Implementing new cloud-based EHR software into your practice is a big step in creating a modern optometric practice. But, to maximize the benefits of using a modern EHR solution in your practice, you need to optimize your practice’s usage of the software. Below are four ways you can get the most out of your EHR software.
How to Benefit the Most from Your EHR Software
Customize for Your Optical Practice
EHR software that doesn’t conform to your practice will negatively impact your workflow. If you can’t configure your EHR solution to meet your practice needs, you’ll spend too much time clicking around to try and force the solution to work the way your practice does.
A customizable EHR will help your optometric practice improve your office workflow by moving your patients through the office quickly with these configurable settings:
- Exams
- Counselling materials
- Message templates
- Treatment code mappings
- Dilation setup
Train Your Staff How to Use It
Training your optometric staff to use the EHR software effectively will give your practice an advantage and could contribute to your practice’s ability to cut minutes off your office workflow. But, training alone isn’t enough. Your staff members also have to be encouraged to use the software.
Connect the Patient Portal
To make your EHR more effective, connecting it to the patient portal will help you automatically gather and share important information with your patients.
Connecting your EHR software to a patient portal will give your optometric practice the ability to do things like:
- Send messages to your patients
- Collect patient information before the appointments
- Send patient visit summaries
- Enable web scheduling
Read Release Notes
One of the great things about Software-as-a-Service and cloud-based EHR software is that you usually don’t have to keep up with the product updates. The EHR vendor will automatically make updates to the software with little impact on your practice.
However, if you don’t keep up with the product updates, you may be missing out on new functionality that will help make your practice better. So, when you see a notification or an email about product updates, take a look. It could provide something that your practice needed.
In order to get the most out of your EHR software, you have to ensure that you've purchased the best solution for your practice. Download our practice management and EHR buying guide for tips on what to look for when shopping for optometry software.
