Electronic medical records, or EMRs, are being touted as the way of the future for physicians keeping patient records. They would cut down on the amount of paper used and storage space required for traditional hard-copy records. The government is even sponsoring a pilot project that would give higher Medicare payments to doctors that converted to an EMR system.

As good as it sounds, getting physicians to change to electronic medical records is slow going. Two of the biggest reasons that physicians are resisting the change to EMR software are workflow disruption and the cost of training on a new system.

For many, it's not just about the money, although the financial investment in EMR software can be substantial. It's about behavior modification. People like to do things the way they've always done them, without significant disruption. However, in order to make things better for customers, you have to sometimes find a better way of doing things.

This is where the customization of EMR software comes in. Rather than having to adapt to EMR software, you can make the software adapt to you. Finding EMR software that allows extensive customization will help make the transition to electronic medical records as smooth as possible.

Breaking old habits

The idea of learning something new isn't always a pleasant one, especially if you've grown accustomed to a certain way of doing things. This is especially true in offices with multiple doctors, where each physician has a different way of working, and trying to compromise is only slightly harder than pulling teeth without anesthetic.

Customization in EMR software can make it easier to adopt the new system. You can customize the software to work the way that you're used to working. That way, the time spent on learning the new software is significantly reduced, which enables a smooth transition to a new way of record-keeping. The more familiar a software is to users, the less time they'll have to spend learning it.

Why you need multiple customizations in EMR software

You've already been asked to change the way you've always done things, so it's not too much to ask that your software grows and changes with you as you find new, more efficient ways of doing things. EMR software that allows for multiple customizations not only makes it easier for multi-doctor clinics to adopt, but it also enables you to continue to change the configuration as you learn what works and what doesn't.

If you're part of a multi-doctor clinic, look for EMR software that allows multiple customizations. That way, each doctor can continue keeping records the way he's most accustomed to, which will help ease your clinic's transition to using electronic medical records.

Not all EMR software allows this kind of customization. Some will charge you each time you need to customize the software, where others won't allow for customization at all. Rather than the software fitting into the flow of your practice, you have to disrupt everybody's rhythm to accommodate the software.

For a quick and painless transition to electronic medical records, make sure you find EMR software that offers all the customization options that you need. Whether you're a solo practitioner or just one of many doctors in a health clinic, customization in an EMR software will allow you to get your practice running just the way it was in a matter of weeks, rather than months.

About the Author
Jeffrey C. Gersbach is the CMO of Medamation, Inc., developer of EMR software by doctors, for doctors. They offer EMR product lines for solo practitioners, small clinics, and hospital emergency departments. Stop waiting and start charting today. Visit them online at http://www.medamation.com for a free EMR software trial.

Autor: Xeal

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