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Features of Modern Cloud-Based Practice Management Software

Features of Modern Cloud-Based Practice Management Software

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In today's digital healthcare landscape, the integration of electronic health records (EHR) with practice management software is essential for efficient clinic operations. Modern practices are turning to cloud-based solutions that offer advanced functionalities to streamline workflows and enhance patient care. Let's explore the essential features of modern cloud-based practice management software.

1. Cloud-Based Infrastructure

Cloud-based practice management software allows practitioners and staff to securely access patient information, scheduling tools, and billing systems from any location with internet connectivity. This not only enhances operational efficiency by eliminating geographical constraints but also ensures robust data security through encrypted connections and redundant backups. The scalability of cloud solutions accommodates the evolving needs of healthcare practices, making it an indispensable feature in today's digital healthcare world.

2. Seamless EHR Integration

Seamless integration with electronic health records (EHR) is paramount in modern practice management software. This integration enables healthcare providers to access patient records directly within the management system, streamlining documentation and improving accuracy. By synchronizing EHR data with practice management functionalities, clinics can efficiently manage appointments, billing, and patient care, ultimately enhancing workflow efficiency and quality of service.

3. Patient Scheduling and Appointment Management

Patient scheduling and appointment management are essential features of modern practice management software. These systems offer robust tools for online appointment booking, automated reminders, and calendar management, facilitating seamless coordination and reducing no-shows. By empowering patients to schedule appointments conveniently and allowing providers to optimize their schedules, these functionalities contribute to improved clinic efficiency and patient satisfaction.

4. Billing and Revenue Cycle Management

Billing and revenue cycle management are critical components of modern practice management software. These systems provide comprehensive solutions for claims processing, insurance verification, and revenue tracking, optimizing financial operations for healthcare practices. By automating billing tasks and ensuring accurate coding, practice management software helps streamline revenue cycles and improve overall financial performance.

5. Patient Portal and Engagement Tools

Patient portals and engagement tools are integral features of modern practice management software. These tools empower patients with secure access to their medical records, appointment scheduling, and online bill payment options. By enhancing patient engagement and convenience, practice management software fosters stronger patient-provider relationships and improves overall patient satisfaction and outcomes.

6. Reporting and Analytics

Reporting and analytics capabilities are essential in modern practice management software. These tools provide valuable insights into practice performance, financial trends, and patient outcomes, enabling data-driven decision-making. By leveraging robust reporting features, healthcare providers can optimize operations, identify areas for improvement, and ultimately enhance the quality of care delivered to patients.

7. Task and Workflow Automation

Task and workflow automation enable healthcare providers to streamline administrative tasks such as task assignment, prescription refills, and referral management. By automating routine workflows, practice management software helps optimize operational efficiency, reduce errors, and free up time for providers to focus on patient care.

8. HIPAA Compliance and Security

HIPAA compliant and secure systems incorporate robust security measures including data encryption, role-based access controls, and audit logs to ensure patient data privacy and regulatory compliance. By prioritizing HIPAA compliance, practice management software helps healthcare organizations safeguard sensitive information and maintain trust with patients. You can find the latest updates on HIPAA Compliance and Security by visiting the American Medical Association's website here. 

Criterions practice management software goes beyond basic functionalities to empower our customers with advanced tools for enhanced patient care and operational efficiency. By leveraging our cloud-based practice management software that's integrated seamlessly with our electronic health record software, clinics can optimize workflows and focus on delivering quality care to their patients.

 

Criterions includes various features of modern cloud-based practice management software that can jumpstart your practice today. Click here to learn more about our practice management system or fill out the form below and we'll be in touch soon!

The Cost of Neglecting Text Appointment Reminders

The Cost of Neglecting Text Appointment Reminders

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In today's fast-paced world, missed appointments can be a significant headache for medical practices. Simple solutions like text appointment reminders have emerged as effective tools for reducing no-shows. They offer flexibility by allowing patients to manage their healthcare appointments on the go. Whether they're at work, running errands, or attending to family matters, patients can easily respond to reminders and make necessary adjustments to their schedules. In this blog, we'll explore the tangible costs associated with not utilizing text appointment reminders in medical practices.

Missed Appointments: A Costly Conundrum

According to the National Institute of Health, the average cost of a no-show visit in the United States is around $200. If you could prevent just one no-show visit per provider each week, you would be increasing your monthly revenues by $800 per provider.

Imagine if you could prevent one no-show per week for each provider at your practice for a full year. That’s an additional $9,600 per provider of revenue your practice could collect!

