11 Benefits of Free EHR Software for Physicians

An EHR’s purpose is to arrange patient data so that healthcare professionals can analyze a patient’s record before or during their visit. EHR software comes with clinical decision tools, reports, and analytics that help to improve Healthcare and treatment of the patients. Free EHR Software collects, records, and maintains patient information. Common patient demographic information, medical history, diagnosis, drugs, prescriptions, allergy list, papers, and test results are all examples.

History of Medical Record-Keeping

Egyptians initialized healthcare record-keeping in 1600-3000 BC. In 1900 – 1920 AD, computerized health record systems were evolved. These Electronic Health record systems came into practice from the 1960s to 1970. With the technology evolution, the Health Record systems were also evolved from paperwork to EHR software and from EHR to cloud-based EHR.

Health Information Exchange

Health information exchange is a system that can record and exchange medical records. The healthcare information is accessed by patients, healthcare providers, and other staff members. Free her software and HIE have become major parts of a digitalized healthcare practice. A healthcare practice or enterprise requires learning these tools to make the enterprise more efficient, resulting in streamlined patient care. Adopt an effective EHR Software and HIE to support you in your business processes.

Benefits of EHR and HIEs

A bundle of benefits accompanies free EHR software and HIEs; among them, some are

1.      Time-saving

Free EHR software and HIEs help patients and healthcare providers to save time by avoiding readmissions. These systems and tools are speedy and efficient in recording and bookkeeping. These systems and tools reduce the burden of the staff, reducing their paper shuffling and remission tasks.

2.      Increase Efficiencies by Reducing Paperwork

By adopting cost-effective free EHR software, the healthcare practice will increase their efficiencies and effectiveness by reducing paperwork and Fax machines. The paperwork involved in every step of your business operations is reduced to maximize profits and minimize cost.

3.      Cost Saving

Free EHR software are cost-saving tools for both the patients and healthcare providers. Patients can save their costs by avoiding duplicate medical tests. At the same time, Healthcare providers can save money by avoiding unnecessary paperwork.

4.      Minimizing Diagnosis and Medication Errors 

By reviewing the patients’ medical history, EHR and HIE enable a healthcare practitioner to know about the previous diseases. The medical history reviews help healthcare providers to minimize diagnosis and medication errors. In the case of Pharmacies, this system is a supportive end to reduce prescription errors.

5.      Engage Patients about their Healthcare 

EHR software stores healthcare record, accessible for patients regardless of demographic location and time zones.

6.      Improve healthcare quality 

EHR software enables clinicians and healthcare specialists to collaborate and make joint decisions on a patient’s diagnosis.

HIEs reduce time spent on paperwork and briefing healthcare providers about medical history, sparing time to discuss the health concerns and treatments. This system helps to provide high-quality and safe patient care, making them a tangible enhancement to your healthcare organization.

7.      Improved Collaboration

Primary care physicians’ data may be easily shared, analyzed, and compared by specialists and 

other team members, resulting in reducing the risks of duplicate testing, lower health care costs, and better outcomes. Enhanced collaboration among healthcare enterprises may also reduce the risk of under-billing and overbilling.

8.      Flexibility

EHR software gives you the freedom to choose the platform that best suits your needs. 

Depending on your needs and specifications, you can opt for a SaaS or on-premises option as it provides physicians with the ability to analyze tests, see reports, and submit prescriptions from outside of their office, giving them more freedom and speeding up patient treatment. 

Instead of waiting for couriers or racing back to the office, doctors will be able to access their information from anywhere regardless of demographic location and at any time using their cellphones, tablets, or computers with internet connectivity.

9.      Sharing and Portability

You may be the patient’s primary care physician, but you are unlikely to be the only doctor the patient sees. Patients may see a variety of specialists, ranging from cardiologists to dermatologists. 

Every doctor-patient encounter should have the same level of expertise and care.

Without EHRs, inpatient care providers have only a fragmented view of the patient’s medical history, current analyses, and medications, leading to various problems. Patients can participate in their treatment with all of their providers using EHRs, and the data is always up to date. EHRs ensure that each clinician in a patient’s care chain is aware of the patient’s medical history and current diagnosis, as well as any additional medications they may be taking. Use a certified EHR for efficient management of revenue cycles, accounts receivables and claims management.

10. Productivity 

EHR can impact the productivity of the healthcare enterprise positively, and secure patient care is guaranteed. Free EHR software is a time-saving module that is helpful in reduction of the unnecessary hustle and bustle in your healthcare enterprise. Implementing EHR systems can be a life-saving practice in natural disasters and calamities. In emergency, when the patient cannot communicate their health history, EHR will support physicians to track it by themselves.

11. Making Healthcare affordable 

Advancement in telehealthcare services and covid-19 scenarios has increased the need for free EHR software. The telehealth care services are also chargeable according to the Healthcare rules and regulations. EHR shows the tentative telehealthcare cost for the patients before the services render, leaving them to decide about the healthcare services. Healthcare providers’ records of the services rendered and fee collection concentrate on patient care rather than fee collection.

EHR software attempt to digitize the medical records of your patients. These medical records are accessible to all of your healthcare providers. Providers keep track of their notes in a free EHR software so that any future doctor may discover them, understand them, and add to them. The Customer Management System (CMS) “Significant Use” legislation has prompted hospitals and practices to deploy digital systems, bringing EHR software into the spotlight in recent years.