Monthly Archives

July 2017

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Evaluating and Selecting a Mental Health EHR Vendor

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Deciding you need a specialized mental health EHR solution is the first step. Now you need to qualify a vendor to make sure you are getting the best software for your organization.

Here are the critical criteria to look for when evaluating and selecting a mental health EHR vendor.

Good track record

You want a mental health EHR vendor who has an excellent track record providing mental health EHR solutions. Avoid wasting time and money on a new provider with limited success to date. In addition, ask about failed implementations; a high number of failed implementations is a bad sign.

Experts in mental health solutions

Since the requirements of behavioral and mental health providers are unique and varied compared to other medical specialties, look for a vendor who has demonstrated experience in behavioral health EHR solutions. Experienced EHR vendors will have gone through the same issues with other agencies, making it easier to provide insight into helping your organization.

Attentive training and customer service

Every software system will have a learning curve. Look for a vendor with extensive training programs and sufficient documentation for each team member to use the EHR software to its full advantage. Check with other practices and referrals about the vendor’s customer service and how satisfied they are with the level of service provided.

Timely updates

EHR software should not remain static. It will change and evolve periodically with updates to add useful features and improve the user interface. You want an EHR software company who takes into account new regulations and the latest industry best practices when releasing timely updates to your EHR solution.

Certified provider

If your organization plans to attest for Meaningful Use incentives you will want an EHR vendor with a properly vetted software that has been ONC certified. Lack of certification in your mental health EHR means it will not track MU incentives properly to be available to your practice.

Conclusion

Organizations that focus on behavioral health, mental health, and addiction treatment cannot expect to run as efficiently as possible without EHR software. Make sure the vendor’s EHR software provides mental health-specific functionality. Protect your valuable capital by evaluating and selecting the right mental health EHR vendor. Choosing a mental health EHR solution is the best foundation for treating more clients more quickly.

The Remarkable Health difference

Remarkable Health (formerly known as ClaimTrak) is the leading Provider Success Software Company focused on the behavioral health and human services industries. For more than 25 years we have passionately focused on providing behavioral health, substance abuse, and human service organizations the tools they need to provide remarkable client experiences. We offer a purpose-built, integrated platform consisting of Electronic Health Record (EHR)—Clinical, Billing, Scheduling, Reporting, and Medication Management —for inpatient, outpatient, and residential facilities.

CT|One is a complete hosted Electronic Health Record (EHR) – Clinical, Billing, Scheduling, Medication Management / e-Prescribing, Reporting, and more – for inpatient, outpatient, and residential settings.

Request a demo today to discover how your agency can help clients achieve remarkable outcomes.

EMR solutions

Trends in EMR Solutions

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Experts predict the market for electronic medical records (EMR) solutions to be worth approximately $35.2 billion by 2019. With growing demand, the need is apparent for strengthening EHR software and making data more accessible, while reducing errors and increasing ease of use.

To keep up with technological capabilities, EMR vendors are focusing on what clinicians want and need. Here are the trends in EMR solutions that will be more appealing to clinicians and clients alike.

Cloud-based solutions

Startup costs for EMRs can be burdensome for behavioral health practices. Cloud-based solutions offer lower startup costs to make better use of providers’ current resources. The cloud also makes continuity of care and software upgrades easier.

Integrating telemedicine

Telemedicine is rapidly becoming an option how clients interact with their clinicians. Integrating telemedicine in the future will be an important component of behavioral health EMR solutions.

Client relationship management

The ability for the clinic to report on their success means as much to developing client relationships as it does to clients and their insurance companies. Reporting successful outcomes shows that the organization is efficient and, most importantly, the care they provide is effective. Behavioral health improvements for clients define the organization’s success.

Mobility

More and more providers want to offer client care from their mobile devices. Agencies will need to decide what mobile solution is important to them. For example, do they need a solution to document notes without an internet connection with the ability to sync that data later? Solutions which are not browser-based can confuse buyers when they are deciding which “mobile” technology is right for their agency. EMR vendors need to offer better mobile design and functionality to meet this high-demand trend.

Conclusion

These trends in EMR solutions are leading the change in better care for clients and reduced cost of care for insurers. EMRs will rapidly change how we deliver behavioral health care for the coming decades. And in the end, they are welcome changes because it helps clinicians and executive management achieve goals benefitting the client.

The Remarkable Health difference

Remarkable Health (formerly known as ClaimTrak) is the leading Provider Success Software Company focused on the behavioral health and human services industries. For more than 25 years we have passionately focused on providing behavioral health, substance abuse, and human service organizations the tools they need to provide remarkable client experiences. We offer a purpose-built, integrated platform consisting of Electronic Health Record (EHR)—Clinical, Billing, Scheduling, Reporting, and Medication Management —for inpatient, outpatient, and residential facilities.

