Finding Top-Rated EMR Software in 2021: A Complete Guide

Close to 99% of physicians in the US use EMR software. If you’ve been in the healthcare industry for a few years, you might also have had your fair share of experience with EMR software. But for the sake of a story, let’s take a scenario. Suppose you’ve been practicing medicine for quite some time, and you think it’s about time you opened up your own practice. You talk to some of your colleagues, and they agree to join you. Now you’ve got a team of 4 physicians, and you take the final leap of faith and set up shop. Now it’s time to build a digital infrastructure of your practice. How would you go about finding top-rated EMR software?

Think of implementing the right EMR software for your practice, like designing an aesthetically pleasing interior. Similar to how an aesthetically pleasing interior can improve productivity, a well-designed EMR software can too. While each EMR comes with its own strengths and capabilities, there are a few underlying similarities that all top-rated EMR software have. These include a smart dashboard, customizability, scalability, multi-specialty coordination, integration with other solutions, and much more.

Here’s what we will talk about in this article:

• Look for a Partner, Not a Tool
• Best practices for finding top-rated EMR software
• Words of Wisdom

Look for a Partner, Not a Tool

One of the biggest mistakes small practices make is they look for a tool. While it may work for some traditional practices, it’s not the ideal approach. Why? Because your objective should be to find a partner that helps you grow in the long-run, not a tool that allows you to manage short-term wins. 

After running a practice for a full day, you might think it’s easier to think of EMR software as just another tool in your kit. While I’m not saying that it’s the wrong approach, it doesn’t entirely give you the advantages you need to outrun other practices. Some top-rated EMR software like athenahealth EMR encourages building and humanizing their relationship to help you get more than just another tool.

Best Practices for Finding Top-Rated EMR Software

After you’ve decided to look for an EMR partner for long-term growth, here are some best practices you can follow:

#1 Start With a List

Writing down all the services and features you need is one of the oldest tricks in the books. However, it’s also one of the most effective ones. Think of it as safe-keeping your thoughts. The human brain, despite being extremely intelligent, can’t remember everything. So it’s better to create a list of all the services you need before starting your search. As the old saying goes, “Better safe than sorry”.

Here’s an example of what your typical list would look like. Feel free to edit and make changes to this one.

• Patient Intake Solution
• Patient Scheduling
• e-Eligibility Verification
• e-Prescribing
• Quick Charting
• Pre-Designed Templates and Treatment Plans
• Automatic Billing
• E&M Coding (In-Patient and Out-Patient) 
• Appointment Reminders

Rather than explaining to each EMR provider what your requirements are, send them your list.

#2 Come Up With a Budget

It’s never a good idea to start finding EMR blindly without taking into account their cost. After you’ve created a list of services you need in an EMR software, it’s time to come with an estimated price for these services that you’re comfortable with. You can calculate pricing for individual services or the total as a whole.

Pro Tip: Avoid estimating a fixed figure. Try to come up with a range—for example, $250-$350 per month per provider.

#3 Generic EMR is a Thing of the Past

A common myth about EMR software is that a generic EMR would cost less than a specialty-specific one. Unfortunately, that’s not true at all. In fact, generic EMR software ends up costing more than specialty-specific ones in the long run. Also, they don’t provide all the services you might need. 

Some top-rated EMR software also provides multi-specialty EMR software. 

Story Time: When I was a kid, my dad used to take me to a family physician after every six months or so for a routine check-up. I distinctively remember there were two physicians in his clinic (it wasn’t a big practice). To my surprise, one was a family physician, and the other was a dentist. I know what you’re thinking; they have nothing in common.

What’s even more surprising is that they used the same EMR. However, the module that my physician used was way different from the one the dentist used. Later I found out that they used a multi-specialty EMR software that catered to each of their unique requirements without interfering with the other.

#4 Check Certifications

If you’re hiring someone for your practice, it probably doesn’t matter if they have the required certification or not if they have experience. However, EMR software is a little different than human beings. It’s essential that you find EMR software with the right certifications to comply with healthcare regulations. One of the main certifications you need is ONC-ATCB. This certification ensures your software meets the Meaningful Use (MU) standards.

However, if they are also compliant with MU Medicaid and Medicare requirements, that’s a huge plus point.

#5 Talk to Other Users

If you talk to an EMR provider, there’s no doubt they’ll tell you all the benefits of their products. However, like all human-made things, everything has its flaws. If you want to dig deep in your choice of EMR software, try talking to other users. For example, if you’re thinking about eClinicalWorks EMR, talk to other physicians already using it. This will help you come up with a clear picture of what the software is all about.

Pro Tip: If you don’t know where to look for physicians that are using a specific EMR software, go to Software Finder, search for your software, and read through hundreds of reviews on their websites.

Words of Wisdom – Expert Advice

Now that we’ve talked about some of the best practices involved in finding top-rated EMR software, allow me to pass on some words of wisdom. 

While each EMR has its own strengths, there are a few underlying commonalities. Despite that, it takes time to get used to EMR software. Suppose you’ve just switched to AdvancedMD EMR from another software. Don’t expect to know everything about it in one day. Sure all the features you need are right there, but you might need some time to get used to the new interface and design. In fact, some practices need more than six weeks to get used to a new EMR software fully. 

So don’t get discouraged when things don’t go your way on the first day. Remember, everything good in life takes time. And if something doesn’t need time, it’s probably not good in the first place.

Conclusion – Redefine Your Practice with Top-Rated EMR Software

If your search for a top-rated EMR software has brought you to my humble blog, here top five best practices you can use to redefine your practice. However, before you jump into that, remember to look for a partner, not just another tool in the shed. There are a number of tools you can get, but you deserve more than just a tool. 

Here are the five best practices to follow when looking for a top-rated EMR software to give you a little recap of what we’ve discussed. 

#1 Start with a list of everything you need

#2 Come up with an estimated budget

#3 Don’t go after generic EMR; aim for specialty-specific EMR

#4 Check for all the certifications

#5 Don’t be shy to talk to other physicians

If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, don’t be shy to reach out to us at Software Finder for more help in finding the perfect match for your practice.