Key Features to have in Custom EMR Software

Did you know as of June 2024, there were reportedly 31,748 clinics in the United States of America?

This number might give you an idea about the vast network individual clinical hold across different specialties. Some of the most prominent clinic networks include, mental health, women health and even health clinics. And interestingly the connecting link that can be found amongst all these clinics is the high adoption of healthcare software for care delivery.

While various healthcare IT systems are being used by these clinics and healthcare organizations, in one or another, they have ingrained electronic medical records as the epicenter for care delivery.

However, the limited offers of the off-the-shelf software solutions have given very limited space to these clinics, forcing them to make necessary changes in their clinical workflows and other aspects of the clinic. 

This has given rise to a new trend in the healthcare industry, where most of such clinics focusing on general health and specialties alike make a shift to build their own EMR software.

However, EMR software development can at times be confusing and during the discovery phase of the custom EMR software, many providers struggle to finalize the right features and functionalities for their software.

This alone can lead to working again and disrupting the day-to-day functioning of your practice every now and then. So what can healthcare providers do to find the key features in custom EMR for their practice?

To start with, you’ve just landed on the right post and in this blog, let’s try to uncover the core aspects of tailored healthcare solutions and key features in EMR that will be perfect for your practice.

Core Clinical Features in Custom EMR

Covering the clinical aspects of your custom EMR software, here are some of the core clinical features that you must not compromise with.

1. Patient Demographics and Medical History: This is the core feature of EMR and can even be argued to be the sole purpose of electronic medical records. In short, your custom EMR software should be able to securely store and manage patient demographics, medical history, current or ongoing medications, allergies, and even immunizations. Along with that, it should also allow easy access to patient data to providers so that care is delivered effectively and effortlessly. Furthermore, your EMR system should also be integrated with other health information systems so that data exchange is smooth and complete.

2. Electronic Prescribing (ePrescribing): While you’ll be considering the custom EMR software as a reference for care delivery, with the feature of electronic prescribing, you can even use the same software for prescriptions. It will not only streamline the medication process but also reduce medication errors, if not eliminated. Moreover, integrating this system with pharmacies can further ensure timely and accurate medication delivery. This way, you increase patient safety and improve medication adherence.

3. Appointment Scheduling and Reminders: Another clinical feature that you should consider for EMR development for solo practitioners is appointment scheduling and reminders. This feature integrates your software with the calendar and enables easy scheduling with effective patient appointment management. Furthermore, to reduce no-shows and appointment missing, you can include the automated appointment reminder features. This way, your custom EMR software will send personalized reminders to patients via email or text messages. 

Practice Management Features

All the key features of custom EMR for clinical needs are covered. But you will also be using the EMR software for practice management, right? On that note, here are some additional features that you must consider during custom EMR development for your unique needs:

1. Billing and Coding: Billing makes up most of the administrative tasks for your clinic. With automated billing and coding features, you can streamline and automate the billing and coding processes, which include claims submission and insurance verification. The automation processes will help you generate accurate and timely invoices, which will directly or indirectly contribute to improving your revenue cycle. Moreover, it will take the burden off your staff and contribute to improving practice profitability and financial performance.

2. Reporting and Analytics: Another key feature for your practice management can be customized reporting and analytics. Since reporting is an essential part of care delivery, this feature will allow you to generate customized reports on patient demographics, appointment scheduling, billing patterns, and other key performance indicators. These reporting and analytics features will help you gain valuable insights into where your practice is lacking and take action to improve in those areas. Furthermore, with reporting and analytics, you will have data-driven decision-making support, which can be crucial for not only delivering better care but also improving the practice’s outcomes.

Patient Engagement Features

While the key features in custom EMR consisting of clinical and practice management is enough for you to make a smooth transition to virtual care practices. However, if you are thinking about starting virtual care delivery—which you are—then considering these patient engagement features can literally help you start and streamline your virtual care delivery processes.

1. Patient Portal: In customizable EMR applications, the patient portal will be the point of contact for your patients during their care journey. Secure online access to their medical records, appointments, and communications will empower them to participate proactively in their care journey. Furthermore, it can also set the stage to facilitate patient education and self-management, directly or indirectly contributing to getting the desired patient health outcomes.

2. Telehealth Integration: While most of the patient care journey will be covered in other features, it can bridge the care access gaps like telehealth. With telehealth integration, you can provide remote patient consultation via video conferencing, audio calls, etc. This will improve access to care services in remote locations while making care services convenient. These features in EMR development for solo practitioners can literally crave the roadmap for their practices.

Data Security & Privacy

The inclusion of digital technologies in the healthcare landscape has made it prone to cyber attacks and cyber threats. And given the sensitive nature of data stored in custom EMR software, it can be a gold mine for cyberattackers. That is why robust data security and privacy measures must be taken.

Some of the best practices for data security and privacy in the healthcare industry include data encryption, role-based access controls, and conducting regular security audits. While data encryptions make it hard to decrypt, access control measures allow only authorized users to access these data.

However, HIPAA compliance for custom EMR solutions must not be ignored as it can act as a guide for implementing robust data security and privacy measures. Along with that, the security audits you conduct will help you in identifying and addressing gaps in your security.

This way, you protect not only your patient data from unauthorized access but also from external cyber threats.

Integration and Interoperability

One of the major benefits of custom EMR development over off-the-shelf solutions is its integration and interoperability abilities. By integrating your custom EMR software with other healthcare systems, such as labs, imaging centers, and pharmacy networks, data flow is streamlined and seamless.

Moreover, by ensuring seamless data exchange, you also ensure there is seamless coordination in care delivery and no leaf is left unturned.

Frequently Asked Questions