One unique feature of Lytec MD is its Bright Note technology, which enables doctors to complete a patient’s chart from a single note. Bright Note utilizes various data entry methods (templates, speech recognition and Web-based patient entry, to name a few) that the provider can choose from. Once that note is recorded and saved, data from the note is automatically entered in the patient’s chart.

Another feature of Lytec MD is its provider dashboard, which lets the doctor view pertinent information (such as daily patient schedule or lab results) in a single place. Both Bright Note and the provider dashboard allow the doctor to focus more on the quality of care and less on paperwork (and to ensure critical patient information is accurate).

As with other EMRs, Lytec MD also provides a health maintenance protocol and electronic prescribing functionality.  The maintenance protocol is based on patient’s age, sex, race, disease, and medication history – tools needed to provide preventative care to patients.  The electronic prescription feature utilizes SureScript and RxHub. Doctors can file prescriptions online and send it to a pharmacy in a matter of minutes. This cuts down on deciphering doctors’ handwriting and time in getting prescription filled.  SureScript and RxHub provide a full list of prescriptions, formularies, costs, allergies and other interactions, and dosing advice – important for patient safety.

As noted above, Lytec MD includes the Lytec 2010 PM solution, which has these following functionalities:

Appointment scheduling: Appointments can be viewed by day, week, or month. For example, in the “day” view, there are columns representing the name of the patient, reason for appointment, status, phone number, and any additional notes. Appointments can be flagged if patient is late, canceled, or no-showed.

Billing and coding: This functionality includes a rules-based grid system for testing unlimited claims scenarios and allows for flexibility in accommodating filing requirements of different insurance companies, as well as ANSI 5010 claims.  It also includes medical codes in plain English to help medical billers.  Patient billing statements can also be done electronically via the BillFlash feature – simply upload the billing to BillFlash from Lytec and BillFlash produces the statement automatically.  Staff can also check for past-due balances and other billing issues in BillFlash.

Revenue management: With revenue management, claims can be checked for errors prior to submission. It also checks against insurance requirements prior to service as well as allows for payment changes to be made and posted.

The company behind Lytec MD, McKesson, provides training on the software prior to implementation.  The training comprised of several sessions, mostly focusing on patient records, charts, and e-prescribing. Practices can purchase additional training modules, such as order entry and interface services (connecting the system to labs or hospitals).  Post-implementation, technical support is provided.

For a busy practice that need to migrate to EMR but is already using PM capabilities, Lytec MD is a good buy.  Its strong features help staff cut back on time-consuming tasks and doctors focus on quality of care.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”

InSync is available in two forms: Saas (Software-as-a-Service) and onsite. The SaaS option is good for practices that do not want the expense or time of purchasing and maintaining equipment and servers as well as handling upgrades and other data security issues. For practices that want more control of their software, having InSync deployed onsite would be the better bet.

InSync has these following features:

Document management – Old paper records can be scanned and converted into different formats. Those records are then integrated with the patient’s specific EMR. Images, such as patient insurance card and identification, can be scanned as well.

Electronic chart – There are a variety of “point-and-click” template that doctors can choose and customize based on their practice, including templates aimed toward a specific specialty. All aspect of a patient’s record (including vitals, notes, lab work, medication, etc) is organized into a chart summary on one screen. There is also a built-in SOAP functionality for tracking and reviewing patient progress.

Lab / Medical test orders – Doctors can order tests and receive results electronically, and all lab results are organized in one location. An automatic alert is provided as a reminder for staff to call patients if any tests are overdue.

Electronic prescription – Like lab orders, prescriptions can be ordered electronically, therefore, reducing errors due to illegible handwriting and the like. InSync features a pharmacy database that list factors such as drug interactions.

InSync EMR is also integrated with its practice management (PM) module – for staff to set up patient appointment and handle patient registration. For practices with multiple locations, patient appointments can either be customized by location or all locations can be viewable on one screen. Schedules can be viewed in daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly formats and the system automatically tracks cancellations and no-shows.

There is also a medical billing software, called Revenue Cycle Management,  that can be integrated with the InSync EMR. This module provides not only medical billing functionality but includes claims processing, payment management, and financial and analytical reporting. Some of these tasks can be done automatically, which reduces data entry and unnecessary phone calls to patients: insurance eligibility checks, medical code for type of service is automatically added to patient’s bill, an E&M calculator that suggests the levels of service for patient visit, and automated payment recording. There is an optional electronic claims feature, which, for a fee, electronically sends an unlimited amount of medical claims to insurance companies.

