Is that what HMO stands for?  It lately seems to me that "Health Management" and "Organization" shouldn't be grouped together--it's kind of an oxymoron.  I have several doctors, and with one of them, my chiropractor, my file had become rather unweildy.  Ive been going at least once a week for nearly a year, as rehabilitation from my car wreck.  So the doctor instructed one of his staff to reduce my file.  She did, and in the process nearly threw away many records that I may have needed access too in the future.

My general practitioner, who sees my whole Canadian branch of the family, has several shelving units full of stuffed files on all her clients.  She works with four other doctors in the center, who each have at least as many folders.  While this might be a boon to the shelving and file folder companies, I think it does the patients AND the staff a disservice.

Recently I found a practice management software system I'm recommending to both these doctors, and thought I would pass it along here in case any of you think your health team could use some organizational help.  The company who sells the software (and provides training and support services) is called VirMedice and is based out of Arizona.  They offer software called NexGen EMR and NexGen EPM which is simple to use and install on the office computers.  The software is preloaded with templates according to the specialty of the doctor (if desired) and puts all patient information--from prescriptions to billing--in one database.  That database is then held online (very securely coded) so it can easily be accessesed not only by office staff in the office, but staff from working from home or linked referral doctors.

This is phenomenal software.  When you enter a new medication for a patient, it alerts the doctor to any possible conflicts with other medications.  It has disease management capabilities--when your doctor has made a diagnosis and enters it into the software, standard tests and treatment options automatically appear so that your doctor doesn't miss anything.  Labwork can be ordered with just a few clicks of a mouse, and repeat prescriptions are just as easy.  All this in addition to the regular things office software should have--like appointment scheduling, charting, and billing.  There are even patient education modules so the doctor has all the things he or she needs for the patient literally right at the fingertips.  It doesn't have to be completely paperless either--there is always an option to print anything stored.  Additionally, since the records are stored offsite on the server, if there would ever be a fire the records are not lost.

One of the best features, in my opinion, is something they call "remote patient care".  This is a function that lets the chart be downloaded onto a portable computer device--a laptop, a handheld, etc--for use in making hospital rounds or working from home.  You aren't tied to the office and you don't have to carry around the big files.  More importantly, your doctor doesn't have to keep everything in memory!  Doctors see a lot of patients--who can expect them to have accurate memory of the ones visited in the hospital?  Along with that feature is something called "moblie solutions" which means that any authorized agency/doctor can immediately access and update the file via an internet connection.   Notes made by a specialist are immediately available rather than waiting for them to be transcribed and faxed or mailed.  This software can fax, too, as it is capable of generating whatever document is needed and faxing it to any number.  There is even a voice recognition option--doctors can speak directly to the computer which will type thier words into the file.  What a time saver!  Could save money too--the doctor wouldn't have to pay someone to transcribe.

My doctors need this.  I suspect yours do too.  Write down this link and take it with you to the next visit to your physician:  www.virmedice.com




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