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EMR-EHRS Blog

Check out our blog for the latest news and commentary in the EMR/EHR world.

Archive for the ‘Psychiatry EMR Software’ Category

Top 5 Ways Mental Health EHR Software Will Make Your Practice More Efficient

Thursday, December 18th, 2014

Behavioral health organizations differ significantly from traditional medical practices in the ways in which they provide care. Many clinics are equipped to provide both residential and outpatient care and offer a variety of services ranging from one-on-one counseling to group therapy to training programs.

As a result of the complexities and differing workflows within the behavioral health specialty, organizations have been slow to adopt Mental Health EHR software, which tends not to meet the full spectrum of behavioral health needs. This is changing, however, due to the availability of new solutions in the market that make it easier for providers to better manage their day-to-day operations, improve care delivery and reduce costs.

At 1st Providers Choice, we are keenly attuned to the needs of behavioral health organizations and have developed a Mental Health EHR solution that meets the specialty’s diverse requirements. Our software allows practices to improve efficiency in the following ways:

1. Streamlined workflow

In a traditional medical setting, it is customary for the patient to see a medical assistant or registered nurse before the provider, but in a mental health setting the provider is often the patient’s first point of contact. This change in workflow has been accounted for in our Mental Health EHR Software, allowing behavioral health organizations to deliver and document care in exactly the way that they are used to doing it.

2. Quicker access to patient data

Not only does our software prevent interruptions in care, but it facilitates the retrieval of important clinical data that influences the treatment process. This includes past and current medications, diagnoses and more. Providers can access data on-the-go from an Internet-enabled smartphone or tablet, allowing care to be delivered both onsite and at offsite locations, such as a hospital or residential facility.

3. Better scheduling

For behavioral health organizations using Mental Health EHR software, appointment scheduling has never been easier. Our software accounts for the fact that staff must be able to manage and schedule patients at different facilities and office locations. Additionally, we allow for the creation of custom appointments – from single-patient therapy sessions to group counseling sessions in which multiple patients may be scheduled.

4. Simplified information sharing

Mental Health EHR software enables behavioral health providers to instantly share data regarding a patient’s diagnosis and treatment to other caregivers invested in the patient’s health. This results in dramatic improvements in care delivery and patient outcomes. Only authorized users may be given access, ensuring the patient’s privacy is respected.

5. Mental health-specific patient portal integration

The ability to easily integrate the EHR software with a patient portal allows many time-consuming administrative to be completed by the patient online. Giving patients the ability to schedule appointments online and request medication refills, for example, reduces the amount of time that staff members spend on the phone.

To learn more about these and other Mental Health EHR software benefits, call 480-782-1116 today.

Mental Health Patient Portal Software: Increasing Patient Comfort and Reducing Costs

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

Mental Health EHRTimes are changing in the medical field, and it’s not hard to see why. Modern technology has brought about a myriad of benefits, facilitating higher efficiency, accuracy and convenience for both doctors and patients alike. Through the use of mental health EHR software, for example, psychiatrists are now providing patients with easy access to their health records and tests, online scheduling, and more. New technologies are also helping reduce costs for providers and patients and, more importantly, they are helping to improve care delivery and treatment outcomes.

By using EHR-integrated patient portal software, mental health professionals are able to provide their patients a safe place to answer sensitive questions. Being able to answer personal questions in a non-threatening environment (and knowing that their information is kept confidential and secure) allows patients to really open up. Additionally, filling this information out online before a scheduled appointment reduces waiting time for the patient, while simultaneously giving medical staff extra time to address the patient’s questions and concerns about specific things they may have trouble understanding. It also gives providers the data they need to make accurate diagnoses.

Patient portal solutions, when used together with EHR software for psychiatry or mental health, also allow patients take advantage of convenient features such as online scheduling and bill pay, e-consultations, and easy medication refill requests. In addition to this, psychiatry EHRs can be customized to meet the unique needs of mental health patients by allowing them to list out their health issues before their appointment, on their own time, eliminating unnecessary stress.

Not only do online healthcare portals increase efficiency and patient customization, they also reduce costs for the provider. Some aspects of online portals that cut IT and administrative costs at the benefit of the patient include the ability to:

  • Add patient demographics before initial appointment and update them anytime.
  • Add and update billing and insurance information.
  • Input current medications.
  • Enter past medical history and family history.
  • Fill out part of the subjective note for the provider.
  • Send secure messages to the provider.
  • View documents, immunizations, and labs.
  • Update and monitor vital signs.
  • View care plans.
  • Complete intake forms.
  • View statements and pay bills online.
  • Request appointments without making a phone call.
  • Request prescription refills online.
  • Access patient education resources.
  • Check for authorizations and referrals.

Keeping customer service as the primary focus in medical care, we provide an optimal solution to lowering costs while increasing comfort and convenience. Our psychiatric EHR software is fully certified and HIPAA compliant, ensuring patient information is kept confidential, strictly between the patient and provider.

Call 480-782-1116 to learn more about our leading health IT solutions.

Mental Health EHR Software Gets Behavioral Health Groups on Track.

Monday, November 4th, 2013

For behavioral health organizations the advantages of switching to a mental health EHR are many. Yet, few EHR vendors have produced a tried-and-true software solution suitable for behavioral health providers. With 1st Providers Choice, psychiatrists, psychologists, professional counselors and other mental health providers have finally found an end-to-end EHR solution that meets their extensive charting needs.

mental health EMR software

Senior PsychCare (SPC) recently implemented our mental health EHR and billing modules across its various Texas locations and has achieved improved results in billing and patient care. Their more than 60 mental health providers have benefitted from simplified workflows, more efficient documentation, customized reports, and more. Following are some of the features that SPC’s behavioral health specialists have benefitted from:

Specialized content and customization: EHR systems designed with mental health providers in mind include features that are most relevant to behavioral health specialists. The systems also allow for a high level of customization in order to meet the specific needs of providers practicing within the mental health field. For SPC, this has included specialty-specific diagnoses and treatment plans, preventative care resources and psychiatric management tools, among others.

Real-time data: With mental health-specific EHR software, providers can create reports to conduct analyses of patient progress. All it takes is a few quick mouse clicks to export the data from the EHR.

Alerts and reminders: EHR software for mental health facilities allows providers to set up daily, weekly or monthly alerts. This can be useful for following up with suicidal patients or with those taking antipsychotics with potentially harmful side effects. This has been beneficial, in SPC’s case, for treating patients at Long Term Care facilities, as they need continuous monitoring and follow-up care.

Continuity of care: SPC maintains active contact with other physicians regarding changes in their patients’ mental status, diagnostic services, psychological treatments, and medications – and EHR software allows for thorough documentation of these changes. With mental health EHR software, behavioral health specialists at SPC are also able to share visit notes with other providers responsible for their patients’ care.

Learn more about our mental health-specific EHR features. Contact us today to speak with one of our expert EHR consultants or to schedule a free demo.

About Senior PsychCare: Senior PsychCare was founded by physician and specialized psychiatrist Dr. Leo Borrell, a leader in innovative care for stress and age-related problems. SPC is affiliated with Medipsych and Senior Psychological Care of Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, and employs more than 60 mental health providers in facilities throughout these major Texas cities. SPC provides independent evaluations, psychiatric management and mental health services. They also work in collaboration with mental health programs and medical providers who lack the resources of a comprehensive team of medical health specialists.