The Ultimate EHR Software Development Requirement Checklist
In 2021, a report by ResearchGate suggested that nearly 9 in every 10 office-based physicians have adopted the EHR software system. If you think of it statistically, then nearly 88% of office-based physicians have adopted some or the other EHR software system.
But that is the news of 2021, as almost 3 years since that recording, and today, the landscape has changed a little bit, with custom healthcare software solutions entering the space.
Recognizing that every healthcare practice has different needs which are unique to themselves, the needs and requirements of healthcare practices keep on changing. This has especially been the case with EHR software systems, used by speciality providers.
This has given rise to many healthcare practices making a shift to EHR software development, to customize the software according to their needs. However, riding the wave of this transition, we recognized something that almost every other healthcare provider struggled with.
You see, these healthcare providers have realised that the existing EHR software is unable to meet their needs and custom EHR is the way to go forward. But they often struggle with what they need from the EHR software. In simple words, when it came to completely building your own EMR from scratch, they struggled to find the right balance between their needs and wants.
Well, to make this process simple, we have curated this blog, to provide you with the ultimate checklist that would help you in successful custom EHR software development.
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Define Your EHR Software’s Core Functionality
The first thing that you need to do, when it comes to custom EHR software development is to define its core functionality. And as you know the features define the functionality of any software, for your EHR software, you need to first define the EHR software features.
Making are some of the major EHR system functionalities that you must have in your custom EHR software:
1. Patient Management: Storing and managing patient data is basically the purpose of an electronic health record system. That is why, while mapping the EHR software development requirement, the EHR software features of patient management is something that it must have. Some of the major functionalities in this are storing patient demographics, medical history and current health status of any ongoing medication, treatment, etc.
2. Appointment Scheduling: Moving a little away from patient data management and including the EHR software features that set the first step for a patient’s clinical journey and practice administration is the feature of appointment scheduling. In this, you need to integrate your software with calendars with clear availability management and custom appointment reminder functionalities. On top of that, to add convenience, you must also add the factor of appointment rescheduling and cancellation.
3. Prescription Management: What is done after consultation? Yes, you are right, prescriptions are handed. And it is one of the major things in the patient’s care journey, which you are trying to digitalize and simply, you must include the functionality of electronic prescriptions, drug interactions and must establish a connection with the pharmacy system.
These functionalities can differ a little when you cater to the different and specific needs of the healthcare organization. For instance a healthcare practice with generic practice might need different electronic health record system requirements as compared to a speciality practice.
Furthermore, given the ever evolving nature of the healthcare landscape, the EHR system functionality can also evolve. That is why having the customizability option as your EHR software feature can be your savior.
Regulatory Compliance & Security Standards
The health data of individuals is very personal and since your EHR Software will be majorly dealing with personal health information of your patients, it automatically becomes your responsibility to ensure its safety and privacy. That is why there are some of the regulatory compliances and security standards that you need to adhere to ensure your software has taken all the data security and privacy measures.
1. HIPAA Compliance: HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which is a federal law of the United States, it sets the rules and guidelines to ensure data safety.
2. GDPR: GDPR stands for the General Data Protection Regulation, which is a European Union law that protects the data of the citizens of the European Union. It is similar to that of HIPAA in the United States and sets guidelines for the collection and procession of individuals personal information and its ethical use.
3. Data Encryption and Secure Data Storage: You see your complete system understands a different language which is binary language. In such cases, while transmitting data from one system to another, there is a high chance of data breach, which can compromise the fundamental rights of the individual. However, with data encryption, you add another layer of protection to your data, further ensuring its privacy.
Failing to comply with these regulations can lead to serious consequences such as hefty fines, legal troubles, and even reputation damage. That is why you need to take robust security measures like two-factor authentication and implement role-based access control, encryptions, etc.
Furthermore, you also need to conduct regular audit logs, which will help you in identifying and addressing the security and privacy issues in your system.
User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design
Moving ahead with core EHR system functionalities and electronic health record system requirements, the first thing you will encounter is the User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX). Here are some of the things that you need to have on your checklist to build an ideal EHR software for your practice:
1. User-friendly Interface: As a provider, the priority is your patient’s health, in such cases, having a complex UI can lead to spending more time on the system. This can disrupt the flow and other factors in the care delivery. That is why minimizing the learning curve for healthcare providers keeps the interface as easy and comprehensive as possible.
2. Mobile Access: Since most of the patients will be using mobile for appointments and daily communication, designing a responsive design for mobile apps as well is also necessary.
3. Customizable Dashboard: Have a customizable dashboard which will allow healthcare providers to prioritize and streamline the information they want to see. This will not only enhance the care delivery process, but also make the job very simple and easy for healthcare providers, which delivers care.
Poorly designed EHR software implementation can quickly see resistance from users. Understand that most of the users are not from technological background. That is why, by keeping the interface and experience simple and easily accessible and navigable can do wonders for your healthcare practice and EHR software.
Data Interoperability & Integration Capabilities
When choosing an EHR software vendor, their specialty in data interoperability and integration must be there on your EHR system functionalities checklist. Here are some things must be considered for this:
1. Integration with Lab Systems: Given the high dependency of the healthcare organization of laboratories for results, an integration with their system will allow seamless transfer of results, directly into the patient’s EHR.
2. Electronic Health Information Exchange (HIE): With integration with HIE, you can ensure that your EHR system can easily communicate with other healthcare systems. This will not only enhance patient care coordination but also can have a significant impact in improving the quality of care.
3. Third-party Integration: Other than other healthcare systems, you also need to integrate your software with third-party software such as billing software, insurance providers and even telemedicine software.
