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On the move: EMR mobility vital to effective care delivery

By: Nextech | July 10th, 2014

Blog Feature

Earlier this year, research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that more than 78 percent of office-based physicians were using an electronic medical record. As physicians become increasingly familiar with EMRs, they are demanding more from their solutions to help them boost productivity. More often than not, they are looking for one main thing: mobility. According to research released by Black Book Rankings in May 2013, of the one-in-five physician practices surveyed that were considering switching their EMR vendor, 100 percent expected any new EMR to allow doctors to access patient data no matter where the care was being delivered.

This new focus on mobility makes perfect sense. These days, the provision of quality healthcare isn’t confined to a patient’s office visit, but it is contingent on being able to access medical records on the go. Whether it is while making hospital rounds, conferring about a case on the phone or answering a secure message through a patient portal, doctors increasingly need to access records at a moment’s notice. Having the information they need, when and where they need it, allows doctors to consistently make better care decisions.

In addition, having a patient’s record available on a mobile device can aid communication between the provider and patient. With mobile EMR capabilities, doctors can easily show their patients medical imaging or test results right on the device to help explain their condition and the best course of action. Patients, too, largely see the use of tablets during a visit in a positive light, noting that it allowed their clinician to access their medical information quicker.

Some of the core features providers should look for in a mobile EMR solution are:

  • Access to medical records and the ability to flip through them on the device as they would a paper chart;
  • Access to medical imaging and test results;
  • ePrescribing capabilities; and
  • Scheduling and appointment tools to allow for automatic synching of new or rescheduled appointments.

Tools to increase productivity should also get significant consideration. These tools enable the clinician to continuously chart patient information between visits, as well as simplify the dictation process by allowing the doctor to add notes to the medical record by simply speaking into the mobile device.

Most doctors know that their job isn’t over once the patient steps out of their office. As physicians work to accommodate the needs of the patient, they realize that the demands on their time are only going to increase. By leveraging mobile technology, providers can improve workflow and enhance communication, all by having medical records available to them anytime and anywhere.