The benefits of implementing an electronic health record (EHR) are obvious for medical practices, enabling a streamlined information throughout the office. It's now possible for healthcare organizations to effectively send information through EHRs when and where they want. And there is no more perfect example of this than the use of mobile technology to get data to medical practitioners on the go. Mobile sharing is gaining popularity in medicine as a way to improve patient care without sacrificing efficiency.

Consumers in the technology age are ingrained with convenience and accessing information within seconds. So it’s only natural that those desires would eventually make its way into healthcare, which is where telemedicine has made its mark.

The primary goal of all medical practices is to provide excellent care to patients, but at the end of the day, a practice is a business. Without a solid patient base, practices cannot be financially successful. Specialty practices that offer elective procedures like cosmetic plastic surgery, fillers and injectable neuromodulators, and Lasik eye surgery, should not only rely on existing patients for business, but always be looking for ways to bring new patients into a practice. One of the most cost effective ways to build a patient base is through word-of-mouth marketing.

With each passing day, technology is becoming a more integral part of the way we conduct our lives, and medical practices are no exception to this rule. Whether it's the emergence of more intricate and user-friendly EHR systems, practice management software, data reports from wearable technology or new patient portal solutions, our practices are more technologically involved than they've ever been before. While all of this technology is aimed at simplifying life, it can actually complicate things a great deal if managed improperly. Take a minute and check out these tips for managing technology in your practice to keep things running smoothly, seamlessly and effectively.

Interoperability. To say it’s a priority for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would be an understatement. As an added effort to encourage interoperability between vendors and providers, the CMS is calling on everyone in the medical community to – for lack of a better word – snitch.

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.