The software also tracks outstanding payment balance and provide alerts to staff to follow up with the patients. One aspect of the financial and analytical reporting functionality is that account receivable reports are generated in 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day format. Reports can also be exported to Microsoft Excel.

Training on the use of the software is provided by Intvia. Training can be done at the doctor’s office, online, or through webinars. The training time frame varies based on the practice’s size and workflow, so we recommend they contact Intivia directly for further information on training. Practices can also contact customer service for support in three ways: phone, email, or the self-service desk functionality on Intivia’s website.

InSync has a full-fledged electronic record functionality but is designed for offices that need to migrate to EMR (and needs to scan paper records) in order to take advantage of the federal stimulus bill. We especially like that it is offered as both as a SaaS and onsite (some EMRs only have one or the other) so doctors can choose which is best for their practice.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”

IMS has a wide range of features, including appointment scheduling, patient check-in/check-out functionality, interactive voice reminder functionality, e-prescription, and letter writing capability. There is also a feature for automatically sending health maintenance reminders to patients. There is also a form filler template that can be customized with patient information (address, phone number, insurance, etc) already pre-populated. It eliminates staff data entry time and speeds up the patient check-in process (if patient is given form to fill prior to arriving at the appointment).

IMS also includes medical billing and collections functionality. It analyzes insurance claims for errors prior to sending and flags them for correction. Billing and insurance statements can be printed and even transferred to another program (such as bill flash).  Staff can track any unpaid claims or bills and can re-bill the insurance company or the patient.

Meditab’s IMS  has a scanning module as well as document management functionality. This is an important feature, especially for practices migrating from paper to EMRs. Older paper medical records, as well as patient identification and insurance cards, can be scanned and archived.  For medical practices with limited and/or busy staff, Meditab’s employees can assist in the scanning process. Once scanned, paper (and other electronic) records are organized in a “file cabinet” and filed automatically to a patient’s chart.

There is also a fax module that allows for sending and receiving electronic faxes. As the fax module is integrated with IMS, incoming faxes is automatically routed to a patient’s electronic medical record.

Another important feature is the optional Healthcare Portal – it lets patients be more proactive with their health and reduce administrative tasks for the front desk staff.  Patients can schedule appointments online, complete medical history, symptom assessment, and other forms, and request referrals and prescription renewals. They can even pay their bill through the portal as well.

Meditab offers various training methods for its EMR, such as distance learning, one-on-one training, and group training.  Prior to training, the medical practice completes the needs assessment to determine which staff members need training and the best training strategy. Ongoing training is provided through online training/webinars and workshops dedicated to specific modules. Meditab also provide technical and customer service support, as well as a data backup service, in the event that data is lost by a natural disaster or technical malfunctions.  Data is automatically backed up to a system that’s in an offsite location.

Meditab’s IMR is intended for any medical practice, regardless of size or specialty, that need to migrate to EMR and want to reduce time-consuming tasks while retaining focus on improved patient quality of care.  And it has an added bonus of allowing patients to be more in charge of their own healthcare through its Healthcare Portal, which is a feature that is available only on a few EMRs we have evaluated.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”

OfficeEMR provides a variety of customizable templates so that physicians can adopt them to their particular practices. Patients’ older charts can also be scanned and stored online, along with images, videos, letters, and reports. Those files can be exported in a variety of formats, such as Word or Excel. Physicians can share charts and other information on their patients with their patients’ other doctors.

Physicians can order and prescribe lab tests and treatment electronically. OfficeEMR comes pre-configured with access to LabCorp and Quest, and other labs can be added for free. Lab results are sent back to the ordering physician electronically and can then be added to the patient’s electronic record, and doctors can create custom patient-specific sheets on patient preventative care and/or disease management.

Like lab tests, prescriptions can also be sent electronically. Doctors have immediate access to drug interaction information – therefore, it can be checked at the time of the patient visit. Formulary guidelines are available and practices can receive updated formulary information on a weekly basis.

OfficeEMR provides an at-a-glance scheduling view, with each column representing a particular doctor’s appointment schedule. The patient can be pre-registered at the time they make an appointment, which can be updated at the time of check-in. Patients’ identification and insurance cards can be scanned and stored into the system. Check-in, cancellations, and no-show statistics can also be tracked.

OfficeEMR also comes with a billing and coding function. Claims and patient statements can either be printed on paper or sent electronically. Claims can be checked for errors before being submitted to the insurance companies. Explanation of benefits (EOB) can also be processed electronically. Staff can also run account inquiries and aging reports. Doctors can run patient data analysis and reports that can be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and other public health officials.

