Use of electronic medical records (EMRs) continues to spread throughout medical practices in the United States, especially in the field of ophthalmology. According to the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators (ASOA) 2015 EHR Customer Satisfaction Report, 75 percent of ophthalmologists are currently using an EMR in their practice. EMR’s growth in ophthalmology can largely be attributed to Meaningful Use since the majority of ophthalmology patients are elderly and likely using Medicare. Unfortunately, with the increase in EMR use has come a slight rise in dissatisfaction in EMRs as well. In the last two years, dissatisfaction rose four percent in the survey (18-22 percent).

Financial management of a medical practice is similar to mastery of a fine art or sport; it's something that one has to be working at constantly in order to do well. However, striving for financial excellence doesn't have to be a chore. In fact, there are several key habits that you can work into the practice's daily and quarterly routine that can help you maximize profit, reduce error and improve financial stability across the board. Whether you're satisfied with the state of your practice's financials or are looking to improve them, you may benefit from reading these tips:

Take one look at the world around you and it’s easy to see—society has gone mobile. In a bi-annual report conducted by Ericsson, they predict more than 70 percent of the world will be utilizing smartphones by 2020. Thanks to this kind of technology, consumers can conceivably access information from any location. As people take advantage of this unprecedented access, it’s only natural to see patients utilize mobile tools for their healthcare, a trend that only seems poised to grow over the coming years.

Physician's Practice estimated Facebook has at least 890 million users in the U.S. alone. Taking note of these key points can help you make sure you're maximizing your potential for ROI in marketing on this platform.

A Broken Promise? In a recent article published by Medical Economics, they interviewed healthcare providers (from various fields and specialties) about their opinions as to whether EMR/EHR systems have delivered on initial promises such as increased efficiency, better time management, and fast charting. Their responses were, to put it nicely, less than positive. The vast majority of healthcare professionals interviewed in the article expressed feelings of disappointment with the EMR/EHR industry as a whole, as well as what needs to happen in order for the EMR/EHR industry to regain the trust and support of physicians and other users in the medical field.

Electronic medical records (EMRs) have transformed the medical world, impacting patient care and day-to-day operations at medical practices across the country.

Regardless of the specialty of your practice, your reputation is always going to be one of the most valuable tools that you have when it comes to attracting new patients. The expansion of technology intersecting with the advancement and growth of the field of medicine means that patients have more choice when it comes time to receive care. In order to ensure that you are maintaining your existing client base while also adding new patients, you need to protect and maintain your reputation. While this may have once been solely about offering the best care possible, times have changed. Whether you feel that you're already doing enough to bolster and protect your practice's reputation or are looking for a crash course in it, take a look at these tips.

Making sure you're using your EHR to increase patient engagement can help you get the most out of your product. While EHRs can help to simplify your practice, you don't want to get to the point where they limit your communication with the patient. According to Physicians Practice, 70 percent of practices have reported a decrease in patient face time after EHR implementation. In order to ensure you're getting the most out of your EHR while maintaining meaningful communication, you may want to try techniques like voice dictation to speed up record creation.