Administrative Overhead: Time is Money

Manual outreach is not without its hardships. Many patients don’t answer the phone or listen to voicemails. Most patients prefer to communicate via text and manually calling is more expensive than you might think.

Texting patient appointment reminders can increase attendance rate while saving your staff valuable time by eliminating the need to send additional reminders, place reminder calls, or reschedule missed appointments.

Patient Satisfaction: A Critical Component

Instant Access to Information: Patients receive automated text reminders shortly after scheduling their appointments. This provides them with immediate confirmation of their appointment details, including the date, time, location, and any necessary preparation instructions.

Ease of Communication: Text reminders often include features that allow patients to confirm, reschedule, or cancel appointments with a simple reply. This two-way communication stream provides patients with a convenient way to manage their appointments without having to make phone calls or visit the practice's website.

Reduced No-Show Rates: By receiving timely reminders, patients are less likely to forget about their appointments or double-book themselves. This reduction in no-show rates not only benefits the practice financially but also ensures that appointment slots are utilized efficiently, reducing wait times for other patients.

The Solution: Text Appointment Reminders

By recognizing the hidden costs associated with missed appointments and administrative overhead, medical practices can make informed decisions to enhance their operations and prioritize patient care. With Criterions text appointment reminders, not only can you reduce costs but also improve overall efficiency, patient satisfaction, and increase your revenue.

 

Fill out our contact form below to learn more about Criterions integrated text appointment reminders and how it can help your practice today!

ONC’s Security Risk Assessment Tool

ONC’s Security Risk Assessment Tool

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ONC releases a new version of Security Risk Assessment Tool (Version 3.4).

 

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) developed the SRA Tool to help small- and medium-sized healthcare providers identify and assess risks and vulnerabilities to electronic protected health information (ePHI). The tool is a software application that organizations can download at no cost. This tool further enhances the user experience and helps covered entities navigate risk assessment requirements under the HIPAA Security Rule.

Version 3.4 contains several key updates based on user feedback, including a remediation report, which allows users to track responses to vulnerabilities inside the tool and log remediation efforts. In addition, the tool now contains a glossary and tool tips section, where users can learn more information and easily navigate the tool’s features.

“As hacking and ransomware attacks continue to increase within the health care sector, it’s now more important than ever for organizations to improve their cybersecurity,” HHS stated in a press release.

To download, please visit: https://www.healthit.gov/topic/privacy-security-and-hipaa/security-risk-assessment-tool

Giving Patients Instant Access to Medical Records

Giving Patients Instant Access to Medical Records

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The ability for patients to access their medical records on their smart devices at anytime has become the norm after the 21st Century Cures Act was passed in 2016. For years, there was a concern of patients being able to view their results prior to the ordering clinician, leading to the possibility of putting the patient in distress if their results were abnormal.

A recent study published in the JAMA Network, an open access medical journal created by the American Medical Association, had 8,000 patients that accessed their test results in an online portal and found that more than 95% wanted to continue to receive their results via a patient portal, no matter if those results were normal or abnormal.

If you’re a medical care provider and believe the provider-patient relationship is of the utmost importance, implementing an online patient portal at your practice is a great benefit for you and your patients. At Criterions, we provide our customers with the necessary tools to build those relationships with your patients, with the Criterions Patient Portal at the top of the list.

 

Criterions Patient Portal features and benefits include:

  • Online patient scheduler: Patient’s can schedule their own appointments online versus calling the office to do so, saving your staff time with phone calls and voicemails. This also optimizes your calendar capacity at your practice by showing patients real-time availability.
  • Online payments: Patients have the ability to pay their bills in the patient portal, providing them an additional convenient payment option.
  • Patient insurance information & demographics: Patients can input or update their insurance and personal information prior to their visit, saving time with the check-in and check-out process.
  • Prescription and Pharmacy Information: If ordering your patients any medication, they have the option of providing pharmacy information and checking the status of their prescription order on their own time.
  • Patient Medical Profile display: Patients can easily and quickly access test results, view their visit summary, check their medications, and more. This gives complete healthcare tranparency between you and your patient.
  • Direct Messaging patients: Send your patient’s direct messages within the portal of important practice updates and information, send appointment reminders, and verify information prior to their visit.
  • Patient pre-visit documentation: You can send your patients pre-visit documents like consent forms and questionnaires before they step foot in your office. Your patients will spend less time in your waiting room and more time with their provider!