As a very useful feature, OfficeEMR also provides a mobile application (for iPhones and other mobile devices) so doctors can access patient records and general practice information from anywhere. iSalus also provides a no-risk guarantee that all information, especially sensitive patient data, is secure and backed up every night. This is, without a doubt, one of the most important features.

OfficeEMR first received CCHIT certification in 2006 and its Version 2009 was certified in 2008. Its OfficeEMR 2011 Meaningful Use Edition will be, according to iSalus, guaranteed to meet meaningful use requirements as set by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information.

OfficeEMR is good for any practices that do not want to spend a lot of money upfront or do not want to worry about keeping up with hardware, software, or upgrade requirements. As a $700 per month subscription, it is affordable, especially for smaller practices or solo practitioners.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”

Like other EMRs, EHRweb presents patient information online and in an accessible format, so doctors can find them at point of care, which can lead to improved healthcare quality. Doctors can also format patients’ charts based on either a custom or a universal template, and chart notes can be created by either voice recognition or macros. Doctors can also build patients’ problem list (symptoms) and medical, family, and social history, and share it with other providers in a secure manner.

EHRweb includes the NetPracticeRESULTS and NetPracticeERX interface. NetPracticeRESULTS is intended for providers who want to access lab and radiology results in one setting, rather than having to log into multiple systems. Doctors can review and sign off on any test they’ve ordered and can receive results electronically in real time. The test results are then saved in the patient’s electronic health record. Test results can be sorted by date, type of test, or the name of the doctor who ordered them. It also improves efficiency for the staff – they can access the test results quickly while on the phone with the patient.

NetPracticeERX is an electronic prescribing interface that utilizes the SureScripts network. Doctors can send prescriptions to any pharmacy and manage refills and renewals request online. NetPracticeERX also provides a formulary database of brand-name and generic medications. Doctors also can check potential drug interactions as well as the patient’s medication history. Patient medication history can also be shared with pharmacies as well. NetPracticeERX also has a Schedule 3-5 medication complaint printing feature for Medicare requirements.

NetPractice EHRweb can also be integrated with the NetPracticePM for scheduling and billing functions. Staff can view appointment schedules by day, week, or a month. Schedules can also be sorted by provider and location (if practice has multiple locations). Appointment reminders can also be sent electronically. Bills and claims can also be sent electronically via the software’s billing function, reducing paperwork and time. Claims can also be checked for errors prior to sending them to insurance companies.

Paper documents can be added to a patient’s electronic record by scanning or faxing. Also, doctors can access a patient’s record wherever they are outside of office hours, especially if a patient has an urgent medical question or request.

Noteworthy provides a variety of training tools for all of its products, including online self-paced training, DVD, live online training, and onsite training. Training manuals and interactive tutorials are also available. Noteworthy also provides its online support center for technical help.

NetPractice EHRweb can be used by any provider, regardless of size or specialty. When used in conjunction with other NetPractice interfaces mentioned above, EHRweb improves medical practice workflow, which leads to higher quality of patient care.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”

MicroMD EMR provides a variety of clinical documentation methods, such as templates, forms, speech recognition, and handwriting recognition. Templates can even be formatted so that they are similar to paper charts. Also, some templates allow the provider to build a list of “responses” (e.g. symptoms) and change them as needed. Doctors and staff can customize their templates (based on specialty) on their own, without the need for IT; these templates come pre-loaded.  The Patient Monitor feature provides an at-a-glance view of patient history and flags items that the doctor needs to review or act on during the patient visit. There is also the clinical dashboard, which provides clinical data of a specific patient’s condition  in graph form  (for example, weight, glucose, and blood pressure information on a diabetic patient).

Doctors can also prescribe medications and send them to pharmacies electronically via the SureScript network – therefore reducing illegible handwriting and errors. The e-Prescribing feature also provides eligibility verification, patient medication history, drug formulary verification, and drug interaction information. Prescription renewals can also be submitted electronically.  Doctors can also submit lab and other test orders and get those results sent back electronically. MicroMD EMR also alerts the staff to follow up with patients if they did not go for their tests within a specified time frame.

MicroMD EMR provides medical billing services through its Evaluation & Management (E&M) coding interface. Its Evaluation Level calculator lets the provider record details of the patient visit and then generates accurate codes based on those details – which reduces the chance of errors in coding and billing.  The EMR software uses CPT and ICD codes, as well as the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) for codes not covered by CPT. When used in conjunction with MicroMD’s practice management software, other medical billing services are performed, such as checking against claims for errors, generating billing statements, and posting payments.

