Electronic Health Records (EHR) have become the new standard for tracking and recording a patient’s critical information. They have virtually done away with traditional paper-based charting methods that were cumbersome, and often presented an incomplete picture of the patient’s long-term health records. This further led to problems caused by fragmented care for patients who needed to see multiple providers.
EHR offers a much more comprehensive, chart, that can be accessed quickly, in real-time. They provide a patient-centric view of the individual’s medical history.
EHR can also be maintained by one or more authorized providers to streamline charting information, which virtually eliminates complications from fragmented care. EHR systems also include digital features that serve to improve patient treatment outcomes through better care coordination. It also increases a practice’s efficiencies with faster access to health records.
One of the most important features of an EHR is the ability to create health information that can be managed by authorized users via a digital format or a secure web portal. EHR makes it possible for the information to be shared across authorized providers as well as being able to securely transmit information to more than one healthcare organization.
This includes primary care physicians, as well as healthcare specialists from multiple disciplines, pharmacies, laboratories, and even emergency facilities. A patient’s EHR includes all the health information from every provider involved in a patient’s care or treatment plan.
Key Features of EHR
Electronic Health Records have evolved into a global, all-encompassing system for accurately tracking a patient’s health status as well as their overall treatment plan. This provides a superior level of care management that is far more comprehensive than old-fashioned paper charting. This includes in-depth information about the patient, including pharmacists, workplace health clinics, and even academics.
Reduced Risk of Fragmented Care
EHR provides the ability to share medical information easily, and quickly. It also ensures that a patient’s information follows them through the various modalities of care. This virtually eliminates the risk of fragmented care.
Improved Access For Providers & Patients
Since an EHR is designed to be accessible by every provider involved in the patient’s care. This includes the patient themselves, which empowers them to feel like they have an active role in their care.
Components of the Electronic Health Record System
The EHR is more than just a digital charting method. It is a sophisticated medical platform with several key components with an integrated set of interoperable technology components.
This includes:
- EHR Software
- Practice Management Software
- ePrescription
- Dashboards
- Telemedicine
- Interfaces to labs and clearinghouses
- Workflow tools
- Patient portal
- Referring physician portal
All these components work seamlessly to help all the patient’s various providers to communicate, track, chart, and coordinate patient care. All while staying HIPAA compliant and helping to reduce the patient’s medical costs. This goes a long way toward helping to insulate providers from accidental HIPAA violations.
The EHR System uses a seamless digital version of the outdated paperless medical chart. It includes key administrative and clinical data, as well as the ability to coordinate one or more authorized providers.
EHR also includes other key data points such as:
- Patient Demographics
- Progress Notes
- Known Allergies
- Symptom
- Problems and Past Complications
- Medications
- Current Vital Signs
- Past medical history
- Immunizations
- Laboratory Data
- Radiology reports
- Administrative Notes
- Billing Data History
EHR Benefits for Behavior Therapists
Behavior therapists also benefit from access to the EHR system. Especially ABA therapists and other behavior specialists who are part of a patient’s larger care team. This allows for more efficient interdisciplinary communication. It’s a major factor when you consider that many children and even adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder rely on a diverse support team to help them meet important goals and treatment outcomes.
It also ensures that all other providers are fully aware of a patient’s mental health concerns. For example, a new provider coming into the network of an ASD patient’s care team can quickly see notes for past behavioral problems, as well as see past tracking progress. This can help ease a patient with ASD who might struggle to accept a new provider as part of their ongoing care team.
Transparency & Coordination
The HER system also helps ABA therapists and their patients with ASD by increasing patient participation and transparency throughout their support team. Parents and other authorized caregivers can be given easy access to the EHR to optimize communication, as well as understand their options, without having to frequently reach out to a myriad of individual providers.
Reduced Need For Diagnostics
ABA is a data-driven therapeutic technique that relies on measurable responses and data sets to set a goal, track goals, and note outcomes. Under the old-fashioned paper charting system, a new provider coming onto the support team might want to perform their own diagnostics. Especially if past diagnostics aren’t included in the existing paper charting.
With EHR all diagnostics are included and are easy to find. This spares new providers and other members of the support team from having to repeat a diagnostic, as they can see the results for themselves.
Not only does this save time for the patient with ASD, but it also saves money. Cost-efficiencies like this leave more room for new diagnostics or treatment modalities that might not have been available under the paper charting system. It also eases the stress on a child with ASD as many are uncomfortable with clinical diagnostics. Especially if they need to be performed twice.
Accurate Coding & Medical Billing
The clear communication and efficiency of the EHR system also translate into fewer coding and medical billing errors. Not only does this help reduce the potential out-of-pocket costs passed along to the patient, but it also reduced claim delays, denials, and rejections, which can affect an ABA therapist’s revenue stream.
Conclusion
The digital age is here to stay, and it’s certainly found a beneficial role in the medical and mental healthcare industries. Electronic health records stand as the first line of defense against fragmented care and cost inefficiencies that were so frequently with outdated paper charting.
EHR allows for superior communication between all members of a patient’s care team, the providers, the caregivers, and even the patient themselves. It also translates into fewer coding and medical billing errors, which helps ABA therapists and other providers to enjoy a consistent revenue stream, without any unnecessary out-of-pocket costs being passed along to the patient.
