seeing your investment efforts pay off.