Some of the reasons why interoperability and integration should be there on your checklist is because they ensure smooth flow of data from one system to another. Some of the things that you must mention for interoperability are standardized protocols such as HL7 FHIR as their role in achieving interoperability cannot be ignored.
Gain Insights Into Industry Best Practices To Ensure Your EHR Software Not Only Meets But Exceeds Expectations
Download Free GuideScalability & Future-Proofing
Since you will be using your customizable EHR software for a long time, you will have considered the ever-evolving nature of the technical as well as digital healthcare landscape. Depending on that, here are some considerations that you can include in your software infrastructure that you must have on your checklist:
1. Cloud-Based EHR Solution: When it comes to scalability, a cloud-based solution is something that is unmatched. Moreover, it will not only offer flexibility that it offers in customization but also give you the option of unlimited data storage.
2. Handling Increased Data Volume: Remember that with time, as your practice increases, the data load on the software will also increase, which will also increase the load on the software. That is why your custom EHR should have the ability to handle the growing patient records that your healthcare practice also increased.
3. Future Technology Trends: With AI, machine learning, and predictive analytics making headlines in the healthcare industry every now and then, it would be wise for you to include such technologies in your software. It will set the bedrock for future innovations and can make it easy for your digital healthcare practice to adapt to the changing nature easily and rapidly.
Customization & Vendor Support
The last and most important checklist, which in many cases should be the first, is customization offerings and vendor support. Customization is important because you are, after all, choosing a custom EHR software development approach for your EHR software and vendor support because you have kept the software running and are helping you carry out day-to-day activities. In this checklist, here is something that must be there:
1. Customizable Features: You see, the technological and healthcare landscapes are always changing. That is why you need to ensure that no matter what, your system should be able to adapt to these unique workflows and user needs. And the only way to ensure that is by having customizable features that make life easier not only for your EHR developers but also for your practice.
2. Vendor Relationship: The best way to get your work done is by having good relations with your EHR software developers. As a development partner, learn what you need from them and have constant support from them. This will keep you in the loop and will update you constantly on how much and how the software is being built.
3. System Updates and Maintenance: Given the ever-changing nature of the very healthcare technological landscape, you need to stay updated with the ever-changing legal landscape as well. This will not only keep you in the loop for feature improvements but will also keep you in the loop for security, compliance, and legal landscape.
Conclusion
To summarize, I wanted to keep this article short, but couldn’t as there is so much to cover for your very little attention span. So even reading the headlines would keep you in loop for what you will find in this blog and it will be a complete checklist for building an ideal EHR software that is also your practice management and virtual consultation software.
On that note, let this guide be your ultimate guide which can be your guide to every software development. And you are looking to talk to someone about your ideas, then we’re just a click away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Key considerations for EHR software development include data security, interoperability, user experience, regulatory compliance, and scalability.
EHR systems can be designed for usability and user satisfaction by:
- Prioritizing user needs: Involve clinicians in the design process to understand their workflow and pain points.
- Intuitive interface: Create a clean and intuitive interface with clear navigation and easily accessible features.
- Data entry efficiency: Minimize data entry through features like auto-population, templates, and voice recognition.
- Regular feedback and iteration: Continuously collect user feedback and use it to refine the system and address usability issues.
- Training and support: Provide comprehensive training and ongoing support to ensure users are comfortable and confident using the system.
EHR systems collect, store, and manage patient health information, facilitate medical orders and their management, assist with clinical decision-making, and enable secure data exchange and communication.
To identify specific needs in your healthcare organization, conduct a thorough needs assessment. This involves gathering data from various sources like staff surveys, patient feedback, performance reviews, and analyzing industry trends.
Key areas to focus on:
- Operational efficiency: Streamlining processes, reducing costs, and improving patient flow.
- Technological advancements: Integrating new technologies for better patient care and administrative support.
- Staff development: Identifying skill gaps and providing training opportunities.
- Patient satisfaction: Understanding patient expectations and improving the overall patient experience.
- Financial sustainability: Ensuring long-term financial stability and growth.
To ensure your EHR system is compliant with regulations, you should:
- Choose a reputable vendor: Select a vendor with a proven track record of compliance.
- Implement strong security measures: Utilize encryption, access controls, and regular security audits.
- Train staff: Educate employees on data privacy and security best practices.
- Stay informed: Keep up-to-date on regulatory changes and implement necessary updates.
- Conduct regular risk assessments: Identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
EHR developers can ensure compliance with HIPAA and Meaningful Use by:
- Implementing robust security measures, including access controls and encryption.
- Ensuring data privacy and integrity.
- Meeting specific technical standards for EHR functionality.
- Regularly updating the EHR system to address vulnerabilities and meet evolving regulatory requirements.
EHR systems must implement robust security measures, including:
- Strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
- Data encryption at rest and in transit.
- Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.
- Access controls based on the principle of least privilege.
- Employee training on security best practices and HIPAA compliance.
- Incident response plans to address data breaches promptly.
By implementing these measures, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches and protect patient privacy.
Here are some best practices for testing and QA in EHR software development:
- Rigorous Unit Testing: Thoroughly test individual components and modules.
- Integration Testing: Verify interactions between different parts of the system.
- System Testing: End-to-end testing of the entire EHR system.
- User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Involve real users to test the system in a realistic environment.
- Regular Regression Testing: Ensure that new changes don’t break existing functionality.
- Compliance Testing: Verify adherence to regulations like HIPAA and HL7.
- Security Testing: Assess vulnerabilities and ensure patient data protection.
These practices help ensure the accuracy, reliability, and safety of the EHR software.