As mentioned above, MicroMD has received Stage 1 certification for meaningful use. It has released the latest version of the MicroMD EMR (Version 7.5) to help practices that have not adopted electronic health records and need to meet Stage 1 meaningful use requirements in order to obtain federal stimulus funds.  Version 7.5 features a patient portal so patients can communicate with doctors outside of office hours. It also features an at-a-glance function that lets doctors know what patient charts or visits meet the meaningful use requirements and what data fields need to be completed.

MicroMD provides training prior to implementation. There is onsite training as well as online training. One-on-one training is available as well. Doctors can also receive post-implementation phone support.

One feature we want to point out is that the MicroMD EMR has a Web-based faxing interface for those practices that have a need to fax prescriptions and referrals — such as a case of a practice that does not yet have  electronic medical record software. Any inbound fax comes directly into the MicroMD EMR software. Another feature to note is that the PM software has a built-in optical character recognition functionality to allow for scanning of driver licenses and insurance cards and electronically extracting key data from these cards, therefore eliminating the need for manual data entry.

The MicroMD EMR software provides a comprehensive set of features that not only meets meaningful use guidelines but also helps doctors focus more on patient healthcare. When used in conjunction with its PM software, it also reduces time-consuming tasks for administrative staff.  This is the kind of software that all practices can use, regardless of size.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”

Doctors can choose between two options: hosted service (through an application service provider) or on-premise service (on practice’s servers). There is no up-front cost – in fact, Allscripts allows for first payment to begin on the fourth month of service.  The monthly cost is $375 for full-time providers, and $250 for part-time providers.  If doctors elect for the hosted service, the cost is an additional $99 a month, and does not require a server. The benefit of using a hosted service is that doctors would not have to worry about the expense and time of purchasing and maintaining equipment and hiring additional staff. Allscripts takes on the task of maintaining servers, performing backups and upgrades, and ensuring firewall and other security software is updated.

MyWay allows for the practice’s total control over its clinical information. It includes a single unified database so  physicians and staff can share information. If the patient needs information on his or her condition, the doctor can quickly pull up a one-page review of that patient’s medical history – thus ensuring more efficient communication. MyWay also provides a template-free charting feature, so doctors can develop their own chart and can add notes, lab results, and other information to the chart after the patient visits. Prescribing medications and ordering lab tests are also simpler. The ePrescribing feature includes information on formularies and drug interaction and keeps track of prescription refills. Doctors can also customize commonly ordered lab tests and can even order multiple tests with a single click.

We like that these features make doctors’ jobs easier and ensure more time is being spent on the patient. We also like that MyWay offers quick customization – doctors and staff can make changes without much computer programming knowledge. And, via its intelligent navigation feature, MyWay displays content that is relevant to the patient at hand (e.g. symptoms) and even suggests the next step for the doctor to take. Finally, through the adaptive learning feature, MyWay automatically figures out the workflow patterns of the practice and adapts itself to them.

Allscripts also features a practice management solution with scheduling and accounting interfaces. Appointments can be filtered by doctor (in multiple-physician practices) and color-coded based on patient’s needs. The appointment scheduling application also features overbook protection to prevent scheduling more than one patient per doctor at the same time. Patients’ identification and insurance cards can be scanned and the OCR (optical character recognition) software adds this to the patient’s chart and adds its demographics to the system.  The accounting system automates billing entries and contractual adjustments to ensure account receivables are accurate, as well as  safeguard the practice’s finances by building an audit trail.

Allscripts also offers an optional code-checking feature that has a built-in coding and compliance alert. There is also an optional 3M claim scrubbing feature that identifies potential coding errors before claims are sent to insurance companies and detects and fixes any mistakes to the billing system. Note that this feature does not require a software upgrade. There are also two other solutions that can be integrated with MyWay – Allscripts Remote, where doctors can securely access the patient’s EMR via their mobile devices, and Allscripts Patient Portal, where patients can access their medical data and communicate with their doctors online.

Allscripts provides a training program after implementation. Practices can get training  via  e-Learning/Web classes, done at the practice’s location, or in a classroom setting. There is also an online client forum where Allscripts posts a course catalog and information on news and events.  Allscripts also provides resources to help doctors meet “meaningful use” criteria to obtain federal stimulus funds for adopting electronic health records (EHRs).

