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2. Billing Systems vs. EMR
(Electronic Medical Records)
OVERVIEW – This section raises the issue of whether
practice management software is over designed, overly
complicated, and
over priced.
It asks the question whether the needs of smaller medical
practices are largely ignored by software developers whose interest
lay along the lines of attractive monthly
support contracts and who naturally lean towards the cost
efficiencies afforded by larger practices (small practices offer neither
large purchases nor large support contracts).
What makes practice software so expensive?
..and: Are the prices justified?
– Debunking The EMR
Myth
Amid continual disillusionment, the trend among medical offices has been a drive towards
the elusive “paperless office” via Electronic Health/Medical Records (EMR
/ EHR) systems. Software developers produce elagant
solutions that address every function within a medical office, and doctors are told they need it. As it plays out today, even the
best of these systems range from expensive to enormously expensive, they
have steep learning curves, are cumbersome and time consuming to use; and
instead of simplifying office tasks, they complicate them. The down time
to implement these systems can break a practice. The office manager is no longer running a medical practice but
managing a monster disguised as a software system; and the functions of
billing and patient accounting are several times more complicated than
when done by hand.
THE PROBLEM? Does the average healthcare practice actually need an
end-to-end clinical solution - one that was more than likely designed for the needs of a
larger practice? Is a full blown EMR what every practice really needs? Is
the expense a necessity? Or
is there a case for a
simpler, cheaper solution.
REAL NEEDS: The advantage of maintaining a patient data base is
evident; and if insurance claims aren’t submitted regularly, the cash flow
stops (which means the whole show stops) so billing must continue
uninterrupted. As well, the need for sound financial reporting is
essential; but, when it comes to charting and managing medical notes a surprisingly low number of
doctors use a software program to do so. Today's numbers reveal that only 14% of all medical practices in the U.S. have an EMR that offers important features such as e-prescribing and electronic lab results, and the average cost
to implement these systems is above $40,000 per physician.
So, the doctor really needs to get paid for his work; the office manager needs
her financial reports, and the whole practice grinds to a halt if claims
aren’t sent in. But if the dream of
a “paperless office” is not the critical application driving the
purchase of practice software in today's market, what is?
CASH FLOW: In
contrast to investing in sophisticated EMRs, practices today are leaning
towards simpler
Patient Billing Systems
that handle all patient accounting, claims management, but that also offer
excellent financial reporting.
Although stand alone 'Billing Systems' are primarily made for the
functions of patient billing, some interface with many EMRs.
This new generation of medical billing
software is more akin to QuickBooks but designed especially for patient
accounting and electronic claims processing.
Some are simple
desktop applications
that do not require an expensive Network or Server, but can run on ordinary
personal computers with a simple peer-to-peer network.
Stand alone 'Billing Systems'
are far more affordable
than EMRs, and a few exceptional ones can be found for under
$3,500 (including hardware). Thanks to steady advances in the Windows
operating system, such applications exist, and are increasingly available to
health practices.
3.
Increasing Need for more Adaptive Software: Constant changes to
Medicare along with government pressure to bill electronically has
necessitated a minimalist approach to practice software by health
practitioners. Fortunately today’s software is becoming more adaptive and
easier to update, which means less likelihood of a need to replace entire
systems in the future. As well, in contrast to the one size fits all
approach of the past, it's now easier to adapt software according to
medical specialty. MPMSOFT
has been customized for approximately fifty health specialties.
4. Elimination of the ‘Network Server’:
Ten years ago, expensive Networks & Servers were a necessity. Today, a
small office of five to ten people has far more choices due to the
superior networking capabilities of Windows OS. As well, computer prices
have plummeted to where an ordinary desktop computer today is several times
more powerful than a network server of only five years ago and is within easy
financial reach – starting at under $600 (including a flat panel display
and shipping for the savvy shopper).
MPMSOFT
eliminates the need for an expensive Network and Server and runs ideally on an
ordinary desktop computer.
5. Direct Purchasing over Internet:
The old model was that of practice consultants and local software representatives
recommending (often expensive) systems and earning sizable fees and
commissions in addition to monthly support contracts. Today, office managers are able to research
software choices themselves on the internet, and visit a
software maker’s website to download trials and to view demos, and when it
comes time to purchase, they can often do so directly from the developer’s
website – sometimes at a saving of thousands of dollars.
6.
Internet based Training and Support: The old model of training
involved travel or costly on-location field trainers, and support was done
by local system administrators. Today, software training and support can
be done over high-speed internet by means of remote login software. Office
staff report the experience as: “like being in the same room” with the
remote trainer or support person. The direct benefits are increased access
to often improved support. MPMSOFT
offers in office, on-demand access to one-on-one training and support over
high speed internet.
7. New
Trend Toward “In-Sourcing”: The simplicity of today’s newer
billing programs is allowing practices to bring in-house billing that was
once outsourced, thus making more efficient use of already existing office
staff. MPMSOFT
has a learning curve of only an hour or two, and can be used successfully
by people who have little or no billing experience.
** Conclusion:
Today’s medical practices have
access to
simpler and better software at lower prices; access to more powerful
hardware at dramatically lower prices; greater access to better and less
expensive training and support ––all amounting to the lowest cost for practice management software ever.
NEXT:
Is Your Patient Data Being Held Hostage?
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