Schedule a demo today of CT|One, an EMR solution consisting of clinical, billing, scheduling, reporting, and medication management for inpatient, outpatient, and residential facilities.

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Benefits of Behavioral Health EHR Solutions

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There are certain features behavioral health EHR solutions have that other software does not. For example, software geared towards behavioral health professionals allows clinicians to document clients’ treatment sometimes spanning years of therapy. This is different from a medical health provider who may see a patient once or twice to diagnose and prescribe treatment.

It should also automate adding mental health modifiers to bills. You can choose service levels and therapy codes depending on the type of insurance and who provided the service.

Clinicians and staff can use templates that are customized for situations like interviews and mental statue exams to increase productivity. In addition, ePrescribing is an essential functionality of a behavioral health EHR solution.

Look for a behavioral health EHR solution offering the following benefits:

  • Client registration. EHR software helps you keep up with which clients are coming in and who they are seeing. Look for an EHR system that has a robust scheduling feature built out. Also look for solutions that offer automated appointment reminders via phone calls, text messages, or emails.
  • Billing. Look for an EHR solution that integrates a robust billing system. It makes financial and operational sense to have treating and billing done in the same place. It also comes with mental health specific shortcuts.
  • Claims management. You want an EHR system that includes functionality to make it easier to get reimbursed, such as billing codes and error reporting. Look for a behavioral health EHR solution that houses your billing and coding information broken down by staff and service types. A fully integrated EHR system will provide the opportunity for a full view of your revenue cycle management.

Conclusion

When looking for an EHR solution, it is important to choose one that caters to behavioral health practices. Be sure your new EHR solution includes the functionality discussed above. A fully integrated EHR solution with this functionality will help you provide care to clients so they can achieve remarkable outcomes.

The Remarkable Health difference

Remarkable Health (formerly known as ClaimTrak) is the leading Provider Success Software Company focused on the behavioral health and human services industries. For more than 25 years we have passionately focused on providing behavioral health, substance abuse, and human service organizations the tools they need to provide remarkable client experiences. We offer a purpose-built, integrated platform consisting of Electronic Health Record (EHR)—Clinical, Billing, Scheduling, Reporting, and Medication Management —for inpatient, outpatient, and residential facilities.

For a more in-depth look into finding the right behavioral health EHR provider, download Your Guide to EHR Providers for Behavioral Health.

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Steps to a Successful EHR Implementation

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Whether you are replacing paper records or replacing an existing EHR system, the process of transitioning to a behavioral health EHR platform requires significant preparation.

The following steps will help you plan your specific goals and understand the overall impact, easing the transition process and increasing your chance of success.

  1. What are your goals?

Establishing key goals for EHR implementation should be one of the first things you should document. Goals should be measurable, realistic, and include timelines for completion.

Example goals to include:

  • Identify inefficiencies in your current workflow processes
  • Improving revenue cycle, clinical and productivity metrics
  • Providing better access to data across providers and programs.

Key goals should be dynamic. Be prepared to modify your goals as you learn more about your workflows in the next step and how an EHR solution will mesh with or change them.

  1. Is your agency ready for a transition?

The first step is to document your administrative, clinical, and financial workflows. You need to understand how you currently do things to determine where there are areas for improvement and how they may change after EHR implementation.

Are there any technical literacy gaps that require training outside of using the EHR system?

Finally, consider additional financial costs like staffing changes, updates needed to hardware, and a loss of productivity while employees become proficient with the new EHR solution.

  1. Who will be part of your core implementation team?

Designated leadership can make or break your EHR implementation process. Your team should include clinicians, staff, and management of all levels and from all roles.

Your implementation team must have the authority to make decisions concerning the transition process. Also, assign a champion to lead the team. You want someone who can engage others and create excitement around your new EHR solution.

Finally, appoint someone willing to be the point person during and after implementation to answer questions and help others through the transition.

Your EHR provider should also provide a key contact to help you undertake the transition.

  1. Who will be your EHR vendor?

Now you need to search for prospective EHR providers. Your planning in the above steps provides guidance on what to look for in preferred vendors.

A behavioral health EHR vendor supplies a configured platform designed to take your agency’s workflows and optimize them in a way that functions within the EHR system. Part of selecting an EHR vendor is determining whether they will provide the security necessary for your protected health information, so it’s important to look for a certified vendor.

