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Any medical practice that has not yet converted to an electronic medical record, may want to consider converting from a paper system to electronic very soon. Not only are monetary incentives being offered to practices that adopt an EMR, but penalties will soon come into play for those practices who are not onboard with the cost saving technology.

With the current state of the economy and the efforts to balance state and federal budgets, lawmakers are looking at cutting reimbursement to hospitals, nursing homes, and physician offices, making the conversion to an electronic medical record a smart move for most practices. Depending on practice size and revenue; it is estimated that most EMR systems will pay for themselves within 2 to 3 years.

Why should practices consider moving to an electronic medical record now? Here are a few reasons, and most practices are able to come up with even more, depending on the practice size, environment, and specialty.

: On February 18, 2009, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, setting aside funds to provide monetary rewards for medical practices that implement and use an EMR in a meaningful way. Medical practices can earn up to $44,000 if they adopt a CCHIT certified EMR by 2012 and adhere to a few simple rules.

: An electronic medical record system saves physician offices money by reducing costs such as paper, copying, printing, and storage of paper records.

: Adopting EMR software streamlines the scheduling process and utilizes data already stored to continue with visit documentation. Patient charts are available with the click of the mouse or a touch to the screen.

: Physicians and physician extenders spend less time on dictation and other paperwork, allowing them to see more patients, increase productivity and improving quality of care outcomes.

: EMRs provide less room for error in prescription writing and chart documentation, as there are built-in edits to ensure accuracy and completion. Scripts can be electronically submitted to any pharmacy, and be ready for pickup when the patient arrives.

: Most EMR systems can be customized to integrate with current office procedures and workflow. This makes the transition relatively painless and easy to adapt.

: Real-time data is readily available, making it easier to manage patient care and improving outcomes.

: EMRs that contain or integrate with practice management modules provide a seamless and streamlined billing process, thus decreasing errors, getting clean claims out the door faster, and improving cash flow.

Practices considering the conversion to an electronic health record should give themselves ample time to demo and negotiate various EMR modules. Extremely functional and user-friendly electronic medical records are available for small and mid-sized practices for around $6,000. Considering the material and labor cost savings, this is a small investment for an upgrade offering all the benefits of an electronic medical record.

Ray Subs is a public relations specialist working with Harry Selent, President of medicalcharting.com and medicalbilling.com. To learn more about the Electronic Medical Record visit medicalcharting.com/medisoft-clinical-medisoft-emr-software.htm.

Article Source: The EMR is Coming: Facts Your Medical Office Needs to Know