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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Upgrading your EHR</h2>



<p>Choosing an EHR is hard work. It’s no wonder most providers are hesitant to switch to another EHR, even if something is a better solution for their practice. When you’re ready to make the switch, be sure to review the key considerations presented in this guide.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Import of patient demographics</h3>



<p>Make sure your new EHR system can easily import the data from your previous EHR. This should be an easy process that simply requires you to provide your new EHR with an .xls or .csv file.</p>



<p>Ideally, the new EHR will allow for the import of other pertinent patient information like medication and allergy lists along with lab results. This data should be in the industry standard C-CDA format.</p>



<p>Finally, your EHR should allow you to export your patient data in the case that you decide to discontinue service and move on to another system.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hardware and server requirements</h3>



<p>Find an EHR that does not require you to purchase servers or backup solutions. The best EHRs will offer you a solution that is serverless and cloud-based; this means that your only hardware investment is a computer or tablet. Your new solution should allow you to share health information in a HIPAA compliant manner including imaging, test results, and clinical notes.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Customizable medical forms</h3>



<p>Every practice has its own workflow. It is important that your new EHR system allows you to customize your clinical forms in order for you to maintain your prefered note taking style. Custom medical forms and templates can include your patient intake forms and your clinical notes. These medical forms should be easy to create and edit, and ultimately streamline your note taking process. Some EHR systems may even save you time and offer you the option to have their team create those forms for you. Additionally, your EHR should provide you with a template library, which would give you access to forms that other providers have already created.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">eRx setup</h3>



<p>Look for an EHR that makes sending electronic prescriptions easy and is EPCS certified. If you’ve used an eRx system in the past, such as Surescripts, you may be able to import your past account information into your new system. This will accelerate your eRx set up process and allow you to begin prescribing right away. If you also prescribe Schedule II-V Drugs, an EHR certified with EPCS will ease e-prescription of any controlled substances.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Lab integration</h3>



<p>Your new EHR should feature a bi-directional integration with widely used labs such as Quest Diagnostics and Lab Corps. The integration would allow you to send lab requests and receive results through your EHR. Some systems even have an open Lab API which would provide other labs with the ability to integrate as well.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Integrated fax</h3>



<p>You are most likely moving to an EHR system to get rid of all the paper in your office. Why would you continue to use a traditional fax machine where you need to scan those documents into your patient files? You want to make sure your new EHR system has a built in e-fax line. With an integrated fax line, you will be able to easily send and receive patient referrals and other documents within your account.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ICD-10 Preparedness</h3>



<p>Be sure that your new EHR is ICD-10 ready. It should already have ICD-10 codes in place to support a seamless transition between ICD-9 and ICD-10.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Medical billing &amp; coding</h3>



<p>You didn’t go to medical school to handle accounting; your new EHR should offer billing services that take the stress and pain out of billing. They should offer a fully managed billing service which should include full revenue cycle management by a team dedicated to your account. By using a billing service integrated with your EHR, you should be able to maximize your collections at a far lower cost than hiring a third-party billing team. The EHR company should aid you in getting set up with payors and manage your credentialing process.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Implementation specialist on board</h3>



<p>Your new EHR should provide you with a seamless and personalized onboarding experience. You should have an implementation specialist dedicated to your account that will assist you with the transition and train you on the product. Once you are comfortably using the system, your EHR company should provide you with speedy and reliable support.</p>



<p><strong>&#8220;Everything about DrChrono screams efficiency. I’ve used several other EHR alternatives and DrChrono is the best of all of them.&#8221;</strong></p>



<p>– Oncologist and Breast Cancer Surgeon, Michigan</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">DrChrono, an award-winning choice</h3>



<p>We hope that this checklist has been helpful. Many of our providers have chosen DrChrono because our EHR meets and exceeds the suggestions we put forward in this paper. Our EHR offers users an end-to-end solution that includes practice management, charting and billing services in one convenient platform. DrChrono was voted the&nbsp;<strong>#1 Mobile EHR for 7 years in a row by Black Book Rankings</strong>.</p>



<p>For questions or a demo, please contact us today at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ehr@drchrono.com">ehr@drchrono.com</a>&nbsp;or call toll-free at (844) 569-8628.</p>


Upgrading Your EHR