The electronic health record (EHR) and electronic medical record (EMR) are vital parts of the healthcare system today. The practice management system (PMS) provides data from a single medical practice (EMR), and this record becomes part of the vast medical universe known as the electronic health record. (To find out more on this topic see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practice_management_software) Physician PMS systems offer complete practice management from patient to financial information.
The PMS system manages the day-to-day operations of the practice. The doctor, nurse or assistant enters information into the system and has access to information such as patient demographics including name, address and insurance information in addition to authorizations and patient forms. The management system stores test results and treatment plans, and the system forwards prescription information to the patient’s pharmacy. In addition to scheduling and tracking patient appointments, charges for billing, insurance claims, patient statements, and insurance and patient payments are processed and tracked.
Many PMS systems will update billing codes automatically to ensure that accurate codes are available for billing purposes. Claims are submitted electronically, and the system allows for detailed reporting such as payment history and financial information as well as other useful practice data. The electronic records are accessed on office computer systems or other office digital equipment such as PDAs and increasingly iPads and iPhones at the practice and other provider locations. Important healthcare information including patient history, test results and images are easily accessible to providers.
A vital part of maintaining healthcare records is HIPAA compliance and patient privacy. When selecting healthcare software for the practice, it is important to choose software that complies with required guidelines and allows for complete and accurate records. Electronic records have improved patient care tremendously by allowing providers to access patient information in real time, and the technology will only advance and improve in the future.
