Along with so many other transitions, 2020 will be remembered as the year when practicing medicine changed. Although there is no disputing that face-to-face care is preferred in most cases — and necessary in many — remote consultations are here to stay. The provision of health care by telecommunication and videoconferencing (also known as virtual visits) have made telemedicine feasible, but EMRs have made it successful.

Several underutilized features available from EMR manufacturers, such as integrated practice management software with medical record keeping, enhanced workflows, remote scribes, streamlined referrals and various levels of automation, can enable telemedicine as well as elevate your practice during these unprecedented times.

TELEHEALTH SOLUTIONS AND PATIENT PORTALS

Brandon Theophilus, VP, solutions strategy at NextGen Healthcare, explains that their EMR platform fully integrates their practice management, patient care, mobile and patient portal into one package. This becomes particularly useful when using their integrated telehealth solution, Otto, which they acquired in December 2019. Now called NextGen Virtual Visits, the telehealth functionality integrates the usual in-clinic workflow right into the practice’s EMR. The steps:

• The patient schedules a virtual video visit through NextGen Healthcare’s EHR Patient Experience Platform and receives a secure link via e-mail or text message to join the virtual visit.
• The ophthalmologist logs in via any web-enabled device or web browser and can see the patient’s status change in the virtual exam room when the patient joins the HIPAA-compliant appointment.
• Because all database aspects are integrated, documentation and billing can easily follow, remaining directly within the EMR. Additionally, clinical administrative support staff can remotely verify insurance information, complete intake interviews and schedule follow-up appointments.

EMR developer Modernizing Medicine offers similar solutions, including a three-way video chat, according to Michael Rivers, MD, the company’s director of ophthalmology. Front office staff can communicate with the patient through a secure portal, providing cloud-based check-in, payment and follow-up scheduling. The physician and scribe then separately enter the virtual exam room and conduct the visit.

Portals allow for improved interaction between patients and your practice. The EMR software developed by Eye Care Leaders also uses a portal function.

“Eye Care Leaders’ myCare iMedicWare (IMW) Portal allows practices to enhance their patient experience, streamline their operations and quickly troubleshoot errors,” explains Aditi Verma of Entrust Global Group, a representative of Eye Care Leaders.

The IMW Portal, which is part of the basic software package, allows patients to schedule new appointments, fill out forms and send secure online bill payments. This results in improved patient care and efficiency by reducing waiting room times, as patients update their information prior to their appointment, culminating in a rapid check-in experience.

“There is a lower administrative burden as data-entry time is minimized, and there is a reduction in transcription errors since staff no longer need to interpret handwritten patient forms,” explains Ms. Verma.

Because telemedicine was deemed essential in the wake of the pandemic, Nextech created a new telehealth application. “We focused our efforts not only on launching a fully integrated telehealth solution, but also on updating a number of our preexisting solutions that could assist our clients in going contactless, with as many processes as possible,” says Chief Medical Officer Jason Handza, DO. “These included a patient portal with new remote check-in and a virtual waiting room feature, as well as e-prescribing.”

The virtual exam features and patient portals offered by the various EMR companies are sleek and sophisticated, making the provider look savvy and justifying the associated costs of telemedicine to the patient.

COMMUNICATION AND AUTOMATION

EMRs have made sharing information secure and effortless. “Communicating changes about office policies to patients is more important than ever, particularly as we respond to the ever-changing landscape of COVID-19,” Dr. Rivers says. “Modernizing Medicine offers a set of patient-focused communication tools with automated appointment reminders and messaging capabilities.”

Nextech’s EMR offers a service called Shared Care. It allows users to “decide how much patient information to share with other providers,” Dr. Handza says. Shared Care’s features include:

• A HIPAA-compliant environment to provide instant access to shared patient records and encounters.
• Instant access to a network of physicians with thousands of referral opportunities locally and nationwide.
• Assistance with specialty referrals, patient relocation and practice coverage when the physician is out of the office.
• The ability to import multiple diagnostic images from other practices for comparison and follow-up.

Compulink’s EMR “offers Practice Watch to automate reporting, text messaging and other repetitive tasks,” says Heather Bush-Reyes, product director. “For example, automated faxing capabilities allow the referring provider to send letters without monopolizing staff time. Automation has also been used to reduce mouse gestures and clicks, saving the physician an average of 15 clicks per examination. A coding engine has been included to recommend levels of service, automatically attach modifiers and ensure you are not missing any billing items.”

Gus Savloff, vice president of sales at EyeMD EMR, agrees that reducing clicks is necessary for improved efficiency. “Our Fast Plan feature enables doctors to quickly document complex treatment plans; however, many doctors were in the habit of documenting in such a way that they actually bypassed this feature. EyeMD EMR redesigned 2.0 to optimize the workflow, leading doctors down the most efficient workflow path.”

Another way to eliminate clicks is with voice-to-text charting, which is offered by NextGen Healthcare, using Android or iOS platforms.

NextGen Mobile Plus feature, available with a subscription, includes a remote scribe and transcription service that can be utilized for new patients who require more “chair time” but carry a higher reimbursement fee. The service only costs a few dollars per encounter, according to Mr. Theophilus.

OTHER HELPFUL FEATURES

Compulink has an integrated ASC module. “No longer is the practice bogged down by double data entry, manually auditing documentation or relying on paper,” Ms. Bush-Reyes says. “Our ASC module is a completely paperless solution allowing the practice to push information back and forth between the clinic and ASC, making documentation easier, faster and more accurate.”

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) changed the way Medicare reimbursed physicians, emphasizing quality care over patient volume. Eye Care Leaders has an audit process that enables them to work with providers to understand their specific MIPS requirements and can help increase revenue for those who need to report to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Modernizing Medicine offers a built-in MIPS dashboard, which collects structured data during the exam. The company also offers clients a MIPS advisory program for added support.

EMA from Modernizing Medicine is certified with Surescripts, a health information network of clinicians, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacists and other partner organizations that efficiently, but securely share patient data for e-prescribing. The Real-Time Prescription Benefit tool provides therapeutic alternatives, while Electronic Prior Authorization delivers real-time authorization of prescriptions — both while the patient is in your office. It also interfaces with GoodRx, connecting doctors with pricing comparison for thousands of drugs at nearly every pharmacy in the United States.

Although patient care comes first, physicians — particularly practice owners — need to be aware of the dollars and cents of business and practice profitability without requiring an in-depth background in statistics. That’s why NextGen Healthcare offers financial and operational analytics for more than 80 key performance indicators. “These real-time metrics are accessed via an intuitive dashboard,” Mr. Theophilus says.

The feature offers an infographic, eBook and blog to teach users how to effectively utilize these tools. The reports use data-mining capabilities and peer comparisons to help inform decision-making.

Similarly, providers using Nextech’s EMR can visualize pertinent data using prebuilt graphs and snapshots of financial breakdowns and resource utilization and allocation. Using these features, owners can better understand how their practice is performing while identifying problem areas and setting practice goals.

CONCLUSION

Help is available so that you can make better use of your EMR.

Compulink, for example, offers WebEx training as well as a Learning Management System with specific classes to review each EMR feature. Eye Care Leaders and EyeMD EMR have eLearning platforms for continuous online learning and guidance to assist with software-related questions. NextGen Healthcare’s project managers are assigned to assist you with demos of special features. Modernizing Medicine offers virtual training for current and new staff, and supports an online community and knowledge repository.

Now is the time to consult with your EMR provider to discuss the features, functions and benefits that could make you more successful. OM