Finally, it’s important to find a vendor that values relationships. You want a vendor that will guide you through implementation and support you like a business partner after go-live. Without this type of business partnership, it’s likely you will have a failed implementation.

Conclusion

While these four steps summarize a successful EHR implementation, planning the details before selecting an EHR vendor puts you on the path to success. Agencies are more likely to experience a smoother implementation and better outcomes when they take the time to plan accordingly.

Where to find more information

Remarkable Health’s comprehensive best practice guide, Behavioral Health EHR Implementation Roadmap, shows you how to create a roadmap for a successful implementation. Download your free copy of the guide today.

The Remarkable Health difference

Remarkable Health offers an implementation methodology that puts your agency first. Our goal is to ensure you have remarkable experiences throughout each stage of your relationship with us.

When you engage with our implementation team expect formal project plans for each program we set up and establish. Once your organization is ready, our extensive training process helps your staff and clinicians become efficient users of CT|One from well before your go-live date.

And once you go live with the system, we are here to provide assistance through any hiccups or roadblocks encountered with the process, serving as a trusted advisor for your organization.

Request a demo of CT|One today to experience the difference a powerful fully integrated behavioral health EHR platform can make in your client care and agency goals.

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Reasons to Choose a Mental Health Focused EMR Provider

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Mental health practitioners know behavioral, mental health, and addiction treatment practices require a different management approach compared to family medical practices and other specialty medical services.

With the complexities of in-patient and out-patientcare, coupled with addiction treatment you cannot rely on an EMR designed for a primary medical care.

It is not a matter of “if” you will switch from a general EMR provider, but “when” you decide to move to a mental health focused EMR solution.

Reasons to choose a mental health focused EMR provider

A mental health-specific EMR gives you advanced capabilities and the experience that primary care EMR software does not concentrate on.

Here are a few advantages to choosing a mental health EMR provider:

  1. A mental health EMR provider offers templates to facilitate psychiatric evaluations, ensuring staff will not miss vital information. Templates can cover addiction, assessments, treatment plans, and other crucial tasks to increase your efficiency and to better engage with clients who are dealing with addiction treatment and mental health issues.
  2. Continuity of care. A mental health EMR solution offers unique capabilities not typically found in generic EMR applications such as documenting risk factors for violence or suicide, and sadness scales.
  3. ICD-DSM coding. A built-in ICD-DSM coding feature helps staff work with the new ICD-10 codes. In addition to ICD-DSM coding, you also might need a mental status exam, outcome measures, session notes, and psychiatric medication management, all functionality included in a mental health EMR.
  4. New client intake. Beginning a relationship with a new client is easy. An intake form and process let you capture the pertinent information needed to quickly set up a new client in your system, even in emergencies. You gain efficiencies while verifying appropriate insurance and eligibility for the services prior to being rendered.
  5. Communication. Automatically send appointment reminders to clients through various contact mediums, significantly decreasing your no-show rates. An EMR solution makes it easy to communicate and schedule an initial consultation, one-on-one therapy sessions or group therapy. You can use the communication features to remind and schedule appointments based on your clients’ needs. Also, an EMR provides internal communication points and triggers creating a safer, more positive client experience.

Conclusion

If you’re still using paper-based files or you have a general EMR not designed specifically for mental health practices, consider discussing your needs with a mental health EMR provider. Continuing to rely on your current system will only hinder you and force your staff to waste client’s time.

The Remarkable Health difference

Remarkable Health (formerly known as ClaimTrak) is the leading Provider Success Software Company focused on the behavioral health and human services industries. For more than 25 years we have passionately focused on providing behavioral health, substance abuse, and human service organizations the tools they need to provide remarkable client experiences. We offer a purpose-built, integrated platform consisting of Electronic Health Record (EHR)—Clinical, Billing, Scheduling, Reporting, and Medication Management —for inpatient, outpatient, and residential facilities.

For more information about EMR providers and how to choose, download Your Guide to EHR Providers for Behavioral Health today.

EHR provider

EHR Providers-What Can They Do for You?

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Electronic health records (EHR) providers offer many benefits to behavioral health practices that impact both clinicians/staff and clients. Beyond the practical efficiencies to be gained in both patient care and practice management, behavioral health EHR providers and their solutions can help improve revenue cycle metrics, increasing cashflow.

Here are the five most notable benefits EHR providers can offer behavioral health practices and their clients.

  1. Interoperability

Behavioral health EHR providers give you simplified information sharing. Clinicians can share vital information about client care and treatment plans both clinician-to-clinician and clinician-to-staff. EHR interoperability provides visibility into client care, resulting in dramatic improvements in service delivery and efficiency.

