Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Investigate healthcare management systems for patient tracking and how they work

Look online for information about the various applications that hold patient files electronically so that you can better treat your patients with current information about their issues. Consider applications, such as the Electronic Health Record (EHR), that allow you to hook up with other medical facilities to get a complete picture of a patient's history.

I recommend: Find detailed reports in PDF files from Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSA) that provide detailed information about how to make the most of the latest EHR systems. Subscribe to the Journal of the American Informatics Association to stay informed with information on the latest advancements in patient record keeping to make your work more efficient and effective.

Look for health management software that make coding and billing more efficient

Most software companies will provide a free demonstration or trial period before you sign on for a lengthy commitment. You should let your staff try the products to get their suggestions since they will be using the programs as well. To get the most out of your IT resources, you need to get buy-in from your team.

I recommend: Check with Medical Office Online to see if you can incorporate their electronic coding software to make your office more efficient by submitting claims correctly the first time. Make your company more profitable by getting the most from your services with the correct insurance coding and billing from WisEnt.

Bring in a healthcare management system expert to sort through the options

Let an outsider come in and review your office procedures to see if a new coding program will help reduce insurance kickbacks and errors or if you need access to electronic medical records or inventory control programs for your drugs and medical equipment.

I recommend: While Visionary Medical Systems can provide you with the EMR and coding software you need, they also will do an assessment to find out which software requirements for health management systems you need and what level of upgrade is appropriate for your practice. Make the most of their services with a free online assessment. Stylus can bring in the best EMR and billing software for your needs and show you how to implement it in your practice.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you sign a contract for a healthcare software license, make sure that the provider includes training and help desk support for your staff.

Guide to Healthcare Management Software

Healthcare providers stay organized with software for healthcare administration

By Judy Artunian

1. Confirm that the healthcare management software complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). If it doesn’t, insurance claims could be rejected because certain data will be absent or incorrect.
2. If you already use EMR software and plan to add a practice management software package to your system, keep in mind that the two programs are more likely to be interoperable if they’re both from the same vendor.
3. To help ensure that your staff gets thoroughly trained on your new healthcare management software, look for software makers that provide user training programs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Vanquish medical office headaches with practice management software

Full-featured medical office software packages give physicians and their staff the tools to efficiently complete many clinical and administrative tasks, including medical coding and billing.

I recommend: Sage Software offers four practice management products including Intergy, which allows you to integrate EMR. AdvancedMD’s solutions include medical office software packages for small practices and multi-location practices. eClinicalWorks offers solutions for EMR management, electronic claims monitoring and a secure portal where patients and doctors can communicate via the Internet. There is also an online forum where eClinicalWorks users discuss the ups and downs of medical practice management.

Healthcare management software for hospitals

Hospitals are still waiting for a comprehensive healthcare management software solution that can handle their broad spectrum of healthcare management needs. Meanwhile, software for healthcare administration can help hospitals automate many of their most labor-intensive administrative and management procedures,

I recommend: HealthLine Systems provides healthcare management software for contact centers, credentialing and quality management. IntelliSoft Group’s applications include credentialing, payer and provider contract management and information technology management.

Get down to medical office software basics with EMR

If you're not ready for a multi-tasking healthcare management software suite, consider investing in new EMR software. Look for EMR products that integrate with your other healthcare management applications.

I recommend: PracticeStudio.NET EMR is an electronic medical records suite that includes input forms for dozens of medical conditions and symptoms. It’s compatible with PracticeStudio’s medical practice software. AllMeds provides specialty-specific EMR software. If you’re drowning in hardcopy medical records, a service such as Spectrum Information Services will convert your hardcopy records to electronic documents. Find more electronic medical records system vendors at Business.com.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When trying to convince the doctors in your practice to adopt new practice management software, emphasize how it will help improve their quality of care and ultimately reduce operating costs.
• •  Transferring old data, such as patient contact information, to your new medical office software program can waste time in the long run because much of the information is likely to be outdated. You can save time and money by entering new addresses and other data when patients come in for appointments.
• •  When it's time for your new healthcare management software to be installed, appoint someone from your staff to serve as the project manager. This person would be responsible for making sure that the installation proceeds on schedule and that your staff is properly trained.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Facilitate better billing with healthcare administration software

Look for software that is designed specifically for the healthcare filed and offers access to insurance companies and their codes. You can integrate a new system for your staff with your own healthcare software license that will make sure you receive the maximum reimbursement allowed.

I recommend: Check out the easy pages developed by Civerex Systems to fit the needs of your practice. Keep up with the latest practices in the healthcare software industry at Advanced Data Systems Corporation. Check out the features of the company's newest Medics Elite software.

Manage your resources with healthcare practice management software

Keep track of your inventory and medical supplies through online health care management systems that do not require any special software or expensive hardware, just an Internet connection. Use the systems to keep track of expiration dates on drugs and when shortages appear. Control fraud and keep up with compliance issues that change all the time by utilizing the updates offered through online healthcare management options.

I recommend: Read the detailed report of the latest inventory management software available at Caduceus Systems. Use the resources at Sage to view online demos of their most current medical management software packages.

Stay in touch with other practitioners with healthcare management systems

Open easy lines of communication that are prearranged with other healthcare providers to check current research, compare patient notes or request second opinions. Use the expertise of other members to find new ways of reducing your risk, integrating new billing systems and keeping up with medical records laws all through the latest software developments.

I recommend: Check out the publications and other resources of the Journal of Medical Internet Research to find detailed reports and white papers on the efficacy of new IT medical communications applications. Find a step-by-step explanation of the latest tools available for healthcare professionals at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Take steps to move to a paperless office with electronic medical records (EMR) that can be set up with the latest medical management software.