Medical Practice Software Simplifies The EMR Process

By Joe Miller

The Electronic Medical Record, or EMR, has blossomed as the 21st century’s medical record management model. EMR databases consolidate and organize important medical records electronically, including the electronic medical claim. Medical practices have been able to effectively and quickly manage the electronic medical record, greatly benefiting not only the practice but also the client.



Almost any EMR system has been able to assist medical practices to reach a higher level of organization, but new medical practice software takes a practice even further. Though an EMR consolidates medical records, the medical records are still on separate databases, depending on the categories the EMR belongs to. Billing records, medical histories, etc., are all located on different databases, requiring multiple logins and often heavy and expensive security and IT infrastructure. Medical software streamlines the costs, both economic and time.



The market has picked up on the need for medical practice software that simplifies the EMR process. That is why finding the right medical practice software can be so challenging. On any given day, in any given search engine, the keyword “medical practice software” will yield millions to hundreds of millions of indexed pages. Characteristics of good medical practice software include internet access, medical billing PDA, third party billing, digital imaging, reports, and tracking. In addition to these characteristics, medical practices can look forward to cutting overhead costs, including IT infrastructure and additional security costs.



Every medical practice knows that finding a competitive edge also requires simplicity. Medical practices probably do not have extra time to invest in training themselves on new medical software. Not only should it be simple to learn but also simple to install and simple to use.



Another feature used in medical practice software is accessibility. Medical practice software has enabled access to the cpt code, HCFA 1500, icd.9 codes, SOAP notes, and even HIPAA consultants.



Though searching out the right medical practice software to simplify your EMR needs will require you to do your homework, searching is probably the hardest part. In other words, medical practice software was meant to work for you. The information and tips provided in this article and its accompanying resources are meant to simplify the searching process too. Faced-paced business, especially medical practice business, doesn’t stop and wait for everyone to catch up, nor do patients stop coming. The Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared,” and with medical practice software, you will be.



A supportable, useable, flexible, manageable, and affordable way to streamline the demands of a medical practice EMR is to find medical practice software capable of supporting your practice’s information databases and streamlining their management to one secured login. Not only can it support your EMR’s but also you, because medical practice software provides access to service consultant and medical codes. It also allows you to access your EMR databases off-site.



Managing the demands of an EMR system can be time consuming and tedious. An EMR does not have to take so much of your time and money if it is effectively managed by a good medical practice software system that works for your business.



About the Author: Joe Miller is an author of informational articles http://www.10xmarketing.com/Services/Advertising/Online-Advertising.html . Information on http://www.advancedmd.com/features/medical-practice-software.asp Medical Practice Software is available at http://www.advancedmd.com or at http://editorials.arrivenet.com/tec/article.php/4258.html .



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Dental & Medical Legal Debt Collection

By Joel Walsh

Every medical and dental practice has to deal with patients who do not pay. If it doesn't deal with such patients, the costs will simply be passed on to other patients--or the practice may simply suffer or fold. Yet the very real dental and medical collections legal issues mean you should think carefully before reminding your patients to pay up.



In the end, you may very well be better off outsourcing your medical or dental accounts receivables to one of the new medical and dental collection agency/accounts payable processing centers. According to the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), your medical or dental billing notices fall under essentially the same regulations as a mega-bank's car loan collections.



Real-World Medical and Dental Debt Collection Law Quandaries



Anne, a secretary at Westville Orthopedic Associates, calls up a patient who just turned 18, to remind him of an outstanding copayment. The patient's mother answers the telephone. Should Anne:



1. Take the issue of the co-payment up with the patient's mother?



2. Leave a message with the patient's mother to remind the patient of the outstanding co-payment?



3. Leave a message for the patient to call the Westville Orthopedic Associates back?



4. Say she will call back later and quickly hang up?



All but one of the four options above will be a violation of federal debt collections law. Can you guess which one?



The correct course of action is option number 3. Why are the others illegal?



Look at each of the options above:



1. It is illegal to disclose a debt to a third party.



2. See number one; remember that messages regarding a debt are essentially disclosures to a third party.



3. This is the only suitable course of action.



4. The FDCPA requires all creditors to identify themselves when making a call. While you can't say what you are calling about, you must say the name of your business before hanging up.



Not ready for your medical or dental practice to become a law practice? You can get around medical and dental collection law matters by outsourcing the entire job to a professional medical or dental accounts receivable processor or medical collection agency. This option also has the benefit of saving your staff a lot of work.



After all, not only is your medical or dental practice not a law practice, it's not an accounts department, either.



About the Author: Joel Walsh has written more tips on debt collection law: http://www.debt-collection-laws.com/?%20debt%20collection%20law [Web publication requirement: create live link for the URL/web address using "debt collection law" as visible link text/anchor text; EXCEPT if redistributing (article bank, aggregator, or clearinghouse), anchor text optional.]



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