For a small practice that has limited staffing and does not want to make a big equipment expense up-front (or does not want the worries of having to maintain equipment), we recommend Allscripts MyWay.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”

The Patient Portal is integrated with the patient’s own electronic medical record, so it reduces the front office staff’s need to pull out paper medical records. Patients can create their own accounts (for themselves as well as their families), which house their medical history, billing statements, and lab results, among other things. Patients can send a request, such as prescription refills or referrals, through the Portal’s messaging system, and check on the status of their requests at their convenience. The staff can also utilize the messaging system for appointment reminders, tests reminders, or communicate issues with medications. The Portal also employs a self-service appointment scheduler, so patients can schedule their appointments online – therefore reducing phone calls.

Obtaining patients’ medical history and other information can also be done before the office visit. The Portal’s Instant Medical History includes different medical questionnaires patients can fill out, which then is submitted to their charts. There are also online templates that are used to collect information on medical and social history.  We like this feature as this reduces administrative time and the doctor can focus more on the patient’s reason for the visit.

There is also an online-paying option for patients – they can review as well as pay their bill online. Not only does it eliminate time in mailing out medical billing statements, but it also lets offices receive their money more quickly, which leads to increased revenue.

The Patient Portal has a wide range of security features, such as 128-bit encryption, firewall, anti-virus software, and intrusion detection software. Messaging features are also secure. NextGen also uses the following medical IT standards for its EMR system: Health Level 7 (HL7), Continuity of Care Record (CCR), Continuity of Care Document (CCD), XML, and https, among others.  NextGen also provides support services to help doctors demonstrate “meaningful use” and what they need in order to receive reimbursements from the feds as designated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

NextGen also provides training and pre- and post-implementation services to help doctors and staff adjust to their new EHR system. The Patient Portal is pre-loaded with diagnostic codes, insurance claim rules, fee schedules, and other data. The training and implementation program is based on the practice’s schedule and needs.  Doctors and staff have a few choices of training programs: on-site training at one of NextGen’s facilities, self-paced online courses, or virtual seminars via WebEx.  Finally, a customer service rep, assigned to the practice for six to nine months post-implementation, helps with general questions and any issues not covered in the training.

We recommend the NextGen Patient Portal for a busy small practice that does not want to spend a lot of time on administrative tasks and needs to reduce paper trails and data entry errors. We think patients will like this as well, as they can set appointments, communicate with doctors, and see their lab results and billing statements in their own time, without being limited to office hours.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”

Having recently received the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) designation, one of Medisoft Clinical’s most important features is its Bright Note Technology, which helps doctors complete a patient’s chart based on one progress note. The chart is automatically updated once new information on a patient is entered (e.g. lab result, updated medication). There are also a variety of data entry tools, such as speech recognition, digital pen, dictation, and Web-based patient data entry. These tools help doctors focus more on the patient at hand. Doctors can choose from multiple progress note templates that are based on specialty.

There are also other tools to note that help both doctors and staff. First, there is a built-in coding advisor that analyzes a patient’s visit, using updated Evaluation and Management (E&M) codes, and then transcribes the reason for the patient visit into an accurate code. Second, the software loads the text that is transcribed and automatically populates the patient’s entire chart (e.g. medical history, medication lists, etc.). Also, there is a provider dashboard that places all information, such as a daily patient schedule or an entire patient history, in one place. Finally, the Medisoft Clinical system allows for pieces of patient information, or even a patient’s single health record, to be communicated between different practices, so that confusion and errors in treatment and medication are reduced.

Medisoft Clinical also provides an accessible knowledge base such as Web-based directories of disease and treatment information, diagnosis and treatment guidelines, and health maintenance information that are based on specific patient information (age, sex, medical history). It also utilizes the SureScripts electronic prescribing system, which links pharmacies and doctors and makes the prescribing process easier, safer, and more efficient. SureScript provides different kinds of prescription templates as well as a database of pharmacy information (i.e. drug interaction, drug allergies, etc.) and dosage advice.

Medisoft Clinical also includes features from the Medisoft v.17 system that aims to reduce administrative hassle for the front-office staff.  They are:

Medisoft Office Hours Professional Scheduler: Allows for quickly scheduling patient visits and inputting patient contact information.

NexTrust’s BillFlash: Uploads existing patient statements from MediSoft via the Internet and produces easy-to-read patient statements. BillFlash will then print and mail billing statements directly to patients.

Revenue / Claims Management: With this feature, the staff can check for eligibility requirements for some insurance companies, review filings, and correct any errors before sending in the claim.

With Medisoft Clinical, doctors and staff get the best of both worlds: the ability to streamline workflow by automating administrative tasks while having accessible patient information on hand, which leads to better quality of care.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”