  1. ePrescribing

Prescription drug monitoring is a vital part of behavioral health services. ePrescribing allows clinicians to seamlessly send electronic prescriptions for mental health and addiction medications to retail or mail-order pharmacies within a single workflow. Clinicians can track medications in real time, eliminating the risk of over-prescribing or known allergies and other prescription errors.

  1. Security

Unlike paper documents, advanced data security protects EHRs to guard against theft, loss, or destruction from disasters. When clients have faith in the security of your healthcare information technology, they share more about their mental health concerns. Clinicians then gain a complete picture of clients’ overall health and wellness. Open, honest communication allows both clinicians and clients to make more informed decisions, which result in improved care.

  1. Accessibility

Clinicians can access EHR systems from virtually any location, so they can choose when and where to manage client treatment plans. Easy accessibility is key to enabling clinicians to share treatment methods with others responsible for client care, allowing for seamless and integrated treatment plans. Accessibility also allows administrative and billing staff to process and manage claims and invoices quickly and efficiently.

  1. Improved billing

Behavioral health organizations can reduce costly delays and errors related to traditional paper-based invoicing or a stand-alone billing system that does not “talk” to your practice management system. When you use a fully integrated EHR solution that captures all data, including clinical notes and billing codes, you seamlessly allow information to flow without any redundancy or duplication of effort. An EHR automatically scans claims for errors, reducing your denial rates, and submits billings as often as daily to help increase your cashflow.

  1. Better communication

All authorized staff members can access patient records, resulting in quicker and more accurate communication among clinicians. An EHR can lead to better client case management, a decrease in unnecessary duplications, and prompt answers to clients’ questions. Also, an EHR system allows administrative staff to automate client reminders for scheduled appointments and follow-ups, reducing your no-show rate. Better communication between clinicians, staff, and clients improves care.

Conclusion

EHR vendors offer a solution that is well-suited to the multi-disciplinary field of behavioral health. As behavioral health EHR providers gain acceptance, client care and clinical outcomes will continue to improve throughout clinics and practices. Client outcomes are the best measure of your behavioral health organization’s success.

The Remarkable Health difference

Remarkable Health (formerly known as ClaimTrak) is the leading Provider Success Software Company focused on the behavioral health and human services industries. For more than 25 years we have passionately focused on providing behavioral health, substance abuse, and human service organizations the tools they need to provide remarkable client experiences. We offer a purpose-built, integrated platform consisting of Electronic Health Record (EHR)—Clinical, Billing, Scheduling, Reporting, and Medication Management —for inpatient, outpatient, and residential facilities.

woman smiling while working on laptop

Key Considerations for a Successful EMR Implementation

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Migrating from a paper system or switching to a new behavioral health EHR is an invaluable step to improving your agencies operations. It will put your agency on the path to significantly improved patient service and greater efficiency across the organization. The better you plan, the higher the chance of a successful EMR implementation.

Here are the key considerations for a successful EMR implementation.

✓     Start with an in-depth analysis of your workflows. Document each step and make sure each is ready for automation.

✓     Understand the methodology of EMR implementation and change management practices.

✓     Make sure to get buy-in from your executive team, clinicians, and staff.

✓     Compare EMR platform costs and research competitors. Narrow your choices to a final selection.

✓     Create a transition team and identify a staff member who will champion and lead it.

✓     Be clear about your back-office requirements compared to your front-office ones.

✓     Provide proactive and open communication to all staff and clinicians early and often.

✓     Engage staff and clinicians in planning so they can share their needs and wants.

✓     Share the scope of the project and ensure everyone has an understanding before going live.

These key considerations offer a high-level overview of a successful EMR implementation. If you take the time to perform your due diligence and focus on creating an extensive EMR implementation plan, your implementation will be more successful before, during, and after.

Where to find more information

Remarkable Health’s comprehensive guide, Behavioral Health EHR Implementation Roadmap, lays out how to construct a roadmap to a successful implementation. Download your free copy of the guide today.

The Remarkable Health difference

Remarkable Health’s CT|One is a fully integrated behavioral health EHR solution to help you take client care to a higher level. We have assisted agencies just like yours achieve greater efficiencies and broader insights into improved client care and management.

Our flagship product, CT|One is a complete hosted Electronic Health Record (EHR) – Clinical, Billing, Scheduling, Medication Management / e-Prescribing, Reporting, etc. – for inpatient, outpatient, and residential settings.

We work hard to ensure your success. Consider us your partner and trusted advisor. We provide remarkable experiences throughout each stage of your relationship with us.

Request a demo today to discover how your agency can help clients achieve remarkable outcomes.