Halloween may scream commercialism to many these days, but I still find it the most dreading time of the year. Scary-looking masks and haunted houses can give me a fright even though they aren’t real.
But what a lot of doctors dread in their office is very real: software. EHR software that isn't designed for the needs and workflow of eyecare practices can halt efficiency. Don’t let your EHR scare you with how slow, ineffective, and hard to use it can be. If your system has shown the following signs from the start, it’s time to switch your EHR:
Why Your EHR Software Might be Scaring You
It Has an Ugly Interface
Like a scary mask, a bad interface can be a frightening to use everyday. Even if the software has all the perfect functions, a complicated and cluttered interface can make it hard to find critical data resulting in more time taken to complete an exam or even an inaccurate diagnosis. EHR software these days can do so much for your practice. But there’s no need to compromise form for function.
It's Difficult to Use
Many doctors resist implementing an EHR because it can be hard to learn a new system. That's perfectly understandable. There are many systems that make it hard to enter data quickly, and require a countless number of clicks just to get through a routine exam. So how long does it take for you to complete an exam?
A good indicator of your system being hard to use is when your new staff has trouble picking up the system. Try gathering feedback from the rest of your staff. You might be familiar with just the EHR portion of the software, but the practice management aspect should also be easy to use.
You're Dealing with Unsupportive Vendors
You’ve spent so much on your system, you should be getting the most out of your investment, including quality service from your vendor. You should get full access to training and support, and all other resources needed. Do your current vendors respond quickly to your queries? How about their training team? Have they provided resources to help new staff with training? If it’s been difficult working with your vendor during implementation, it might not be a good fit for your practice.
You Fear Losing All Your Practice Data
Life is unpredictable – we all know that. Imagine a natural disaster sweeping through your practice. Or even a simple human error such as forgetting to back-up your system the night you leave. All can result in losing all your patient’s data. And for those that have a little OCD in them, do you want to worry about whether you’ve backed-up your data for the day when you get home? Don’t live in fear. Use a cloud-based practice management and EHR system! All your data is securely stored in the cloud and automatically backed up. If you’ve set up a 3G or 4G back-up in your practice, you won’t even have to worry about an Internet outage.
Is your EHR software as scary as Halloween? If yes, consider switching to an easy to use software like Uprise. Here's a peek into why ODs love us:
Originally published in October 2014