 

The Criterions online Patient Portal gives your patients instant access to their medical records, provides your patients autonomy and transparency over their health information, reduces your staff’s workload to focus on tasks that help increase office efficiency, and gives your patients an another payment option to increase revenue.

 

 

If you would like to implement the Criterions Patient Portal at your practice, please contact our Sales Department at Sales@criterions.com or fill out the form below to get started.

 

 

Article Resources:
https://www.healthit.gov/buzz-blog/information-blocking/new-study-shows-patients-prefer-immediate-access-to-test-results-and-have-unmet-information-needs
https://www.healthit.gov/buzz-blog/information-blocking/new-study-shows-patients-prefer-immediate-access-to-test-results-and-have-unmet-information-needs

Criterions EHR Interoperability

Criterions EHR Interoperability

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What is interoperability?

Interoperability for EHRs is an important aspect of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery. Interoperability refers to the ability of different EHR systems to exchange and use patient health information (PHI) with each other seamlessly, regardless of the vendor or system used. When EHR systems are interoperable, healthcare providers can access complete and accurate patient information in real-time, which can help improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.

 

Interoperability for EHRs involves several key approaches, including:

  1. Adopting standardized data formats: EHR systems must use standardized data formats and codes to ensure that information can be easily shared between systems. Examples of these standards include SNOMED CT, LOINC, and HL7.

 

  1. Implementing health information exchange (HIE): HIE is a secure electronic system that allows healthcare providers to exchange PHI across different EHR systems. Implementing HIE can help improve care coordination and reduce duplication of services. Criterions Software has implemented secure exchange of patient data with Healthix to improve the quality and efficiency of care.

 

  1. Encouraging EHR system vendors to promote interoperability: EHR vendors must play a role in promoting interoperability by building interfaces and features that support data sharing and exchange. Criterions Software has an ever-increasing list of Labs, Imaging Groups, and Public Health organizations to which you can connect your Criterions EHR.

 

  1. Addressing privacy and security concerns: Interoperability must be balanced with patient privacy and security concerns. Measures such as encryption, authentication, and access controls should be in place to protect PHI. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a feature in the Criterions EHR application. When utilized, it adds a layer of protection to the sign-in process while accessing the application.

 

  1. Incentivizing interoperability: Governments and healthcare organizations can incentivize interoperability by offering financial or other benefits to healthcare providers who demonstrate interoperability. This can encourage more providers to adopt EHR systems that are interoperable.

Interoperability for EHRs can be a complex process, but it is essential for improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. It involves adopting standardized data formats, implementing health information exchange, encouraging EHR vendors to promote interoperability, addressing privacy and security concerns, establishing data governance policies and, incentivizing interoperability. By taking these steps, Criterions Software has enabled healthcare providers to ensure that patient information is easily accessible, accurate, and secure, which can lead to better clinical decision-making and improved patient outcomes.

 

 

For more information on Criterions EHR solution, please fill out the form below and we will be in touch shortly!

 

Criterions Patient Portal

Criterions Patient Portal

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What is a Patient Portal and How Does It Help Medical Practices?

A patient portal is a secure online website that gives patients convenient 24-hour access to personal health information from anywhere with an Internet connection. Using a secure username and password, patients can view health information.

Following the introduction of electronic health records (EHR) software, patient portals have become increasingly popular in healthcare organizations of all sizes and specialties. Did you know  68% of patients in America say they’re more likely to choose a medical provider that offers the ability to book, change, or cancel appointments online?

Patient Portals improve the quality of care provided while enabling greater communication between physicians and their patients. It helps encourage better physician-patient relationships and give patients more control over their treatment. For example, they can check lab results, request prescription refills, update insurance and other contact information, manage unpaid balances, and more.

60% of healthcare professionals in America say online appointment booking platforms encourage patients to keep their appointments. This is aided by online booking systems sending out automatic reminders to the patient. Those automated appointment reminders reduce no-shows by over 29%. That means generating more revenue for your practice!

 

Criterions Patient Portal Key Capabilities Include:

  • Schedule Appointments Online

  • Easy Access to Health Information 

  • View Bills and Make Payments Online

  • Update Patient Medical History

  • Check Refills and Prescription Requests 

  • Fill Out Pre-Vsit Questionnaires and Consent Forms

  • Patients Can Send Message to Healthcare Provider 

 

Click here for more information on how Criterions Patient Portal not only benefits your patients, but also can lessen the workload for your staff. If you have any questions or would like a demo of the Patient Portal,  please fill out the form below and we will be in touch shortly!

 

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