Now that Accountable Care Organizations are proliferating http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavingsprogram/News.html and effects the Accountable Care Act are becoming more noticeable, mental health professionals are asking themselves if they should take the leap and switch to an Electronic Health Records (EHR). They are going to be difficult to avoid. 

What's the difference between an EHR and an EMR?

The digital age in health care requires us to keep track of a veritable alphabet soup of acronyms! While the terms EHR and EMR are often used interchangeably, the explanation given by the U.S. National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) at the Department of Health & Human Services is that the EHR (Electronic Health Record) focuses "on the total health of the patient--going beyond standard clinical data collected in the provider's office and inclusive of a broader view on a patient's care. EHRs are designed to reach out beyond the health organization that originally collects and compiles the information. They are built to share information with other health care providers, such as laboratories and specialists, so they contain information from all the clinicians involved in the patient's care...  EHRs are designed to be accessed by all people involved in the patient's care--including the patients themselves." The EMR is a digital version of the paper chart in a physician's office. In this article, then, we will use the term "EHR."

What are the benefits of using an EHR?

Most EHRs include an entire suite of practice management tools in addition to the standard chart. Progress note templates and intake, assessment, and treatment planning forms are often included. Some EHR developers are now adding integrated video conferencing modules to their software to make initiating online sessions a point and click option. Online EHR's offer the added convenience of being able to access your client's chart and contact data from any device anywhere with internet access.

Getting started now will afford you the chance to grow into the change, rather than requiring a massive switch when our reimbursement sources start penalizing you for not complying. Transitioning to electronic practice management can provide many benefits while allowing you to keep pace with the rest of health care.

If you'd like to read more, see our blog:
http://telehealth.org/blog and in particular, these blog posts:
http://telehealth.org/EHR
http://telehealth.org/ehrs

Marlene M. Maheu, Ph.D.
_______________________________

   Executive Director
   Telehealth Institute, Inc.
   Professional Training (CEUs & CMEs)
   T. 619-255-2788  Fax. 480-393-5570
   www.telehealth.org

Join me And over 1700  colleagues who share an interest in TeleMental Health on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2246364&trk=hb_side_g

                       **************************
                To communicate with adminstrator, email:
               telehealthnews-request @listserv.icors.org
         http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/ppc/telehealth-news.php
                         http://telehealth.org/
                   To end subscription, send email to
            [log in to unmask]
                       **************************